November 2001 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Major Online Communities Report from Pew Internet and American Life Project
by Steven Clift 14 Mar '02

14 Mar '02

This time with a subject line ... P.S. I would be interested in the results of similar studies in other countries. - SLC *** Democracies Online Newswire - http://www.e-democracy.org/do *** The Pew Internet and the American Life Project <http://www.pewinternet.org> has released one of the most important studies about the "two-way" Internet to date - "Online Communities: Networks that nurture long-distance relationships and local ties." Below is the press release. Access the full report from: http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=47 For my full Democracies Online commentary visit: http://mail.tc.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0110&L=do-wire&D=1&H=1&O=D&F=&S=&P=3 265 The report states that most people find local online groups in the off-line world. I also see tremendous potential for online efforts which make it easier to find, evaluate, and join online communities based on geography and other key factors. This happens to tie extremely closely with the proposed Open Groups standards effort that I am promoting <http://www.publicus.net/opengroups/>. To receive notice of the pending release of a major technical draft, send an e-mail to <open-groups-announce-subscribe(a)yahoogroups.com>. With support, Open Groups could help increase online group interactivity many times over. Read on for the press release and pass this on to others. Steven Clift Democracies Online Newswire http://www.e-democracy.org/do Provided to DO-WIRE by: http://www.pewinternet.org FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M., OCTOBER 31, 2001 CONTACT: Lee Rainie or John Horrigan at 202-296-0019 http://www.pewinternet.org/about/about.asp?page=5 90 million have participated in online groups Many use the Internet to connect with online communities that embrace their hobbies, their professions, their passions, and their beliefs 28 million go online with church groups, sports leagues, and social organizations in their home towns WASHINGTON- The Internet allows tens of millions of Americans to participate in a thriving social world where they enjoy serious and satisfying contact with online communities. Some 84% of Internet users have contacted an online group. That means that more Americans have used the Internet to contact a group than have gotten news online, or searched for health information, or bought a product. Many of these online groups are far flung and allow Internet users to connect easily with others around the world who share their passions, beliefs, hobbies, and lifestyles. At the same time, 26% of online Americans use the Internet to intensify their connection to their local community by planning church meetings, organizing neighborhood gatherings, arranging local sports league operations, coordinating charity activities, and petitioning local politicians. These findings represent some hopeful news that the Internet can be a tool for vigorous social engagement, rather than a technology that spurs isolation and alienation among users. · 50% of those who participate in online groups say the Internet has helped them get to know people they would not otherwise have met. · More than a third (37%) of those who participate in online groups say the Internet has helped them meet others from different generations than their own. · More than a quarter (27%) of those who participate in online groups say the Internet has helped them connect with people from different racial, ethnic, or economic backgrounds than their own. These results come in a survey of Internet users by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a research organization that examines the social impact of the Internet. They are contained in a report entitled, "Online Communities: Networks that nurture long-distance relationships and local ties." "For vast numbers of Americans, use of the Internet simultaneously expands their social worlds and connects them more deeply to the place where they live," says Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. "Online groups are comfortable places for people to congregate and get to know organizations and people they might never have encountered." Many online Americans are using the Internet to connect to traditional groups that exist in the offline world such as professional and trade associations, hobby enthusiast organizations, religious groups, ethnic and racial fraternal organizations, and political groups. A surprisingly large number of those contacting online groups (56%) say they became active in a group -- even traditional, offline organizations -- after they began communicating with it over the Internet. At the same time, millions of online Americans now use the Internet to connect to groups to which they belonged before they began using the Internet - and they report that their use of the Internet has helped them become more involved with those groups. One other encouraging sign is that use of the Internet is drawing new kinds of people to groups. In particular, young adults and minorities are using the Internet to participate in all kinds of online clubs and organizations and this is leading to new forms of civic involvement. "The network of networks has become a collection of communities," said John Horrigan, senior researcher at the Pew Internet Project and principal author of the report. "Many actively engage in cyber groups through email and bulletin boards that are lively forums for sharing ideas, hashing out issues, and making new friends." The Pew Internet Project study identifies 9 different types of Internet users who are attracted to online groups. Many belong to several types: On average, a Cyber Groupie (or someone who has checked out an online group) has visited 4 different online groups at one time or another. The different types are: · The Getting Ahead group - 51% of Internet users who have checked out trade and professional associations or labor unions. They are more likely to be college-educated men. · The Getting By group - 43% of Internet users who use Internet groups to mange day-to-day responsibilities, such as parenting or medical conditions. Women, especially those in the 35-44 age bracket, gravitate to this group. · Belief groups - 56% of Internet users who go to religious online groups or those relating to spiritual beliefs. Those in Belief groups value making personal connections more than the average Cyber Groupie. · Lifestylers - 28% of Internet users who go to online groups to contact people with similar lifestyles. Lifestylers tend to be men under age 34 and are among the very active emailers of other online community members. · Ethnic and racial groups - 15% of Internet users who have contacted an ethnic group online. This is the most racially diverse set of Cyber Groupies; this group is also younger and more urban than other categories of online communitarians. · Civic Engagement group - 45% of Internet users who have contacted an online group such as a neighborhood association or local charitable group. This group is older than average, and active in emailing online groups close to home. · Political Groupies - 22% of Internet users who have contacted a political group online. This group is mostly educated white males, and they are among most active emailers of others in online groups, and report that online groups have deepened their involvement in groups to which they already belong. · Entertainment groupies - 60% of Internet users who go to online groups about TV shows or fan sites of particular performers. This Cyber Groupies are younger than average, and have been online longer than others who go to online groups. · Sports Junkies - 42% of Internet users go to online groups about their favorite sports teams or local teams in which they participate. These users fit a perhaps predictable profile: they tend to be suburban men between the ages of 35 and 44. Here are some other key findings from the survey: · Men tend to be drawn to online groups involving professional activities, politics, and sports. · Women tend to be drawn to online medical support groups, local community associations that are online, and cyber groups relating to entertainment. · Lurking is not prevalent among Cyber Groupies; fully 60% email their group, 43% several times a week. · 35% of all Internet users go online for news about their local community or community events. · 30% of all Internet users go online to get information about their local government. · 11% of Internet users know of a local issue in which the Internet played a role in organizing citizens to communicate with public officials. · 51% percent of all Americans know of a place in their community where the Internet is publicly available. Overwhelmingly, these places are public libraries. African-Americans are the most likely to say that their community lacks public access to the Internet; 42% of African-Americans say their community does not have publicly available Internet terminals somewhere, compared with 29% of whites and 33% of Hispanics. The Pew Internet & American Life Project is a nonpartisan, independent research organization funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts to study the impact of the Internet on families, communities, health care, education, civic and political life, and the work place. ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net Minneapolis - - - E: clift(a)publicus.net Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - - - ICQ: 13789183 *** Please send submissions to: DO-WIRE(a)TC.UMN.EDU *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: listserv(a)tc.umn.edu *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To unsubscribe instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please forward this post to others and encourage *** *** them to subscribe to the free DO-WIRE service. ***

