- Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Aotearoa - fresh southern summer | January on -empyre-
by Michael Arnold Mages 03 Jan '05

03 Jan '05

Aotearoa - fresh southern summer with The Paul Annears, Susan Ballard, Stella Brennan, Ian Clothier, Adam Hyde, Trudy Lane, Helen Varley Jamieson, and more guests throughout the month. Surely one of the most desirable global destinations, Aotearoa | New Zealand is currently experiencing a renaissance in media arts and culture. 2005 at -empyre- brings you fresh perspectives from net, sound and media artists, theorists, educators, curators and writers, who are working in, or have recently returned to their home islands. Much is bubbling to the surface from deep pools of creativity such as the Aotearoa Digital Arts list; recent and planned festivals include Version, SCANZ and re:mote; and exhibition venues include Artspace, the Physics Room, the Moving Image Centre and [NON] gallery. Join our guests at http://www.subtle.net/empyre to data mine this southern resurgence of new media and online practice. ------------------------------------- The Paul Annears [http://www.xxos.net ] find there are many advantages to being two people. For many years we have successfully amplified our separate brilliances and recently, through the power of the web, have joined with other 'Paul Annears' in a unique franchising arrangement to produce The Concise Model of the Universe. Paul Annear 404 [ http://www.xxos.net ] has always been anthropographic. Because of this, Paul finds it difficult to avoid strong emotions and unpleasant situations. An obsession with people and her ability to identify with a variety of these creatures has brought her here. Susan Ballard [ http://www.physicsroom.org.nz/space/2002/sensible ] is an artist, writer and musician whose interests cover the broad historical field of new media art with a particular emphasis on contemporary digital and time-based installation from Aotearoa/ New Zealand. Her current PhD research explores relationships between noise and materiality in digital installation art. Stella Brennan [ http://www.stella.net.nz ] is an Auckland-based artist, writer and curator. With Sean Cubitt she founded the Aotearoa Digital Arts discussion list in 2003, and has hosted two subsequent ADA meetings. Her artwork is based in video and installation. Stella teaches at the Auckland University of Technology. Ian M Clothier [ http://www.art-themagazine.com/ian ] is a Pacific based artist writer. In 2004 he was selected for ISEA (Estonia), Digitalis: Ethno-techno (Canada) and ReJoyce Festival (Ireland). Editor of art-themagazine.com, he has contributed to rhizome.org, and was an invited speaker to the Ninth International Conference on Thinking. Adam Hyde [http://www.radioqualia.net ] exhibits frequently internationally and recently won a UNESCO Digital Art Award. He is the Digital Artist in Residence at Waikato University, and is currently organising the 're:mote' festival with Honor Harger and NZ artist duo 'Ethermap', formed by Adam Willets and Zita Joyce. Trudy Lane [http://artefact.mi2.hr ] works in online design and publication for the art/museum industries and as an artist collaboratively creating projects which cross-breed participatory art & educational resource. Trudy has recently returned to New Zealand after 12 years living abroad. Helen Varley Jamieson [ http://www.creative-catalyst.com ] is a writer and theatre artist who has been exploring the concept of cyberformance - remote performers creating live performance via the internet - during the last 5 years. She does a lot travelling with this work, but is currently enjoying some time back home in Aotearoa. Helen writes for Rhizome, Furtherfield and other publications. ============================== -empyre- is an arena for the discussion of media arts practice, and regularly invites practicioners, curators and theorists in the media arts field to discuss specific projects, publications, and issues. Subscribe to -empyre- at: http://www.subtle.net/empyre/

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Fwd: SIGGROUP CFP: Political Economy of Power in Online Communities
by jeremy hunsinger 01 Jan '05

