December 2003 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Social impacts of digital "piracy"
by Tamara Paradis 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Hello (This is my first time posting to the list, so I guess I'm officially "de-cloaking"!) As part of a soci/anth field research course I'm taking at Concordia University, I'm doing a small-scale research project on digital appropriation tactics among young Canadian males, a practice that is often called "piracy". However, I don't use that term, because it seems laden with negative sterotypes and pre-conceptions. I'm particularly interested in how these youth integrate their music downloading/ripping, software "softlifting", image/text/slogan/logo lifting practices, etc. into their identity, sense of agency, power relations with society and attendance of social norms. These are areas of research and inquiry on this topic that don't seem to have much done on them yet, which is largely why I chose this topic over other digital culture research possibilities. As part of the research project, I am expected to do an analysis and report on at least 6 academic journal articles from peer-reviewed publications. So far, though, there doesn't seem to be anything written in the soci/anth/psych/cul.studies literature about the identity and social/personal aspects of these practices. All hits to date have revolved around authorship, financial/legal/civil impacts and the like. Thus, I'm putting out the call to all of you -- are you aware of any academic-focused articles written about this topic, particularly with same focus as my own? Do you know of anyone who has done qual./quan. Research on the topic? Have you perhaps presented something yourself at a conference that isn't yet published? If you'd be willing to share your research/article or point me to a resource or individual, I would be very grateful. While I'd also appreciate referrals to certain books or websites, my list of these resources is fairly long already. It is primarily academic journal articles, scholarly conference proceedings and scholarly-focused articles/research that I now require. Thanks in advance for any and all help! Tamara *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* Tamara Paradis tparadis(a)canada.com

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RE: Re: [Air-l] miserable failure
by ericgoldman＠onebox.com 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

There is even a phrase to describe this process: "Google Bombing." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1868395.stm. A number of other targets have been hit, including AOL and Disney. http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/09/30/column.nettrends.reut/ and http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2002/0,4814,74566,00.html. Eric. -- Eric Goldman Marquette University Law School ericgoldman(a)onebox.com Personal home page: http://eric_goldman.tripod.com -----Original Message----- From: MERLYNA LIM <merlyn(a)bdg.centrin.net.id> Sent: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 11:20:27 +0100 To: air-l(a)aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-l] miserable failure 'i am feeling lucky' button is basically referring to the first web page Google returned for your query, and only the first one. however, Google is unique among search engines, because while mostly it shows you pages that have the exact keywords you're looking for, occasionally it also shows you pages that don't have those keywords but other pages linked to that page with those keywords. and interestingly the linkers can impact the Google rank of the linkee.. This algorithm is called Google Bombs by a brilliant gag Adam Mathes. So, in the case 'miserable failure' while that page of Bush's biblio has no words of 'miserable failure', that page comes up as the page who has most links to the pages who link to it with the phrase 'miserable failure'. merlyna david silver wrote: > ok, so: > > Try > "miserable failure" > at > Google.com > and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button > > two questions: 1) how cool is this? 2) does anyone know how it is done? > > david

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Re: how to measure participation rates
by susan.aaron＠utoronto.ca 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

I attended the conference of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology and the Life Sciences this past summer and one member presented a software for analysing information. He did some analysis of on-line text for me and it was useful re thematic counting and could possibly do participation as well if the analytical text was set up for that. It does numbers and diagramatics and probably could track chaotic formulas. It is called "Crawdad" and is accessible for academic use. The man's name is Kevin Dooley and he is based at Arizona State University http://www.eas.asu.edu/~kdooley/ This isn't my area really so hopefully this is of use, and I know of a few more interactive interfaces that visualize interactions that is of nearer my interests. Susan Aaron Message: 8 From: "Katerina" <knd(a)hol.gr> To: <air-l(a)aoir.org> Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:19:18 +0200 Subject: [Air-l] how to measure participation rates Reply-To: air-l(a)aoir.org This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0065_01C3BB53.EA3C0EB0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1253" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Thank you all for your valuable help.=20 Nescan seems to be a tool applicable to newsgroups and not web-based = discussion forums.=20 I have contacted a PERL programmer and I am waiting for a reply. If this = doesn't work I will have to carry it through manually. I am thinking = that I could use a sample of the messages, for example the two most = popular conferences, and analyse their messages instead of attempting = the impossible task of analyzing the total of the interactions in the = group.=20 Thank you once more,=20 K.D.=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0065_01C3BB53.EA3C0EB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="windows-1253" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dwindows-1253"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2734.1600" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Thank you all for your valuable help. = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Nescan seems to be a tool applicable = to=20 newsgroups and not web-based discussion forums. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>I have contacted a PERL programmer = and I am=20 waiting for a reply. If this doesn't work I will have to carry it = through=20 manually. I am thinking that I could use a sample of the messages, for = example=20 the two most popular conferences, and analyse their messages instead of=20 attempting the impossible task of analyzing the total of the = interactions in the=20 group. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Thank you once more, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>K.D. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0065_01C3BB53.EA3C0EB0--