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Science magazine article
by Barry Wellman 18 Feb '02

18 Feb '02

Folks, I'm delighted to alert folks to a review article I wrote in Science, reviewing work about computer networks as social networks. In addition to arguing that computer networks are social networks, it substantively focuses on how the Internet fits into everyday (nonwork) life and computer-mediated tools for knowledge acquisition and management in networked organizations. You can access this article via my website. The URL is below, just click on Publications. While you're there, feel free to sightsee some of my other recent, relevant stuff. Cheers, Barry ___________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman(a)chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 ___________________________________________________________________

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Airport access
by Steve Jones 24 Jan '02

24 Jan '02

[Pursuant to an earlier thread, this article appeared in today's New York Times. -Sj] November 1, 2001 Airports Press Ahead on Wireless Access By GLENN FLEISHMAN HIGH-SPEED wireless data networks, which many airports once saw as the perfect intersection of traveler, revenue and technology, have faced serious hurdles this year, including the demise of some Internet service providers and a lackluster response from travelers with laptop computers. Yet a handful of companies continue to expand their networks. The year started out positively enough, as millions of laptops and other devices were shipped with built-in antennas or cards supporting the industry standard known as Wi- Fi, which allows high-speed, short- range connections. But customer demand lagged. Vancouver International Airport, for example, switched on its wireless network, built by Nokia (news/quote) Internet Communications, in February 2000, but "the traveling public did not greet the network as rapidly as anticipated," said Kevin Molloy, the airport's vice president for information technology and telecommunications. Nokia began operating the network on its own after an early partner pulled out of the market. Another airport, San Francisco International, had successive contracts with two firms that both failed without installing a single network access point. John Payne, the airport's director of information technology and telecommunications, said that the airport had "made some bets early on, when things were a little rosier than they were now." "You really need to pick your vendors carefully," he said. Still, Mr. Payne anticipates that high-speed wireless service will be available in one to two years. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is also slowly moving ahead under an agreement with Concourse Communications to roll out service gradually to the three major airports it runs - LaGuardia, Newark and Kennedy International - starting sometime next year. Concourse, which is a recent addition to the wireless Internet service provider market and is based in Springfield, Mass., plans to offer limited service at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport starting this month. Dick Snyder, senior vice president for business development, said that Concourse would extend coverage to more terminals as demand rises. The three New York-area airports now have active wireless networks only in the Admirals Club sites of American Airlines, with coverage provided by MobileStar, which also operates in Admirals Club lounges in 14 other airports. MobileStar has had the highest profile among wireless service providers through its contract with Starbucks (news/quote), for which it equipped 700 outlets. Although MobileStar laid off its entire staff in mid- October, it has remained active in airports and some other areas as its investors seek new financing or a buyer. Among other companies keeping the faith in wireless airport service is Wayport, a company in Austin, Tex., that serves airports in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle and San Jose, Calif. An Ottawa-based venture known as Sky.Link Internet Plus offers service in Ottawa and Calgary, Alberta. Both companies also serve hotels. Wayport hopes to continue expanding in airports through its recent acquisition of nine Laptop Lanes locations across the United States. These Laptop Lanes sites offer private cubicles with wired Ethernet connections for an hourly rate. Wayport's vice president for marketing, Dan Lowden, said the company hoped to add wireless service at each Laptop Lanes site. "We have to do it store by store, work with each one of the airports, and find out if they're accepting of it," he said. Prices for the services vary. In Vancouver, Nokia offers credit-card purchases in five-minute increments for the equivalent of 63 cents. It also sells a Wi-Fi PC Card bundled with unlimited permanent access. Users of MobileStar must create an account under one of five payment plans ranging from 20 cents per minute to $60 per month for unlimited time. Wayport charges a minimum rate of $5 for 24 hours of use in airports and $8 for 24 hours of use in hotels, with both rates relying on $50 prepaid debit accounts; prices are somewhat higher without the prepaid account. Wayport users may also pay $50 a month for unlimited time in all venues. Denver International Airport finds itself in an unusual situation: although Nokia finished installing and testing the airport's extensive Wi-Fi coverage in June, the wireless company has been unable to find a partner willing to take over network operations like customer accounts and maintenance. Sky.Link charges 10 Canadian dollars (about $6.30) per hour with no sign-up required or $20 per month for unlimited time. Concourse has not yet set prices but expects them to be in line with those of other operators. Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company