01 Jan '05

> > > Call for submissions > Deadline: 15/01/2005 > > > Call for Submissions: SIGGROUP Bulletin special issue on Virtual > Communities: ''Less of You, More of Us: The Political Economy of Power > in Virtual Communities'' > > Editors: > Jason Nolan, Knowledge Media Design Institute, University of Toronto > Jeremy Hunsinger, Center for Digital Discourse and Culture, Virginia > Tech > > Submissions due January 15, 2005 > > Less of You, More of Us: The Political Economy of Power in Virtual > Communities > > The goal is to bring into the dialogue a number of researchers on > virtual community who are looking at the borders and peripheral > locations that are ignored, unknown or explicitly overlooked. Within > the notion that community, often the walls we build around ourselves > form mechanism of power and preference, this issue will examine online > communities that are excluded or self-excluding from the dominant > forms, norms and discourses. For example, there are a large number of > researchers inquiring into the recent blogging phenomenon, but I have > heard many explicitly exclude technologies/communities such as > LiveJournal.com with his 3.8 million users (1.7 active), and discount > the value of teenage bloggers, who are mostly female (67% of > Livejournal users). Because researchers tend to cover familiar > territories, we encourage authors to explore alternatives. Our issue > will provide researchers with the opportunity to expose the readership > to a wider sense of virtual community and what is going on at the > edges of the event horizon. > > Some of the anticipated themes are: hacking virtual community; the > overlooked, broken down, subverted or reconceptualized virtual > communities; borders and breaches, the ordering of virtual community; > hacktivism; sexually focused virtual communities; questioning the > value of online community; collective intelligence is just the fordism > of the mind; the Slash Fiction communities; MOOs the early forgotten > virtual communities; and the code beneath the community - exploring > programmer and system administrative communities. > > Submissions should be sent to both: jason.nolan(a)utoronto.ca and > jhuns(a)vt.edu Web site: http://www.acm.org/sigs/siggroup > > Templates for SIGGroup submissions: > http://www.acm.org/sigs/pubs/proceed/template.html > > > > Jeremy Hunsinger > Center for Digital Discourse and Culture > () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail > /\ - against microsoft attachments > > Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments

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Re: [Air-l] internet research and confidentiality
by Mark D. Johns 28 Dec '04

28 Dec '04

At 11:48 AM 12/21/2004, you wrote: >We had this issue a while ago on this list, and I just want to repeat my view: > >Blogging, Webpublishing and Usenet posting are demonstrably public >activities. Unless you render the concept of "private" so ambigious that >it becomes virtually unusable, this is an empirical fact, not a normative >statement. > >Therefore, publishing research on these kinds of communications does not >violate any privacy/confidentialty laws. At least that is the case for >most countries that guarantee some freedom of speech rights. > >While I have no idea about the bylaws of specific universities or >professional associations, I would strongly caution against regulations >that curtail the rights of academics vis-a-vis non-affiliated citizens or >even journalists. > >Of course, some exceptions with respect to vulnerable persons apply, but >by and large vulnerable persons do not do blogging. > >BTW, you are not doing (experimental) research on human subjects, but on >communications. > >Thomas That is your view, it is a common one, and you are entitled to it. However, there are other views that are equally valid. If you read the guidelines you would understand that they are simply that, not regulations. But, like it or not, some regulations, created not by AoIR but by various governments and institutions, do apply. What is legal in one jurisdiction is not always legal in another. What is legal is not always ethical. And what is legal and ethical is not always approved by an IRB. I'm simply pointing out -- as is AoIR in adopting the guidelines -- that this is not a simple, "one size fits all" issue. Much depends on the researcher, the nature of the research, where the institution happens to be located, and the views of the individual IRB. The guidelines are intended to help researchers like Oriana sort it all out. ------ Mark D. Johns, Ph.D. Asst. Professor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa http://faculty.luther.edu/~johnsmar/ ----------------------------------------------- "Get the facts first. You can distort them later." ---Mark Twain

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Call for Book Reviewers
by david silver 28 Dec '04