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Fwd: IEEE Fellowships
by Steve Jones 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Begin forwarded message: > PROGRAMS OF SUPPORT FROM THE IEEE HISTORY CENTER: 2004/2005 > > The IEEE History Center offers three different programs of support > annually for young scholars pursuing the history of electrical > engineering and computing: An Internship for an advanced > undergraduate, graduate student, or recent Ph.D.; a Dissertation > Fellowship for an advanced graduate student or recent Ph.D.; and a > Post-Doctoral Fellowship for a recent Ph.D. The Internship and the > Dissertation Fellowship are funded by the IEEE Life Members Committee; > the Post-Doc is funded by Rutgers University. The Internship and the > Post-Doc require residence at the IEEE History Center, on the Rutgers > University Campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey; there is no residency > requirement for the Dissertation Fellowship. The Post-Doctoral > Fellowship is currently filled, but the IEEE History Center is pleased > to announce the competitions for the other two 2004 awards: > > > > > > > > IEEE Fellowship In Electrical HistoryAcademic Year 2004/2005 > > The IEEE Fellowship in Electrical History supports either one year of > full-time graduate work in thehistory of electrical science and > technology at a college or university of recognized standing, or up to > one year of post-doctoral research for a scholar in this field who has > received his Ph.D. within the past three years. This award is > supported by the IEEE Life Members Committee. The stipend is $17,000, > with a research budget of $3,000 also supplied. > > Candidates with undergraduate degrees in engineering, the sciences, or > the humanities are eligible for the Fellowship. For pre-doctoral > applicants, however, the award is conditional upon acceptance of the > candidate into an appropriate graduate program in history at a school > of recognized standing. In addition, > pre-doctoral recipients may not hold or subsequently receive other > fellowships, but they may earn up to $5,000 for work that is directly > related to their graduate studies. Pre-doctoral Fellows must pursue > full-time graduate work and evidence of satisfactory academic > performance is required. These restrictions do not apply to > post-doctoral applicants. > > The Fellow is selected on the basis of the candidate's potential for > pursuing research in and contributing to electrical history. > Application forms are available on-line or by request from the IEEE > History Center (see contact information below). The deadline for > completed applications is 1 February. This completed application > packet should be sent to the Chairman, IEEE Fellowship in Electrical > History Committee, IEEE History Center, RutgersThe State University > of New Jersey, 39 Union Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8538. > Applicants will be notified of the results by 1 May 2003. > > The IEEE Fellowship in Electrical Engineering History is administered > by the IEEE History Committee and supported by the IEEE Life Members > Committee. > > > > > > > > IEEE History Center Internship2004 > > > Scholars at the beginning of their career studying the history of > electrical technology and computing are invited to contact the Center > to be considered for a paid Internship at the Center's offices on the > Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. > > The Intern program seeks to provide research experience for graduate > students in the history of electrical and computer technologies, while > enlisting the help of promising young scholars for the Center's > projects. The Intern generally works full-time for two months at the > History Center on a Center project that is connected to his or her own > area of interest. This time is usually during the summer, but other > arrangements will be considered. Interns are also encouraged to > consult with the Center's staff and its associates, and guided to > research resources in the area. The Internship is designed for those > near the beginning or middle of their graduate careers, but advanced > undergraduates, advanced graduates, and, on rare occasions, recent > Ph.D.s will also be considered. Special consideration is often given > to scholars from outside the United States who might not otherwise > have an opportunity to visit historical resources in this country. > > The stipend paid to the intern is US$3,500. Additional funds may be > available to defray travel costs, depending on the Intern’s > circumstances. This Internship is supported by the IEEE Life Members > Committee. > > There is no formal application form. To apply, please mail a > curriculum vitae showing your studies in electrical history along with > a cover letter describing the sort of project you would be interested > in doing (see contact information below). The deadline for contacting > the IEEE History Center is 15 March 2004. > > > > > IEEE is an AA/EO employers. Women and minorities are encouraged to > apply for all positions. > > The IEEE History Center is cosponsored by the Institute of Electrical > and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)the world’s largest > professional technical society, and Rutgersthe State University of > New Jersey. The mission of the Center is to preserve, research, and > promote the legacy of electrical engineering and computing. The > Center can be contacted at: > > IEEE History Center > Rutgers University > 39 Union Street > New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8538 > email:history@ieee.org > http://www.ieee.org/history_center