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Re: UCLA Internet Use Report
by RG Lentz 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

Re Willard's Uncapher's post: "The report obviously sticks to a rather instrumentalist view of the Internet, tailored to e-commerce, and doesn't appear to venture, if the pre-reports are accurate, to raising issues of surveillance, sharing of data, encryption, and other such aspects of Net use." Seems there is now a constant stream of cyber/Internet tracking studies (Pew, NTIA, UCLA, etc.) with a (and a growing enterprise for academics to add to this) available that focus mostly on household research with little attention to questions related to institutional disadvantage, e.g., national surveys/tracking studies (census not random sample studies) on libraries, schools, etc. where the policy remedies are focused (e.g., e-rate)? Also, these studies are so absent 'context' that it begs the question: why are Internet researchers focusing on this? Where's the beef? Soapbox here, but does it not bother anyone that there is so much money/effort going into such tracking studies? To what end? I'll risk posing the 'so what' question to get some discussion going. B. Lentz, UTAustin

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aoir 2.0 pix finally linked
by jeremy hunsinger 01 Dec '01

01 Dec '01

had to do some touch-up on some code, but i've linked the three sets of pictures up to the http://aoir.org/2001/ conference archive site have fun if anyone has anything other picture sets or conference reviews, etc. let charlie or I know:) -- jeremy hunsinger http://www.cddc.vt.edu/jeremy cddc/political science http://www.cddc.vt.edu 526 major williams hall 0130 http://www.dromocracy.com virginia tech -under construction blacksburg, va 24061 540-231-7614

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Fwd: SCI 2002
by jeremy hunsinger 30 Nov '01