28 Dec '04

*** feel free to distribute *** Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies <http://www.com.washington.edu/rccs> The Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies invites all thinkers and doers to review a new batch of recently received books. Reviews may be written in any language you desire. Reviewers are sought for the following titles (organized under 3 categories): PEACE, ACTION, WAR, AND FEAR 11M: Redes Para Ganar Una Guerra (March 11: Networks to Win a War) David de Ugarte Barcelona: Icaria, 2004 (*Preference given to reviewer who can write review in Spanish and English) Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice Edited by Martha McCaughey and Michael D. Ayers Routledge, 2003 Cyberprotest: New Media, Citizens and Social Movements Edited by Wim Van De Donk, Brian D. Loader, Paul G. Nixon, and Dieter Rucht Routledge, 2004 Democracy and New Media Edited by Henry Jenkins and David Thorburn MIT Press, 2003 >From 9/11 to Terror War: The Dangers of the Bush Legacy Douglas Kellner Rowman & Littlefield, 2003 Future Active: Media Activism and the Internet Graham Meikle Routledge, 2002 POLICY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CIVIL SOCIETY Communication Researchers and Policy-Making Edited by Sandra Braman MIT Press, 2003 Connected for Development: Information Kiosks and Sustainability Edited by Akhtar Badshah, Sarbuland Khan, and Maria Garrido Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2003 Digital Nation: Toward an Inclusive Information Society Anthony G. Wilhelm MIT Press, 2004 >From Gutenberg to the Global Information Infrastructure: Access to Information in the Networked World Christine L. Borgman MIT Press, 2003 Shaping the Network Society: The New Role of Civil Society in Cyberspace Edited by Douglas Schuler and Peter Day MIT Press, 2004 Virtual Inequality: Beyond the Digital Divide Edited by Karen Mossberger, Caroline J. Tolbert, and Mary Stansbury Georgetown University Press, 2003 Virtual Publics: Policy and Community in an Electronic Age Edited by Beth E. Kolko Columbia University Press, 2003 CULTURAL DIFFERENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Asia.com: Asia Encounters the Internet Edited by K. C. Ho, Randy Kluver, and C.C. Yang RoutledgeCurzon, 2003 Building Diaspora: Filipino Cultural Community Formation On The Internet Emily Noelle Ignacio Rutgers University Press, 2005 E-Democracy in East Asia? How the Internet Affects Politics and Civil Society in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan Edited by Isa Ducke Berlin: Deutsches Institut fur Japanstudien, 2004 Getting It On Online: Cyberspace, Gay Male Sexuality, and Embodied Identity John Edward Campbell Harrington Park Press, 2004 Granny @ Work: Aging and New Technology on the Job in America Karen E. Riggs Routledge, 2003 Islam In The Digital Age: E-Jihad, Online Fatwas and Cyber Islamic Environments Gary R. Bunt London: Pluto Press, 2003 Technicolor: Race, Technology, and Everyday Life Edited by Alondra Nelson and Thuy Linh N. Tu, with Alicia Headlam Hines New York University Press, 2001 Women & Everyday Uses of the Internet: Agency & Identity Edited by Mia Consalvo and Susanna Paasonen Peter Lang Publishing, 2002 Women, Art, and Technology Edited by Judy Malloy MIT Press, 2003 In general, RCCS book reviews run about 1500-2000 words. They are offered to the widest possible intellectual community, including academic scholars from across the disciplines, community activists, digital artists, teachers, students, explorers, and builders of digital culture. If interested in reviewing one (please select only one) of these titles, email David Silver <dsilver(a)u.washington.edu> with the following information: * your name and affiliation; * the book you wish to review; * 2-3 sentences describing your qualifications and/or reasons for wanting to review the selected title. DEADLINE for expressing interest in reviewing a book: January 9, 2005. Thank you for your time, david silver http://faculty.washington.edu/dsilver To SUBSCRIBE to cyberculture-announce, a low volume announcement list for RCCS events and updates, email: listproc(a)u.washington.edu; No subject is needed. In the body, type: subscribe cyberculture-announce

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5 positions at U. of Toronto
by Greg Elmer 26 Dec '04