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job opportunity - Temple University
by Jan Fernback 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Fellow aoir-ers, this job opportunity may be of interest: * * * * * * * New Media Director: three-year appointment for non-tenure track faculty position. Reporting to the Dean of the School of Communications and Theater, this individual will lead New Media faculty and students in a growing interdisciplinary program of national stature. The program draws from all Departments in the School which include: Advertising; Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media; Film and Media Arts; Journalism; Strategic and Organizational Communication; and Theater. The candidate will be expected to integrate research, teaching, creative, and fund-raising initiatives in New Media, including the development of IRIS LAB (Interdisciplinary Research of Interactive Societies), a cross-disciplinary research initiative for advanced new media study and production. For more information, please see the New Media web site at www.temple.edu/nmic. Industry, research, and/or professional/creative experience required. A record of fund raising is highly desirable. Candidates with national reputation in new media preferred. Salary competitive. Applicants must submit: (1) cover letter indicating interest and relevant experience; (2) c.v./resume; (3) statement of new media philosophy; (4) samples of work and (5) the names, titles, telephone numbers and email addresses of at least three references to: New Media Director's Search Dean's Office School of Communications and Theater Temple University Philadelphia, Pa. 19122 Application review will begin on February 1, 2004 and continue until position is filled. Temple University is an affirmative action employer. Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. ________________________________________________________ Jan Fernback, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media Temple University 2020 N. 13th Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 215-204-3041 fernback(a)temple.edu ________________________________________________________

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Norwegian guidelines for online research available in English
by Charles Ess ＠ ITU 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Dear AoIR-ists: As you may know, the guidelines originally published in 2001 by the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social sciences and the Humanities (NESH), Norway, played a significant role in the discussion and development of the AoIR guidelines for online research. More recently (September 24, 2003), NESH developed and published (in Norwegian, of course) a set of guidelines specifically oriented to internet research, the "Forskningsetiske retningslinjer for internettforskning" - available at http://www.etikkom.no/retningslinjer/internett I'm pleased to say that NESH has approved an English translation of the guidelines undertaken by Line Gulløv Lundh and me. (Believe me, Ms. Lundh - a student working with ethics committee member Klaus Bruhn Jensen at Copenhagen University- did the majority of the work!) I commend the new guidelines to your attention, not only for their own sake (to my knowledge, they are the only ones explicitly developed by a national authority for online research - please correct me if I'm wrong!) - but also for what they suggest regarding the range of views and approaches on online ethics: http://www.etikkom.no/Engelsk/Publications/internet03 Comments and suggestions welcome! Cheers and all best wishes, Charles Ess Visiting Professor (fall, '03) Department of Digital Aesthetics and Communication (DIAC) The IT University of Copenhagen Glentevej 67 DK-2400 Copenhagen NV Telephone: +45 38 16 89 63 Mobile: +45 22 46 06 35 Fascimile: +45 38 16 88 99 Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University 900 N. Benton Ave. Springfield, MO 65802 USA voice: 417-873-7230 fax: 417-873-7435 homepage: <www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html> Co-chair, CATaC '04: <it.murdoch.edu.au/catac>