30 Nov '01

Anyone going to this? anyone interested in doing an internet research panel? > > CALL FOR PAPERS > > THE 6th WORLD MULTI CONFERENCE ON > SYSTEMICS , CYBERNETICS AND INFORMATICS > SCI 2002 > > July 14 - 18, 2002 > > Orlando , Florida, USA > Sheraton World > > http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/ > > Honorary Presidents: Bela Banathy, Stafford Beer and George Klir > Program Committee Chair: William Lesso > General Chair: Nagib Callaos > Organizing Committee Chair: Belkis Sanchez > > MAJOR THEMES > > * Information Systems Development > * Information Systems Management > * Management Information Systems > * Virtual Engineering > * Mobile/Wireless Computing > * Communication Systems and Networks > * Emergent Computation > * Image, Acoustic, Speech and Signal Processing > * Computing Techniques > * Human Information Systems > * Education and Information Systems > * Control Systems > * Economic and Financial Systems > * SCI in Biology and Medicine > * SCI in Psychology, Cognition and Spirituality > * Conceptual Infrastructure of SCI > * Natural Resources > * Human Resources > * Globalization, Development and Emerging Economies > * SCI in Art > > ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC CO-SPONSORS > > · WOSC: World Organization on Systemics and Cybernetics (France) > · The Center for Systems Studies (UK) > · Systems Society of Poland > · Society Applied Systems Research (Canada) > · Slovenian Artificial Intelligence Society > · Simon Bolivar University (Venezuela) > · Polish System Society (Poland) > · Italian Society of Systemics > · ISSS: International Society for the Systems Sciences (USA) > · ISI: The International Systems Institute (USA) > · IFSR: International Federation of Systems Research (Austria/USA) > · Cybernetics and Human Knowing: A Journal of Second Order Cybernetics > and > Cybersemiotics (Denmark) > · CUST, Engineer Science Institute of the Blaise Pascal University > (France) > · Concurrency and Architecture Group, the Telematics Engineering > Department of > the Univesity of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria (Spain). > · The Tunisian Scientific Society (Tunisia). > > Technical Co - Sponsor > > · IEEE, Computer Society (Chapter: Venezuela) > > > ORGANIZED BY THE IIIS > > The International Institute of Informatics and Systemics. > > ACTIVE PARTICIPATION > > Those interested in participating in: > · The Organization of Invited Session(s) > · The Organization of Focus Symposium > · The Reviewing Process > · The Conference Promotion > · Recommending Scholars/Researchers in order to have an active > participation and/or submit the papers. > · Proposing Organizations/Institutes/Universities as Academic/Scientific > Co-sponsors. > > Please, enter to the conference web page: http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/, > and > fill the respective form. If by any reasons you are not able to access > the > page mentioned above, please, try the following page: > http://www.iiisci.org/sci2002/. > > If you have any problems linking to the conference web pages, or you > need > to send or receive additional information, contact the General Chair > Professor Nagib Callaos to: > ncallaos@ callaos.com > > ncallaos@ aol.com > > callaos@ telcel.net.ve > > PARTICIPANTS > > Participation of both, researchers and practitioners is strongly > encouraged. > Papers may be submitted on: research in science and engineering, case > studies drawn on professional practice and consulting, and position > papers > based on large and rich experience gained through executive/managerial > practices and decision-making. For this reason, the Program Committee is > conformed according to the criteria given above. > > TYPES OF SUBMISSION ACCEPTED > > 1. Papers > · Research > · Review > · Position > · Report > 2. Panel Presentation, Workshop and/or Round Table Proposals > 3. New Topics and Invited Sessions Proposals (which should include a > minimum of 5 papers) > 4. Focus Symposia (which should include a minimum of 15 papers) > > EXTENDED ABSTRACTS AND PAPER DRAFTS SUBMISSION FORM > > Extended abstracts or paper drafts should be sent taking into account > the > following Format: > > 1. Major theme of the paper, related to the major themes given above. > 2. Paper title. > 3. Extended abstract of 500 to 1500 words and/or paper drafts of 2000 to > 5000 words, in English. > 4. Authors and/or co-authors with names, addresses, telephone and fax > numbers, and e-mail addresses. > > Extended abstracts or paper drafts should be sent to the conference web > page: http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/, filling the respective form and > uploading the respective paper or extended abstract. If by any reasons > you > are not able to access the page mentioned above, please, try the > following > page: http://www.iiisci.org/sci2002/. > > If the conference web pages are not accessible for you, you can also > make > your submission by e-mail, attaching it to the following e-mail > addresses: > nacallao(a)telcel.net.ve and WMSCI2001(a)aol.com. > > DEADLINES > > December 19, 2001: Submission of extended abstracts (500-1500 words) or > paper drafts (2000-5000 words). > > December 19, 2001: Invited session proposals. > > February 20, 2002: Acceptance notifications. > > April 10, 2002: Submission of camera-ready papers: hard copies and > electronic versions. > > > PAPERS REVIEWING AND PUBLICATION > > Submitted papers will be reviewed. Accepted papers, which should not > exceed > six single-spaced typed pages, will be published by means of paper and > electronic proceedings. > > Best papers will be selected for awards and might be recommended for > journal publications. > > Multiple author books will be published by IIIS based on, the > best-invited > sessions, the best focus symposia or the best mini-conferences and the > topic of the papers. > > INVITED SESSIONS > > Based on past conferences experience, we suggest the following steps in > order to organize an invited session: > > 1) Identify a special topic in the scope of SCI 2002, and the invited > session title. Fill the invited session organization form, provided in > the > conference web page: http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/. If by any reasons > you > are not able to access the page mentioned above, please, try the > following > page: http://www.iiisci.org/sci2002/. If you don't have access to the > web, > contact the General Chair, via e-mail: ncallaos(a)callaos.com; > ncallaos(a)aol.com; callaos(a)telcel.net.ve. > 2) If the identified topic is suitable, the General Chair will accept > the > proposal, and you will receive an acceptation by e-mail, in a few days. > This acceptation is not a final approval of the proposed session, but a > pre-approval. The final approval will depend on identifying at least > five > papers for the proposed session and informing, at least, about their > titles. With this acceptation: a) the proposed session will be included > in > the conference web page as well as its organizer and the chairs' name, > and > b) its organizer will be able to announce his/her invited session in the > context of SCI 2002, by any media that he/she thinks appropriated, such > as: > Web page, hard copy call for papers, call for papers attached to > e-mails, > etc. > 3) Contact researchers and/or practitioners in your field to see if they > can contribute a paper to your proposed session and attend at SCI 2002. > 4) Collect the extended abstracts or the paper drafts from each > prospective > participant. > 5) Write a summary (1-2 page) with the main objectives, which must be > related to the invited/selected papers. > 6) As soon as you have 5 papers, you will complete the form regarding > the > invited session papers, provided in the conference web page: > http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/. > 7) Step 7 will take your invited session to the status of an approved > one > if the papers fulfil all the requirements (i.e. quality). All the > approved > invited sessions will be included in the SCI 2002 conference program. > > PROGRAM COMMITTEE > > Integrated by (197) prestigious scholars/researchers from 48 countries: > Details can be found in the conference web page: > http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/, > or asked for a detailed Call For Papers, by e-mail. > > Conference fees > > The conference fees will be $340 before the deadline, and $390 after the > deadline. > > This fee will include exclusively: > > * A CD-ROM version of the Proceedings > * One volume of the hard copy version of the Conference Proceedings. > (Other volumes will be available with a 40% of discount for > participants) > * Coffee breaks > * Welcome Reception > > Each registration fee might include a maximum of one paper, which > presentation will be included in the conference program and published in > the conference proceedings. > > Any other expenses must be afforded/provided by the participants. The > registration fee does not include any post-conference services. There > will > be additional shipping and handling costs for those registered authors > who, > for unforeseen reasons, could not go to the conference. Any > post-conference > administrative requirements will be charged $20 per staff hour required > to > elaborate such a requirement, with a minimum of $10. Post-conference > requirements will have their own deadline, which in no case will be more > than three months, after the last day of the conference. > > Conference CONTACTS > > Prof. Nagib Callaos (General Chair) > E -mails: ncallaos@ usb.ve(Academic) > ncallaos@ aol.com(Personal) > ncallaos@ callaos.com(Business) > callaos@ telcel.net.ve > > USA Tel/Fax: +1 (407) 856-6274 > Venezuela Tel/Fax (office): +58 (212) 962-1519 > > Conference Secretariat > scio98@ cantv.net > > Details can be found at the Conference web page: > http://www.iiis.org/sci2002/. > Answers to specific questions can also be requested by e-mail. > > jeremy hunsinger on the ibook www.cddc.vt.edu www.cddc.vt.edu/jeremy www.dromocracy.com

