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Re: [Air-l] The Semantic Web
by Rune Dalgaard 16 Mar '02

16 Mar '02

Arthur, I think it is hard to study the social impact of the semantic web as long as it is not implemented or used on a larger scale. Last summer I was at a conference with a panel-debate on the Semantic Web and the views varied widely on the feasibility of the idea. > Has anyone come across any material which takes a critical look at > the social impact of the Semantic Web as envisaged by TIM > BERNERS-LEE, et al.? The basic idea of giving the web (or parts of it) one or more deeper classficatory structure(s) obviously reactualizes discussions about classifications and (because this is a project being promoted by and in AI circles) AI and finally also in philosophy of logic. A social approach to some of the issues of classfication can be found in: Bowker, G. C. &. S., S.L. (1999). Sorting Things Out - Classification and its Consequences. Cambridge, MA & London, UK: The MIT Press. Another approach is to tie it to existing AI discussions going many years back (and not as high profiled as they were in the late 80's), of which Dreyfus' work (as mentioned by Charles Ess) is one important contribution. John Sowa (philosopher) has written some good introductions to classification-systems, knowledge representation etc. see fx. http://www.jfsowa.com/ontology/guided.htm Best, Rune ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rune Dalgaard, MA, Doctoral Candidate Dept. of Information and Media Studies, Aarhus University E-mail: runed(a)imv.aau.dk / Web: http://www.imv.au.dk/medarbejdere/runed ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Drefus redux
by Charles Ess 15 Mar '02

15 Mar '02

Colleagues: I've received some interesting e-mail in response to my recent mini-review of Dreyfus' book, _On the Internet_ - one more negative than not. Fair enough - indeed, what such a list is for! I've replied to the critic privately in what were intended to be appreciative and gentle tones. Part of my reply, I think, is worth posting here - not so much for its quality (come on - it's e-mail!), but because I would appreciate responses to especially my more general claims from folk on this list who will certainly know better than I. [One caveat: I do not sketch out or more fully characterize Dreyfus' analysis below. I'm still working through my notes, etc., - if I get a good summary that might be useful, I'll pass it along.] ...I find his analysis of what happens on the Internet to be relatively complete and well-informed. Indeed, some of his claims are supported by such Gurus as Andrew Lippman, co-founder of the MIT Media Lab (see the February, 2002, issue of Syllabus, p. 13) as well as by a fair body of research on CMC, online communities, etc. (In particular, see "Comparing Conceptual and Technique Learning Performance in Place-based and ALN Format," Journal Of Asynchronous Learning Networks (5: 2 - September 2001). <http://www.aln.org/alnweb/journal/Vol5_issue2/Parker/ParkerGemino.htm>, including their conclusion that "Students taking the virtual seminar scored significantly lower on the technique section of the final exam than place-based students," - which is consistent with what Dreyfus _does_ see as the limitations of distance learning). None of this is to say that I dispute your abilities or your experience teaching online. I've been using hypertext and CMC technologies in my teaching for more than a decade, and there's no question that - especially in the hands of an enthusiastic and skilled instructor - some great things can be accomplished, and in some ways, better than in a place-based setting. But so far as I know, the evidence on the strengths and limits of distance learning is still emerging. Indeed, I've seen a remarkable turn from the hype of five or six years ago - distance learning will make bricks and mortar universities obsolete - to a much more balanced view, including greater use of "blended" courses that make use of both place-based and distance teaching. One of the reasons I find Dreyfus worth working through is that his analysis of how we learn as _embodied_ creatures helps explain a good portion of the research I've seen that suggests, indeed, some things we learn much better in a face-to-face situation. O.k. - my shields are up; fire away! Cheerfully, Charles Ess Director, Interdisciplinary Studies Center Drury University 900 N. Benton Ave. Voice: 417-873-7230 Springfield, MO 65802 USA FAX: 417-873-7435 Home page: http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html Co-chair, CATaC 2002: http://www.it.murdoch.edu.au/~sudweeks/catac02/ "...to be non-violent, we must not wish for anything on this earth which the meanest and lowest of human beings cannot have." -- Gandhi

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re: tragedy of commons/tragedy of capital
by Lachlan Brown 15 Mar '02

15 Mar '02

I will let you know about it when the study is concluded, this is conditional upon whether the commons or capital prevails in this instance. Lachlan -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Travelocity.com is giving away two million travel miles. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;3969773;6991039;g?http://svc.travelocity.com/…

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CSI Registration Deadline
by CSI 15 Mar '02

15 Mar '02

Today is the last day for advanced registration for the Computer-Supported Social Interaction Conference (CSI) 2002. Featured Speakers: ¨ Andrea Hollingshead (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) ¨ Sara Kiesler (Carnegie Mellon University) ¨ Joseph Walther (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) Conference Information http://www.users.muohio.edu/campbeqj/csi/csi.html Registration Information http://www.users.muohio.edu/campbeqj/csi/csireg.html

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Lachlan's CV
by Lachlan Brown 15 Mar '02

