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

origin of "blog"
by Bernard Stehle 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Last week, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition (2003), appeared in bookstores for the first time. I was surprised not to find an entry for "blog." I thought the term was at least 5 years old. Am I right? For how long has the term been in existence among bloggers? (Webster's Tenth Edition, 1993, understandably did not include "blog"; a representative from M-W says, however, that even for the 2003 edition the term is neither old enough nor generally known enough outside bloggerhood to be included in the Eleventh. Am I justified in my astonishment, or is the rep telling it like it really is?) --Bernard

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Webspace as public spheres
by Mary L. Gray 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Hello all : ) I'm working on a chapter right now that looks at personal websites and blogs crafted by rural LGBT youth as "alternative public spheres" or counterpublics. I'm mostly relying on theorists dealing with the creation and meaning of public spheres (Habermas, Fraser, Warner), but I'd love to hear of other folks know of solid work out there specifically dealing with the Net as public space? And extra points if anyone has suggestions for readings on commercializing of privatizing of public space vis-à-vis Walmart : ) All the best, Dissertating Mary ________________________________ Mary L. Gray <mlgray(a)ucsd.edu> Department of Communication University of California, San Diego vox: 502/451.5003 mail: PO Box 4004, Louisville, KY 40204 http://weber.ucsd.edu/~mgray

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FW: World Internet Project - Oxford, 18 July 2003, 2.45-5pm
by Monica.Murero＠MERIT.unimaas.nl 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Dear Colleagues and Friends, FYI: Monica Murero =========== There will be an International Panel on Internet use and non-use around the world on Friday afternoon, 18 July, 2.45-5pm at the Said Business School of Oxford University, directly opposite the east exit of Oxford rail station. The public, including the media, is invited. This panel session is one aspect of a larger meeting of social Scientists representing 75 percent of the world's Internet users, which will be at the Oxford Internet Institute to compare Internet use and non-use on five continents. The participants are linked together in the World Internet Project (WIP); each is involved in the conduct of representative national sample surveys in countries as diverse as China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Russia, Sweden and the United States. For more information please refer to our OII Web site at www.oii.ox.ac.uk Thank you. Sincerely, Bill Professor William H. Dutton, Director Oxford Internet Institute University of Oxford 1 St. Giles' Oxford OX1 3JS United Kingdom http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk Monica Murero AoIR Conference Chair in Maastricht AoIR Candidate for Vice-Presidency Visit the Election Forum: http://aoir.org/forum

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reminder: 2 more days of discussion with candidates
by Ulla Bunz 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Just a brief reminder that you have two more days (till July 11) to ask candidates running for an AoIR office any questions. The online, open discussion forum is at http://aoir.org/forum The voting period will begin soon after, but is restricted to members. If you would like to vote in this election, consider becoming a member, which will also reduce the cost for conference registration in addition to providing many other benefits such as access to the AoIR paper archives, discounts on journals, and more. http://aoir.org/airjoin.html Thanks! Ulla ---------------------------------------------------- Ulla Bunz Assistant Professor Department of Communication Rutgers University 4 Huntington Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Email: bunz(a)scils.rutgers.edu ----------------------------------------------------

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Selon les étudiants américains, les jeux vidéos sont sources de convivialité
by Frank Thomas 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Steve, You are becoming a transatlantic celebrity. Even the Internet newsletter of the BNP Paribas Bank cites you! Of course, crossing the Atlantic might take a time so I don't know when you published the study. Could you please give a link to it? Cordialement Frank Thomas Selon les étudiants américains, les jeux vidéos sont sources de convivialité Un chercheur américain, directeur du département Communication de l'université de l'Illinois à Chicago, vient de publier une étude sur le comportement des étudiants vis-à-vis des jeux vidéos. Steve Jones a interrogé pendant huit mois 1 162 étudiants issus de 27 universités des Etats-Unis et a tiré des conclusions intéressantes, et relativement surprenantes. On apprend ainsi que les jeux vidéos, loin de couper les jeunes de leurs camarades, les rapprocheraient plutôt. C'est l'avis de 51 % des garçons interrogés, mais également celui de 34 % des filles. Les motivations de ces jeunes joueurs sont cependant différentes : si, pour 45 % des jeunes hommes, le plaisir est la première raison qui les pousse à jouer, c'est l'ennui qui prédomine chez les jeunes femmes, à 33 %. Sur 65 % de jeunes qui jouent régulièrement aux jeux vidéos, la moitié ont déclaré que cette pratique empiétait un peu, voire beaucoup sur leur temps de travail scolaire. Pour Steve Jones, rien de grave dans cet aveu, puisqu'il a constaté que les habitudes de travail de ces adeptes du jeu vidéo étaient sensiblement les mêmes que celles des étudiants pris dans leur ensemble. Les filles, que l'on croyait peu intéressée par les jeux vidéos, divertissement estampillé depuis toujours masculin, sont en fait de plus grandes consommatrices de jeux sur ordinateurs ou de jeux en ligne, à 60 % contre 40 % pour les garçons. Elles sont de plus autant que les jeunes hommes à jouer sur les différentes consoles de jeux vidéos en circulation. (Atelier groupe BNP Paribas - 08/07/2003) source: http://www.atelier.fr/page.php?P=data/toute_l_actualite/&tic_id=9&Item=itm_…