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CFP: Mediations/Meditations
by Lauren Cruikshank 30 Nov '01

30 Nov '01

CALL FOR PAPERS - 2002 CSAA ANNUAL MEETING University of Toronto May 29 - June 1, 2002 http://alcor.concordia.ca/~csaa1/eng/confe.htm MEDIATIONS/MEDITATIONS -- TRACING THE "VIRTUAL" AND "REAL" IN SOCIAL THEORY Organizer: Lauren Cruikshank, Communication and Culture, York University This session encourages papers that consider concepts of reality, virtuality, hyperreality and other modes of existence through a range of theoretical perspectives. Mediation of experience and the significance of the "real" in contemporary culture could be explored here with attention to media, technology, mythology or any number of other lenses. Deadline for submissions is December 15, 2001. Please submit an abstract of up to 300 words along with name, departmental affiliation, institution, email, mailing address and phone number to: lrc(a)yorku.ca or by mail to: 1412 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON, M4G 3A7, Canada Thank you.

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CFP: Computer-Supported Social Interaction Conference
by Campbell 29 Nov '01

29 Nov '01

This conference may interest some of the aoir-list members. J. Campbell Call For Papers Computer-Supported Social Interaction (CSI) 2002 http://www.users.muohio.edu/campbeqj/csi/csi.html April 19-20 2002 Miami University Oxford, OH 45056 Proposal Submission Deadline: Feb. 15, 2002 Advanced Registration Deadline: March 15, 2002 Computers and the Internet are becoming increasingly important mediums for social interaction. Many types of relationships including business, casual, and intimate are formed and maintained through the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). The CSI 2K2 conference is an effort to bring together leading researchers in the field of CMC to discuss the psychological implications of technology on social relationships. The conference will feature presentations by: ¨ Andrea Hollingshead (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) ¨ Sara Kiesler (Carnegie Mellon University) ¨ Joseph Walther (Rensselear Polytechnic Institute) We also invite individuals to submit proposals for poster or 10 minute oral presentations on topics related to the area of computer-supported social interaction. The poster/paper sessions will be scheduled around the featured presentations. We welcome proposals from any discipline relevant to the theme of the conference; submissions can be of an empirical nature or a theoretical/conceptual paper. Students are particularly encouraged to submit poster proposals. Topics may include but are not limited to: ¨ Electronic team performance ¨ Computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) ¨ Online relationships ¨ Distance learning and education ¨ Gender and technology ¨ Internet research methodology ¨ Research ethics ¨ Human-computer interaction ¨ Electronic commerce/privacy Submission Guidelines ¨ Authors must submit a 500-word proposal by Feb. 15 2002. The abstract should present a brief yet detailed description of the problem, methodology, results and/or potential implications. ¨ Submit proposals online at: http://www.muohio.edu/~campbeqj/csi/proposal.htmlx or email them to CSI(a)muohio.edu (with CSI Proposal as the subject heading) Registration ¨ Deadline for advance conference registration is March 15, 2002 ¨ Register online at: http://www.users.muohio.edu/campbeqj/csi/csireg.html Any questions should be emailed directly to -- CSI(a)muohio.edu

