the experience of Elluminate

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to ask: how do you experience being part of those Elluminate discussions? I've participated in several. I end up being fascinated not simply with the topic at hand but also with the process(e) of communication that are happening while the group is sharing around the theme.

Wondered: how do others experience the interaction during one of those talks? Do you participate, or mostly listen? Do you keep up with the stream of conversation--try to--or let it go, focusing in every now and then but mostly listening to the speaker and host?

More questions: Is back-channel really back channel, or is it front-channel? How is an Elluiminate discussion like and unlike using Twitter--or a network--or... you name it.

Do you end up going away from the discussion with something new? Do you pick up a new direction or resource you want to explore, or maybe a few new colleagues to discuss things with in some other format? Do you end up going away exhausted (hyper-mediafied) or uplifted, both, or neither?

Even more questions: what do you consider to be proper etiquette during conversations like that? Say, Steve is interviewing a speaker, the speaker is answering Steve's questions, putting on a presentation, and answering participants' questions--what is the proper job of participants participating in the conversation stream? Should the audience itself monitor pacing? Should the audience (participants) try to keep hooked into the speaker or chase down a lot of side-trails, spin-offs? Is everything ok? Do you have to sense it out as you go?

How many conversation threads can you have going on at once, high-speed, with @so and so and @so and so?

I know, I'm thinking way too much about it all. Just get on and do it--that's the important thing, it seems. Get used to the new technologies and the communications they afford by trying them! But hey--it's all so curious and new, what we're doing. If you have any insights or thoughts about being part of these talks, please share!