ASCII Free/Busy Searches

I read somewhere that the single most common use of email is scheduling synchronous meetings (mostly face to face).

How many times have you beein in something like this:

7 Dec 1400: Simon, Susan & Sharon are OK. Sam & Sally to confirm.

How many times has it been much messier than this?

If everyone's got an up-to-date digital schedule on the same server, free/busy searches can work well.

Here's a low tech approach to using email for free/busy searches:

       December

       0                 1                   2                   3

       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

       t f S S m t w t f S S m t w t f S S m t w t f S S m t w t f 

Janne  + + - - + + + + + ? ? + + + + - - - ? ? - - - - - - - - - + 

Ville  + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

Kalle  - - - - + + + + e e e - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +

Sanna  - - e e - - - + ? ? ? + + + + + - - + + - - - - - - + + + +

                     * *           *

Someone to write a script to generate these (that isn't in Finnish?

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Title:

Comments:

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