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fibreculture meeting, melbourne, december 6-8, 2001
by geert lovink 29 Nov '01

29 Nov '01

Dear aoir list, here the programe of the fibreculture meeting, a list for Australian new media/net research and culture. Matthew Allen and a few others of the Internet Studies program from Curtin (Perth) will be coming. We expect around 50 participants. This first meeting will have an informal character and is meant to become a strategic conference, not one with speakers and papers. One of the outcomes could be the founding of an Australian foundation for Internet research, but we first have to discuss this. One of the topics is also gonna be the relation between fibreculture and aior. We will keep you posted about the results. If you're interested, you can order the book which contemporary writings of Autralian new media scholars. Later on I will post the details how to order this publication. All the papers were peer-reviewed and ran on the fibreculture list in previous versions. Yours, Geert Lovink (one of the fibreculture facilitators) --- | f i b r e - c u l t u r e | || ||| |||| ||||||| || ||| || |||||| ||||| || |||| i n t e r n e t || ||| |||| ||||||| || ||| || |||||| ||||| || |||| theory | criticism | research || ||| |||| ||||||| || ||| || |||||| ||||| || |||| ::fibreculture:: politics of a digital present 6 - 8 December, 2001, Melbourne Noting a vacuum in critical Australian net culture and research, ::fibreculture:: was founded as a mailing list in January 2001 by David Teh and Geert Lovink. The purpose of the list has been to exchange articles, ideas and arguments on Australian IT policy and practice in a broad context. The inaugural ::fibreculture:: meeting considers four key areas of net culture and research: theory, policy, education and the arts. Co-organised by Cinemedia and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, a public debate on the evening of 6 December will precede the meeting. The debate seeks to address these issues in dialogue with a wider audience. A 2 day meeting follows the debate. All are welcome. Both events bring together a community of critical thinkers engaged with new media/Internet theory and practice, with a view to constructing a strategic program of how Australia might better support innovation, R+D and the applications and culture of new technology. A reader has been prepared for publication prior to the ::fibreculture:: meeting. It can be ordered from the ::fibreculture:: website (www.fibreculture.org) Submissions of 1500 to 3000 word short essays, position papers, or manifestos were invited that address at least one of the four key themes, and these were posted to the ::fibreculture:: mailing list and subject to peer review. The aim of the ::fibreculture:: meeting is not to present formal papers, but to circulate papers in advance which can operate as a point of reference and basis for discussion during the meeting. We aim to produce more readers, monographs, edited collections and newspapers. Proposals to the list are most welcome for future publications. We see this as one key intervention into the current political economy of commercial academic publishing and the "command economy" approach to academic production by DETYA. Digital publics: a debate Thursday 6 December, 7pm - 10pm Organised together with Cinemedia's Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Treasury Theatre, Lower Plaza 1 Macarthur Street, East Melbourne Registration: at the door ($10 full/$7 concession) 7pm sharp Introduction Moderator: Geert Lovink 7.15pm - 7.50pm Session 1 - Net Theory Key Speaker: Mathew Allen, Associate Professor, School of Media and Information, Curtin University of Technology; author of Smart Thinking; and the Executive of the Association of Internet Researchers (http://www.aoir.org) Respondent: Esther Milne, writer and PhD candidate, Department of English with Cultural Studies, University of Melbourne. 7.50pm - 8.25pm Session 2 - Policy, Intellectual Property Rights, Commercial Practices Key speaker: Victor Perton, Victorian Shadow Minister for Technology & Innovation; Victorian Shadow Minister for Conservation & Environment; former Chairman, Victorian Government Multimedia Committee, Data Protection Advisory Council, Electronic Business Framework Group. Respondent: Tom Worthington, Visiting Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Australian National University; electronic business consultant; author of the book Net Traveller; information technology professional. BREAK - 25 minutes plus launch of book, Politics of a Digital Present: An Inventory on Australian Net Culture, Criticism and Theory · light snacks and drinks available in foyer 8.50pm - 9.25pm Session 3 - New Media Arts/Culture and the Arts Key Speaker: Terry Cutler, currently a member of the Australian Information Economy Advisory Council. He is a member of the International Advisory Panel of Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor, reflecting his strong interest in the role of, and opportunities for, Asian countries in the new information era. Terry Cutler is also Chairman of the Australia Council, having previously chaired its New Media Arts Board, and he is on the Council of the Victorian College of the Arts. He has previously served as a director of Cinemedia and Opera Australia. Respondent: Amanda McDonald Crowley, currently Associate Director, Adelaide Festival 2002. Cultural worker, researcher, facilitator, curator working primarily in the new media/ electronic arts field. Previous Director of the Australian Network for Art and Technology. 