26 Dec '04

Information studies The University of Toronto is recruiting five faculty members to join the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS) in playing a leading international role in its field. As recognized in the Faculty’s 2004-2010 Academic Plan (available from http://www.fis.utoronto.ca/activities/planning/FISAcademicPlan.pdf) society’s information practices are being reconfigured and transformed by material shifts in underlying systems, technologies, and networked infrastructures. Candidates are sought from all ranks to collaborate in exploring these new and evolving practices, as part of a major, multi-year process of Faculty renewal. Consideration will be given to all specialisations fitting within the Plan - from historical roots through present practice to multiple emerging futures. Rank, tenure status, and salary would be commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and academic accomplishments. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Documentary and Information Practices: The s election, representation, classification, organization, management, curation, and preservation of organizational and cultural records and objects, including provision of effective and equitable access, as transformed by emerging technologies of digitization, reproduction, classification, and distribution; Health and Medical Informatics: Information practices and behaviour in a wide variety of health fields - including novel uses of information systems, reconfigured knowledge and information practices, and other consequences for health care of evolving systems and networks; Communication, Culture, and Media: The social, cultural, and political aspects of the socio-technical practices of information system design, development, implementation, uptake, reconfiguration, and use; Books, Documents, and Records: The evolving nature and use of books, documents, collections, records, and other knowledge and information media, in a wide range of contexts, genres, organizations, and comm unities; Information Systems and Management: The strategic design, development, and management of new informational systems and practices, parlaying emerging technologies and infrastructures into new and reconfigured practices in business, education, the public sector, and civil society; Information Interaction and Retrieval: Human-computer interaction, information retrieval, web- and network-based systems for classification and organization, metadata schemes and standards, proposals for a semantic web, and other aspects of the design, configuration, and use of computer systems supporting information practice; and Information Policy: Issues of information policy, including privacy, identity, security, public access, intellectual freedom, intellectual property, etc., and how these are being influenced by on-going developments in information technology infrastructures and associated socio-economic transformations. Candidates must have a Ph.D., preferably with excellent teaching and research experience. Duties include research and teaching at the graduate level. Applicants should (i) send curriculum vitae, teaching dossier, copies of three representative papers/publications, and a statement outlining current and future research interests, and (ii) arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent, under separate cover, preferably electronically, to: Email: facultysearch(a)fis.utoronto.ca, or on paper to: Brian Cantwell Smith, Dean, Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto, 140 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G6, Canada; Phone: (416) 978-3202. Application review will begin on December 17, 2004, and continue until all positions are filled. The University of Toronto offers the opportunity to teach, conduct research and live in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. The Faculty of Information Studies provides a context in which to work in an emerging interdisciplinary environment and in a range of collaborative progr ams including Knowledge Media Design, Book History and Print Culture, Women’s Studies, and Aging and the Life Course. The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Greg Elmer, PhD Bell Globemedia Research Chair Rogers Communications Centre/School of Radio-TV Arts Ryerson University 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5B 2K3 416-979-5282 _______________________________________________ Co-Editor, Space and Culture: An International Journal of Social Spaces http://www.carleton.ca/space/

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About NEGOPY, network analysis software
by LEE JENG HOON 24 Dec '04

24 Dec '04

Hello. I am looking for some information about a computer software, known as NEGOPY. I am interested in the software. While I could get some instructions from the software website, I don't know how to get the software. I sent a message to the web site but I have not received any responses yet. I am wondering the web site is no longer valid or the software is no longer available to the public. Anyone knows the story, please let me know. Merry Christmas. Jenghoon Lee _________________________________________________________________ Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! http://search.msn.com/

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IAMCR-CP&T call for papers
by Jo Pierson 24 Dec '04