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Fw: Hgh/low context on websites?
by Charles Ess ＠ ITU 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Dear AoIR'ists: The following is from one of the students in my Master's course on corss-cultural communication online here at IT-University, Copenhagen. If you have any tips or suggestiions, please pass them on - either to me and/or Elizabeth. Thanks! charles ess Visiting Professor (fall, '03) Department of Digital Aesthetics and Communication (DIAC) The IT University of Copenhagen Glentevej 67 DK-2400 Copenhagen NV Co-chair, CATaC '04: <it.murdoch.edu.au/catac> ----- Original Message ----- From: <elizabeth(a)itu.dk> To: <catac(a)wirth.murdoch.edu.au> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 3:16 PM Subject: Hgh/low context on websites? > Can anyone help? > > I'm at student at the IT-University in Denmark, writing a project on IT > across cultures. > > I'm looking for material to do with the ways in which communication on the > Internet differs in relation to high and low context cultures. My interest > lies primarily in the way information is conveyed on websites, and whether > the characteristics such as non-verbal communication are reflected on > websites, for instance through use of certain colours, symbols, visual > metaphors and so on. > > Thanks, > > Elizabeth. >

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how to measure participation rates
by Katerina 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

Thank you all for your valuable help. Nescan seems to be a tool applicable to newsgroups and not web-based discussion forums. I have contacted a PERL programmer and I am waiting for a reply. If this doesn't work I will have to carry it through manually. I am thinking that I could use a sample of the messages, for example the two most popular conferences, and analyse their messages instead of attempting the impossible task of analyzing the total of the interactions in the group. Thank you once more, K.D.

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fAf: 2004 Media Arts & Screen Calendar Now Online
by linda carroli 05 Dec '03

05 Dec '03

fineArt forum Special Notice: 2004 Media Arts & Screen Events & Deadlines Calendar Now Online After scanning recent back issues, fineArt forum presents its 2004 Events & Deadlines Calendar. Until fAf returns from a break in production, it is hoped that the Calendar will provide a quick and easy reference for information about events and calls in 2004. The Calendar is a selected compilation of new media arts postings sifted from fAf back issues, various lists and email inbox. It is by no means comprehensive and is not generated from a database. The Calendar is an attempt to keep information simple, chronological, current and relevant without the pressure of publishing a monthly magazine. fAf will endeavour to update it from time to time and hope it is a useful resource until fAf's return in the first quarter of next year. 2004 Events & Deadlines Calendar http://www.fineartforum.org/Backissues/Vol_18/calendar_index.html fineArt forum art + technology netnews http://www.fineartforum.org editor(a)fineartforum.org

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response on ginis
by Philip Howard 04 Dec '03

04 Dec '03

Max Forte is absolutely right that using gini coefficients this way would require that the researcher make sensible judgments about attribution and content value. To really know your subjects and their relationship a researcher probably would need deep experience with their interactions. However, the graph could be composed even if the researcher had no qualitative experience with the group, using number of people on one axis and number of words, number of lines, number of sentences, number of posts (as Hendricksen does). These things easy to count no need for qualitative judgments. Probably more interesting would be to graph number of people on one axis and good ideas generated, smart repartee or meaningful engagement on the other axis. These things would require deep knowledge of the group and a qualitative researchers instinct for how to define, measure and attribute a good contribution. A qualitative researchers insight would also be needed to figure out any causal connection there might be between being a member of a social elite, writing a lot of text, and generating good ideas. The coding would probably have to be done by hand. I interpreted the original post to be a query about how to measure any deviance from a perfectly egalitarian group, where all the respondents participate equally, generating the same amount of text, ideas, or hot air. Mathematically we can know what that perfect distribution is, so my gini idea is just a way of calculating deviation from that ideal. I absolutely would not argue that ginis can be meaningful alone, for the reasons Forte offers. I like the qualitative approach that then provides some quantitative context to show how qualitative findings are transportable. And anyway multi method triangulation is always best. I originally suggested that the number would be most useful in a comparative context. Lakhani agrees, and even if we did ginis for AIR it would be interesting to compare ginis on different topics or variation over time. He also points out that there would be noise inany database of content, but there must be a way of doing somekind of confidence interval, error term on the datapoints, or significance tests on the gini itself. My math skills end here, so if anyone can develop a significance test for a quantitative measure of deviation from a theoretically perfect distribution of content/ideas in a group of people please post it! But please dont do it to the AIR list too inside baseball I think. p. Philip N. Howard Assistant Professor Department of Communication University of Washington http://faculty.washington.edu/pnhoward/

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