9.25pm - 10pm Session 4 - Education Key speaker: Paul James, Senior Lecturer, Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University; President of Association for the Public University; author of Nation Formation: Towards a Theory of Abstract Community; editor of The State in Question: Transformations of the Australian State and Technocratic Dreaming: Of Very Fast Trains and Japanese Designer Cities; editorial member of Arena publications. Respondent: Anna Munster, Lecturer in Digital Media Theory, School of Art History and Theory, College of Fine Arts, UNSW. She is also a media artist whose work ranges across new media, time-based and photomedia (see her online work: http://wundernet.cofa.unsw.edu.au) Anna has written for ctheory, m/c, Photofile and Artlink among others and is currently researching biotechnical art and ethics. Closing Panel ::fibreculture:: inaugural meeting, 7 - 8 December, Organised together with the Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) 234 St Kilda Road Southbank, Melbourne VIC 3006 Registration: $50/$30 full; $30/$20 single day (payable at the door - NOTE cash or cheques only). Registration includes lunch, tea, coffee and copy of the book, Politics of a Digital Present: An Inventory of Australian Net Culture, Criticism and Theory. Venue: a PDF map of the room locations can be downloaded from www.vca.unimelb.edu.au - go to the link "Where is the VCA". Program Friday 7 December Venue: Room 216 in the Music School (entry from St Kilda Road) 10.00am - 10.30am Introduction of ::fibreculture:: facilitators and organisers 10.30am - 12.30pm Mapping Australian FibreCulture Round with introductions and 3 minute presentations · Researchers, critics, theorists, writers, programmers, designers, developers, consultants: WHERE are you and WHAT are you up to? 12.30pm - 1.25pm - Lunch break 1.30pm - 3.30pm Session 1: Network Theory/Philosophy Topics: · Debating neo-emperical approaches and the return of objective social science after the exhaustion of post-structuralism · Crisis of the offline (AI/VR) body centred Deleuzian notions · Hegemony of digital Darwinism and biologism within new media arts and IT industry · Importance of media archaeology, mapping pre-histories of new media · Global governance debate · Public Domain vs. the Corporate State · Problematic relation to Cultural Studies · Network theories for the future-present 3.30pm - 4pm - Tea/coffee break 4pm - 6pm Session 2: Policy Topics: · Telstra, broadband, right of access, bandwidth · Australia and the censorship tendency (political, pornography, gambling, etc.) · Alternative plan for IT Centre of Excellence · Mapping the policy players · How to fight the consumerist ethos in IT policy - "access" as cyber literacy and skill, not high bandwidth data-gluttony · How can ::fibreculture:: be heard and operate on the policy level? · Policy futures 6pm onwards - drinks/dinner party (location to be decided) Saturday 8 December Venue: Federation Hall (entry from Grant Street, Southbank) 11.00am - 1pm Session 3: Culture and the arts Topics: · Cult of representation, proximity to political power · Patronage system (cultural state apparatus) · Primacy of aesthetics · Lack of game/net.art and e-literature funding · Deliriating over an (absent) synergy of arts and science · Generationalism in new media arts 1pm - 2pm - Lunch break · screening of The Code - a Linux documentary from Finland 2pm - 4pm Session 4: Education Topics: · Current approaches/paradigms: teaching new media/internet studies and e-learning · Corporatisation and the Virtual University - profit obsessions, confused IT sovereignty, limited teaching and research outcomes · What constitutes the mode of production? · Relationship between curricula development and university funding and policy · Both government and opposition share limited horizons. How can we explode these? 4.15pm - 6pm Closing session ::fibreculture meeting:: · Directions of ::fibreculture:: · Discussion about the list · Legal structures for ::fibreculture:: as formal organisation · Futures: the place of ::fibreculture:: within policy making, research funding and practice Convenors: Hugh Brown (Brisbane) hughie(a)onlineopinion.com.au Geert Lovink (Sydney) geert(a)xs4all.nl Helen Merrick (Perth) H.Merrick(a)exchange.curtin.edu.au Esther Milne (Melbourne) e.milne(a)pgrad.unimelb.edu.au Ned Rossiter (Melbourne) Ned.Rossiter(a)arts.monash.edu.au David Teh (Sydney) dteh(a)arthist.usyd.edu.au Michele Willson (Perth) M.Willson(a)exchange.curtin.edu.au With special thanks to: John Arnold, Head of School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, <John.Arnold(a)arts.monash.edu.au> Alessio Cavallaro, Producer/Curator New Media Projects Cinemedia's Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) <alessio(a)cinemedia.net> Nikos Papastergiadis, writer and Head of the Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), <n.papastergiadis(a)vca.unimelb.edu.au> Louise Adler, Deputy Director of VCA Arena Printing and Publications Pty Ltd., http://www.arena.org.au Sponsors: Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts Cinemedia's Australian Centre for the Moving Image Humanities Division, Curtin University of Technology Monash Publications Grants Committee School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University The Power Institute, University of Sydney ::fibreculture:: promoting independent australian internet research & theory mail to fibreculture(a)lists.myspinach.org ::to subscribe:: email "fibreculture-request(a)lists.myspinach.org" with "subscribe" in the subject line. ::archive:: http://lists.myspinach.org/archives/fibreculture ::homepage:: http://www.fibreculture.org