24 Dec '04

*** Apologies for possible cross-postings *** CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - IAMCR Communication Policy & Technology section Taipei, 26-28 July 2005 The Communication Policy & Technology section (CP&T) of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites submissions of abstracts for papers to be presented at the 2005 Conference in Taipei, Taiwan, 26-28 July 2005. The Conference will be held under the theme: Media Panics: Freedom, Control and Democracy in the age of Globalisation. More information about the conference is available at: http://iamcr2005.shu.edu.tw/. The CP&T Section's focus is on communication policy, with a keen interest in socio-economic aspects of technological change. The Section welcomes research that bridges between theory and practice, theoretical and empirical studies, by offering scientific reflection as well as guidelines for political action. The CP&T Section does not adhere to any single philosophical or theoretical school but encourages research that is critical and counter-intuitive. For the Taiwan conference, we plan to hold sessions on: Emerging ICTs and user empowerment Peer-to-peer exchange, blogging, wiki, smart mobs, social software, location-based services, are emerging ICT applications that seem to allow the user to adopt an active role in 'configuring' and 'domesticating' technology. However, all technological change is embedded in, and constrained by the social context of everyday life and work. The question therefore remains to what extent these new applications really enable users to participate in political, economic and cultural life. Internet governance: who rules? The question of Internet governance is high up on many agendas. Governments are discussing how to deal with unwanted content on the web, whereas market players are becoming increasingly creative in competing for the control of the Internet. The Section welcomes contributions that address the question who controls the Internet, why and with what effects. The digital media in Asia: the 'geo'-factor Papers for this session are to be situated in Asia and have either a regional, national or local focus. They highlight geo-political, geo-economical or geo-cultural factors as possible explanations for the evolution of digital information and communication systems. Papers that discuss Asian information and communication systems in relation with other continents are also welcomed. Digital Divide Digital divide being an indication of unequal access and use of ICT is provoked by factors of economic, socio-political, educational, gender, and cultural nature. In different national contexts digital divide results in inequality, media illiteracy and decreased communication competence. Papers for the joint session of the CP&T and Working Group on Digital Divide, convened by Elena Vartanova, are invited to discuss new models of national and global communication policy to overcome the digital divide with a special focus on the role of various social agents such as states, NGOs, content and access providers and users. Criteria for selection of abstracts The CP&T welcomes abstracts from the global research community. Younger researchers from all regions are especially encouraged to submit abstracts for evaluation. The CP&T has a tradition for keeping high academic standards. In evaluating abstracts, we look at criteria such as: 1.The scientific or policy relevance of the research problem 2.The formulation of the research question 3.The clarity of the objective of the paper 4.The consistency of the proposed argument 5.The theories and/or methodologies used 6.The nature of the empirical evidence presented. Abstracts may be rejected on the basis that they do not meet these criteria or that the information provided is of insufficient quality. Abstracts of about 500 words should be submitted by 1 February 2005 to Tanja Storsul (tanja.storsul(a)media.uio.no) All prospective presenters will be advised by 1 April 2005 of the outcome of their applications. The full text of accepted papers would be due for submission no later than 1 June 2005. Joint Heads: Hopeton S. Dunn & Pascal Verhoest Deputy Heads: Jo Pierson & Tanja Storsul

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5 new papers and 2 new theses on opensource.mit.edu
by Karim R. Lakhani 23 Dec '04