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RE: [Air-l] Re: Impact of intense technology use on memorization' s quality
by Monica.Murero＠MERIT.unimaas.nl 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Serge wrote: >Ones could think that the intense use of technology >could lead to a impairment of our memory. Dear All, Another way of looking at this: Intense use of technology affects different "types" of memory. It also becomes an issue of what "type" of memory we are talking about: for example, we can have "everyday functioning", "low-level cognitions" versus the ability to recall specific 'non-common' data for high-cognitive use. A telephone number, for example, could involve low or high levels of cognitions and different propensions to "remember it" if it belongs to a friend or to the local post office. Intense use of technology could lead to different effects according to the types of memory we consider. For example, efficient use of info technologies, utilizing intelligent data pruning strategies and various hardware-based memory, could free up one's memory from "brain clutter" and allow improved foci on pertinent info. For example, I have found myself remembering more data relevant to my research when I memorize them on my Palm. On the other hand, intense use of technology might impair certain low-involvement memories and affect the way one's exposes, processes, learn and memorizes information. I agree on previous posts about Neil Postman's work. There are also several "historical" researches in Media studies showing how the diffusion of radio and TV has affected the learning and memorization abilities of entire generations (acustic versus visual memory). I imagine that using multiple sensorial modalities (visual, tactile, acustic) like certain new technologies allow to do, might facilitate the ability to recall certain types of info, but could impair other "types" of memories. Moreover, specific technologies should be considered: the intense use of technology might have a different impact on our memory according to the technology one's analyzes (Cellular, Internet, Palm, MP3, etc). It could also be relevant to consider how do different "types" of memory might affect ICT over time cheers, Monica Murero ----- Original Message ----- From: "Serge Courrier" <serge.courrier(a)pobox.com> To: <air-l(a)aoir.org> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 8:29 AM Subject: [Air-l] Impact of intense technology use on memorization's quality Hi, Ones could think that the intense use of technology could lead to a impairment of our memory. Immediate information finding through Web queries, automatic calendar alerts via PDA, telephone numbers memorized by cellular phones, access routes computed by GPS, and so on. Do you know if anybody published a study or an article about this subject. And what do YOU think about it ? Best regards _________________________________________ Serge Courrier Scientific journalist, Paris, France

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WEXTOR - design and visualize Web experiments
by Christoph Neuhaus 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

WEXTOR enables you to quickly design and visualize laboratory experiments and Web experiments in a guided step-by-step process. It dynamically creates the customized Web pages needed for the experimental procedure anytime, anywhere, on any platform. And it delivers a print-ready display of your experimental design. WEXTOR flexibly supports complete and incomplete factorial designs with between-subjects, within-subjects, and quasi-experimental factors, as well as mixed designs. It implements client-side response time measurement and contains a content wizard for creating interactive materials, as well as dependent measures (graphical scales, multiple-choice items, etc.), on the experiment pages. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What's new? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WEXTOR 2.0 has: - an intuitive new workspace and an improved user guidance that speeds up and simplifies the process of designing laboratory experiments or Web experiments - implements support for storage of your experimental designs on WEXTOR's Web server and access them from anywhere at any time - implements support for downloading of the generated Web pages - an improved content wizard that enables you to easily create and modify interactive form elements and other experimental materials - and much more! Visit the WEXTOR website to learn more about the new WEXTOR: http://genpsylab-serv2.unizh.ch/wextor/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Try WEXTOR 2.0 right away ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Register now and begin using WEXTOR right away. Just visit http://genpsylab-serv2.unizh.ch/wextor/en/register.php to get your personal WEXTOR trial account for free. Best regards, Ulf-Dietrich Reips & Christoph Neuhaus

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CFP RESCHEDULED Digital News, Social Change & Globalization, Hong Kong, December 2003
by Joyce Nip 09 Jul '03

09 Jul '03

Second Call for Papers: RESCHEDULED Conference on Digital News, Social Change and Globalization, Hong Kong, December 2003 New Deadline for paper abstracts and panel proposals: September 1, 2003 The WHO has lifted its travel advisory regarding Hong Kong. However, considering that some participants may still be hesitant to take part due to the recent SARS outbreak, the Digital News, Social Change & Globalization Conference is postponed from July 10-11 to December 11-12, 2003. Organized by Department of Journalism, Hong Kong Baptist University, China, on the university campus Academic papers, project papers, and broadcast news items (in English or Chinese) related to online, satellite, television or radio news are solicited on themes including but not restricted to the following: * The past, present, and future of online journalism * Satellite news and globalization * Evolving policies and laws relating to online and broadcast journalism * News values and ethics in global journalism * Alternative digital news and social change * Online and broadcast news coverage Publication of Papers: The Information Society journal has agreed in principle to publish selected papers of this conference in a special issue. The possibility of publishing other selected papers in a refereed book volume is also being explored. Keynote Speakers: John Simpson, CBE, BBC World Affairs Editor Nicholas Jankowski, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Nijmegen For details visit the web site: http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~jour/DN2003 -- Joyce Nip, Ph.D. Assistant Professor & Conference Chair Department of Journalism Hong Kong Baptist University Kowloon Tong Hong Kong T: (852) 3411 7834 F: (852) 2336 1691 Email: joycenip(a)hkbu.edu.hk

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Re: Impact of intense technology use on memorization's quality
by Christian Sandvig 08 Jul '03

08 Jul '03

Charles Ess wrote: > Of course, the classic reference is Plato's dialogue, > Phaedrus, in which Socrates tells a myth regarding the Neil Postman did a great job with the memory question, Phaedrus, and modern communication technology in his very accessible first chapter of _Technopoly_. It still works with the Internet in mind even though it was written in 1993. Even if you don't agree with Postman's argument, it is a great chapter. Christian -- http://www.niftyc.org/

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choose your dissertation topic carefully!
by david silver 08 Jul '03

08 Jul '03

from tomorrow's washington post: Dissertation Could Be Security Threat: Student's Maps Illustrate Concerns About Public Information http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ticles/A23689-2003Jul7.html?nav=hptop_tb best line: "Classify my dissertation? Crap. Does this mean I have to redo my PhD?" he said. "They're worried about national security. I'm worried about getting my degree." david

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