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CHI 2000 workshop: Visualizing coherence in CMC
by Susan Herring 27 Nov '01

27 Nov '01

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION A CHI 2002 WORKSHOP Discourse Architectures: Designing and Visualizing Computer-Mediated Conversation AT A GLANCE - What: A Workshop on Designing and Visualizing CMC - Where: CHI 2002, Minneapolis, Minnesota - When: * Submission: Position paper and profile by January 25, 2002 * Notification: Accept/Reject feedback by February 22, 2002 * Workshop: Monday, April 21, 2002 - Organizers: Tom Erickson, Susan Herring, Warren Sack ORGANIZERS - Thomas Erickson, snowfall(a)acm.org IBM T.J. Watson Research Center - Susan Herring, herring(a)indiana.edu School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University - Warren Sack, sack(a)sims.berkeley.edu School of Information Management and Systems, UC Berkeley WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION The goal of this workshop is to examine the issue of coherence in computer-mediated (text-based) conversation (CMC), and how it can be visualized graphically. Coherence, broadly defined, is that which in a discourse connects utterances with utterances, utterances with people, and people with other people. It is, in short, the "glue" of text and conversation. Coherence is manifested in and through patterns of message exchange (including turn-taking, threading, and cross-posting), citation and other forms of intertextual reference, and social networks. Visualizations of coherence phenomena take the form of graphical user interfaces and graphical representations produced by quantitative and/or qualitative analyses. In this workshop, we will approach the issue of coherence from two perspectives: design and analysis. As designers of CMC systems, we often sense that computer-mediated conversation has a tendency towards drift, dissolution and chaos, and that participants in CMC have to do extra work to 'stay on course.' Therefore, we solicit approaches to designing CMC systems that aim to support participants in achieving coherence in their conversational interactions. We especially encourage reports of novel CMC system designs that support coherence, as well as analyses that visualize ways in which participants have developed practices that support the achievement of coherence in conventional CMC systems. At the same time, as analysts, we recognize that computer-mediated conversations are often not as chaotic as they appear to the untrained eye. Coherence lurks below the surface, and we have developed a wide range of analytical techniques for uncovering and explicating it. Often these techniques involve diagrams or other graphical representations of structure (among utterances, persons, groups, or some combination of these). We solicit descriptions and demonstrations of analytical techniques for representing coherence in CMC. We use the phrase 'Discourse Architectures' as a rubric for both of these perspectives. That is, we are interested both in the structure or architecture *of* discourse (the ways in which the utterances which form a conversation interrelate and build upon one another), and in architectures *for* discourse (the ways in which CMC systems can be designed to shape the conversation that takes place within them). The basic premise underlying the workshop is that the understandings of coherence developed by designers and researchers can usefully inform one another. Analytical representations based on discourse research and/or theory might, suitably modified, serve as interface designs, and the interplay between graphical user interfaces and the achievement of coherence by users might advance research understandings. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS By January 25th, submit the following (preferably electronically): 1. Submit a position paper of no more than six pages. The paper should include (a) A discussion of your understanding of "coherence", as a theoretical or analytical construct, or as a practical result of the use of a CMC system. (b) A description of your approach to analyzing or designing to support coherence, applied to a specific CMC system or data set. (c) Examples of the graphical representations produced by your approach, and some discussion of what they reveal about or how they support coherence. 2. The position paper should include, as an appendix, a profile of yourself consisting of: (a) a short biography (no more than 250 words) (b) the discipline(s) you are situated in (c) a brief description of your relevant analytical and/or design work, with references (URLs preferred) (d) a pointer to someone else's design or analysis that you think is interesting (URLs preferred) 3. Those from outside of the HCI community should note that you are NOT required to pay the conference registration fee if you only want to attend the workshop. First-time attendees are most welcome. FOR MORE INFORMATION - On the workshop: contact the organizers - On CHI 2002: http://www.acm.org/chi2002/ - For a web-based version of this CFP: http://www.pliant.org/personal/Tom_Erickson/DiscourseArch02CFP.html # # # ===========================================

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