23 Dec '04

<sorry for any x-posting> Dear all, Hope everyone is taking it easy for the Winter/Summer Holidays. Looks like we might get a White X-mas in Boston. I have been a bit delayed with my update on the website. Apologies to the patiently waiting authors :) - Any way here is some brain food to enjoy for the holidays. Many thanks to all the authors for the submissions. We are now approaching the 200 paper mark - and whoever submits the 200th paper will get some MIT knick knacks! So hurry up and submit! Have a great holiday! Warmly, Karim Paper - 1 Authors: Lerner, Josh & Jean Tirole Title: The Economics of Technology Sharing: Open Source and Beyond http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/lernertirole3.pdf Abstract: This paper reviews our understanding of the growing open source movement. We highlight how many aspects of open source software appear initially puzzling to an economist. As we have acknowledge, our ability to answer confidently many of the issues raised here questions is likely to increase as the open source movement itself grows and evolves. At the same time, it is heartening to us how much of open source activities can be understood within existing economic frameworks, despite the presence of claims to the contrary. The labor and industrial organization literatures provide lenses through which the structure of open source projects, the role of contributors, and the movement's ongoing evolution can be viewed. Paper - 2 Authors: Dalle, J.-M., P. A. David, Rishab A. Ghosh, & W. E. Steinmueller Title: Advancing Economic Research on the Free and Open Source Software Mode of Production http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/davidetal.pdf Abstract: Early contributions to the academic literature on free/libre and open source software (F/LOSS) movements have been directed primarily at identifying the motivations that account for the sustained and often intensive involvement of many people in this non-contractual and unremunerated productive activity. This issue has been particularly prominent in economists' contributions to the literature, and it reflects a view that widespread voluntary participation in the creation of economically valuable goods that is to be distributed without charge constitutes a significant behavioral anomaly. Undoubtedly, the motivations of F/LOSS developers deserve to be studied more intensively, but not because their behaviors are unique, or historically unprecedented. In this essay we argue that other aspects of the "open source" phenomenon are just as intriguing, if not more so, and possibly are also more consequential topics for economic analysis. We describe the re-focusing and re-direction of empirical and theoretical research in an integrated international project (based at Stanford University/SIEPR) that aims at better understanding a set of less widely discussed topics: the modes of organization, governance and performance of F/LOSS development -- viewed as a collective distributed mode of production.. We discuss of the significance of tackling those questions in order to assess the potentialities of the "open source way of working" as a paradigm for a broader class of knowledge and information-goods production, and conclude with proposals for the trajectory of future research along that line. Paper - 3 Berry, David M. Title: Internet Research: Privacy, Ethics and Alienation – An Open Source Approach http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/berry2.pdf Abstract: This paper examines some of the ethical problems involved in undertaking Internet research and draws on historical accounts as well as contemporary studies to offer an analysis of the issues raised. It argues that privacy is a misleading and confusing concept to apply to the Internet, and that the concept of non-alienation is more resourceful in addressing the many ethical issues surrounding Internet research. Using this as a basis, the paper then investigates the Free/Libre and Open Source research model and argues for the principles of ‘open source ethics’ in researching the online world, which includes a participatory and democratic research method. Paper - 4 Berry, David M. Title: THE CONTESTATION OF CODE: A preliminary investigation into the discourse of the free/libre and open source movements http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/berry1.pdf Abstract: This paper uses discourse analysis to examine the free/libre and open source movements. It analyses how they fix elements within the order of discourse of computer code production. It attempts to uncover the key signifiers in their discourses and trace linkages between the sedimented discourses of wider society. Using discourse theory and critical discourse analysis, the theoretical foundations underpinning each of the movements are critically examined and the effect on the wider developer and Internet community is discussed. Additionally, this paper seeks to recommend discursive strategies that could be employed to avoid the threat of colonization by neoliberal discourse and the consequent challenge this has for the ideas of freedom, liberty and community within the developer communities’ own discourses. Paper - 5 Crowston, Kevin & James Howison Title: The social structure of Free and Open Source software development http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/crowstonhowison.pdf Abstract: Metaphors, such as the Cathedral and Bazaar, used to describe the organization of FLOSS projects typically place them in sharp contrast to proprietary development by emphasizing FLOSS’s distinctive social and communications structures. But what do we really know about the communication patterns of FLOSS projects? How generalizable are the projects that have been studied? Is there consistency across FLOSS projects? Questioning the assumption of distinctiveness is important because practitioner-advocates from within the FLOSS community rely on features of social structure to describe and account for some of the advantages of FLOSS production. To address this question, we examined 120 project teams from SourceForge, representing a wide range of FLOSS project types, for their communications centralization as revealed in the interactions in the bug tracking system. We found that FLOSS development teams vary widely in their communications centralization, from projects completely c entered on one developer to projects that are highly decentralized and exhibit a distributed pattern of conversation between developers and active users. Thesis - 1 Author Escher, Tobias Title: Political Motives of Developers for Collaboration on GNU/Linux http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/escher.pdf Abstract: This paper examines to what degree developers of the collaboratively produced computer operating system GNU/Linux are politically motivated for their contributions. It first states that software is politically relevant. It then goes on to argue for the political significance of Free Software/Open Source Software (FS/OSS) and discusses the developers ambivalent attitude towards a politicisation of FS/OSS. Centrepiece is a survey carried out with 85 GNU/Linux developers that showed that most of them are conscious of the social relevance of FS/OSS and that their engagement is of a deliberately political nature. Thesis - 2 Author: Görling, Stefan Title: A critical approach to Open Source Software http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/gorling.pdf Abstract: The purpose of this masters' thesis was to discuss a number of assumptions regarding the benefits of Open Source software projects. By studying what has been written about Open Source combined with a number of own data collections, this thesis argues that: • Brooks law is still valid in Open Source projects • Many Open Source projects are failures • Open Source culture is a product of the 90s, not the 70s • Open Source is no guarantee for reduced lock-in effects • Our most famous Open Source projects are not built up by nerds working for free, but professionals, employed by commercial companies to contribute to the projects. • Large Open Source projects are often hierarchical and bureaucratic • Opening your source does not automatically lead to a large number of contributors • Open Source breeds diversity, not a single winner • Open Source projects often targets the community itself, rather than external actors • Companies benefiting from Open Source are often based on traditional business models rather than revolutionary visions • Open Source is not necessarily an efficient way to develop software -- Karim R. Lakhani MIT Sloan | The Boston Consulting Group Mobile: +1 (617) 851-1224 http://spoudaiospaizen.net http://web.mit.edu/lakhani/www | http://opensource.mit.edu

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Fwd: Ethics in a Virtual World: London
by jeremy hunsinger 22 Dec '04

22 Dec '04

since we are on the topic.... Begin forwarded message: > From: Ragna Zeiss <R.Zeiss(a)fsw.vu.nl> > Date: December 22, 2004 1:19:40 PM EST > To: Eurograd(a)lists.utwente.nl, STSGRAD-L(a)cornell.edu > Subject: Ethics in a Virtual World: London > Reply-To: R.Zeiss(a)fsw.vu.nl > > The Second International Conference on Teaching Applied and > Professional Ethics in Higher Education will take place at Roehampton > University, London from 30th August to 1st September 2005 . The theme > is Ethics in a Virtual World. http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/bss/cape/ > > The scope of the conference is broad. Papers and other conference > contributions are invited on any aspect of teaching applied and > professional ethics in higher education; and on any ethical issue that > gives rise to questions about how the issue needs to be addressed in > higher education. Contributions that address issues arising in the > virtual world are particularly welcome but the conference will remain > broad in its scope of ethics. > > Proposals are invited for papers and other types of academic event. > > - Proposals for papers should take the form of an abstract not > exceeding 500 words. Full papers when presented should take no more > than 25 minutes delivery time leaving up to 15 minutes for discussion > in 40 minute sessions. > > - Proposals for other types of academic event will also be welcome. > > An innovation for the 2005 conference will be the inclusion of > facilitated discussions introduced by ten minute introductions. > Proposals to facilitate such round table discussions should include:- > > - full text of the ten minute introduction; > > - brief descriptions of the process of the event including the manner > of opening discussion, questions to be posed, facilitation of > discussion, closure. > > Proposals are also invited for other formats for exchanging ideas in > an academic context. These might include demonstrations of specific > pedagogies such as the use of debates in teaching ethics. Details of > what is proposed should be described. > > All proposals should be submitted by 4th February 2005. Abstracts for > papers must not exceed 500 words. Papers should be submitted to the > CAPE Administrator at the > > Centre for Applied and Professional Ethics > > Duke of Kent Building > > University of Surrey > > GUILDFORD > > Surrey GU2 5TE > > UK > > Or to CAPE(a)surrey.ac.uk > > > > Lynne Hamill > > Digital World Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 > 7XH, UK > > > > > > > Centre for Applied and Professional Ethics > jeremy hunsinger jhuns(a)vt.edu www.cddc.vt.edu jeremy.tmttlt.com www.tmttlt.com () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments

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Re: [Air-l] Re: internet research and confidentiality
by Dan L Burk 22 Dec '04

22 Dec '04

On 22 Dec 2004, Nathaniel Poor wrote: > I think no one has mentioned copyrights because in the US, as I understand > it (IANAL, but I am a citizen), anything written down is copyrighted. > > So, for instance, all usenet posts... oh, international issues... > > In the US, *in theory*, we have the lovely "fair use" clause which allows > copying for scholarly use, commentary, etc. The more relevant rule is that in the U.S., you can't enforce your copyright without registering it, and if you don't register it promptly, you can only recover actual damages in a lawsuit. Probably no one is going to bother registering USENET posts, certainly not routinely. If someone wants to sue for copying of USENET posts, s/he will likely be limited to actual damages. There is to my knowledge no real market for USENET posts, so the damages are likely to be nil, certainly not worth the cost of suit. The pragmatic effect is that the probability of getting sued, let alone accumulating any substantial liability, for copying USENET posts is miniscule. You might get enjoined, I suppose, but that's about it. Note that these slightly goofy U.S. rules don't necessarily apply elsewhere in the world. Dan L. Burk Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly Professor University of Minnesota Law School 229 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA *************************************** Voice: 612-626-8726 Fax: 612-625-2011 bits: burkx006(a)umn.edu

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