15 Mar '02

Susan [institutional affiliation? Lightspeed University perhaps?], I am returning to complete my Doctorate in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths College after a period of research in the industry as well as a period of care for a dying parent. My research is undertaken part time within the constraints of work and family life, very much in the tradition of British Cultural Studies. I have a history of the emergence of Intenret in culture and a cultural anthropology of this emergence. I ran the first web site devoted to broader cultural issues. It doubled (doubles) as a way in to research the field as well host institutions, with remarkable outcomes. I am presently involved in a self-funding post internet research exercise to sharpen up my social science methodological skills. This involves an empirical examination of the question: 'tragedy of the commons or a tragedy of capital' and is carried out among common resources that fluctuate over time. I have found that no tragedy of the commons occurs. I like horseback riding (most weekends), impromtou skiing and winter fun, winter activities in general, log rolling, walks through the snowy woods, bracing winds, contemplating the many, many different patterns of snowflake, I like Russian women presently. I enjoy teaching, reading, writing, and revolution. A labour of love. I have a fantastic daughter aged 10. I live in Toronto, where I am implementing long term plans for commercial and public service online publishing with former colleagues and with new collaborators, and of course I spend time over in the UK. I am single and I am looking, but I am very picky. Any pics, 'susan'? hmmm... [I think this list needs a resource containing research interests and institutional locations of members and contributors, as well as a photo of each member. I mean, identity and bodies kind of matter don't you think?]. Lachlan Brown Name: George Lachlan Brown Email: lachlan(a)london.com Employment: Director Thirdnet Ltd - 1999-present Education PhD candidate (part time) in Media and Communications, 1994 - (Completing in the Centre for Cultural Studies.) Goldsmiths' College, University of London. The Emergence of Internet in Culture, locations of production, networks of distribution, contexts of reception. Cultural implications of new media technologies in relation to the histories and structures of print. A focus in the political economy and social geography of distribution of knowledge. New publishing technologies. Issues of Cultural Production, Community, Circulation and Reception in collaborative hypermedia. Supervisor: David Morley. MA English Literature 1986 - 88. University of New Brunswick, Canada. BA (Hons.) First Class, 1982 - 85. Alsager College of Higher Education. Human Geography, English Literature and Writing. Employment as Lecturer: Lecturer, 1997 - 1998 Department of Innovation Studies, University of East London Maryland House Manbey Park Road London E15 Visiting Lecturer, JMU, Liverpool, September 1996 - May 1997 School of Media, Critical and Creative Arts Courses: Digital Cultures, Local and Global Cultures, Cultural Studies, Audiences, Media Histories, Reporting and the Reported, Persuasion and Propaganda, Theories of Spectatorship,. Visiting Tutor, Media & Communications, Goldsmiths College, University of London. September 1994 - June 1996 Courses: Foundations of Communications, Music and Popular Culture, Media, History and Politics, Political Economy of Mass Media. Employment as Editor: Managing Editor, Between the Lines Press. Toronto, 1991 - 92. Supervision of publishing programme with press whose list includes History, Development and Third World issues, Media and Cultural Politics. Liaison with authors, editors, co-publishers. Managing Editor, Borderlines 1990 - 91. Canadian cultural studies journal. Responsible for all aspects of production and editing. Initiation of projects. Liaison between editorial committees, typesetter/ designer, printer. Training of staff. Assistant Editor and Production Manager, C Magazine 1990. . Copy Editor, Public 1989 - 91. Copy editing, scheduling production. Awards: British Council Young Academic Research Programme, Canada, Summer 1996 Ontario Arts Council Writers' Reserve Grant 1992. Commonwealth Scholarship (Canada) 1986 - 88. -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Travelocity.com is giving away two million travel miles. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;3969773;6991039;g?http://svc.travelocity.com/…

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>Anyone care to lessen my confusion?
by Lachlan Brown 15 Mar '02

15 Mar '02

>Anyone care to lessen my confusion? Yes, I will do that. I am Lachlan Brown and I do Cultural Studies. Some people appear to have a problem with that. I have an introduction to AoIR. Thanks for: "The Association of Internet Researchers is an academic association = dedicated to the advancement of the cross-disciplinary field of Internet = studies. It is a resource and support network promoting critical and = scholarly Internet research independent from traditional disciplines and = existing across academic borders. The association is international in = scope." This is a cultural studies mandate. cross-disciplinarity I'm making an intervention, a long intervention it seems, perhaps a series of interventions covering a number of years, if necessary, into the state of Internet scholarship to identify productive lines of inquiry that scholarship in this field has felt for one reason or another unable or not empowered to take on. They are meant to inflect the course of Internet industry from present trends (which I am sure Industry will welcome) towards ones more compatible with our culture(s) and to help inform our culture(s) at large about Internet. I have considerable experience in the field. It makes common sense to me to intervene here to highlight significant lapses, oversights, absenses, and indeed erasures in Internet scholarship. The intervention may seem confusing, thats partly the point, to de-familiarize or make what you think is normal (and what some people here think is normal is very odd indeed) seem strange, but given the subjects to be discussed confusion along with distress, followed by collective action toward a healing seem appropriate emotions and responses. I have an introduction in the AIR-L. It would help if there was some way of seeing other peoples names, research interests, links and a brief statement of interests, like they used to have (still have?) in MediaMOO. It is difficult to write to peoples queries or interests without knowing their work and affiliations. Dont feel bad about your confusion. Confusion is an appropriate way to feel given the nature of the field. I wonder what your area of expertise is. Lachlan Brown Cultural Studies Golsmiths College University of London Thirdnet, Toronto (416) 826 6937 (416) 822 1123 -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Travelocity.com is giving away two million travel miles. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;3969773;6991039;g?http://svc.travelocity.com/…

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>Anyone care to lessen my confusion?
by Lachlan Brown 14 Mar '02

14 Mar '02

>Anyone care to lessen my confusion? Yes, I will do that. I am Lachlan Brown and I do Cultural Studies. Some people appear to have a problem with that. I have an introduction to AoIR. Thanks for: "The Association of Internet Researchers is an academic association = dedicated to the advancement of the cross-disciplinary field of Internet = studies. It is a resource and support network promoting critical and = scholarly Internet research independent from traditional disciplines and = existing across academic borders. The association is international in = scope." This is a cultural studies mandate. cross-disciplinarity I'm making an intervention, a long intervention it seems, perhaps a series of interventions covering a number of years, if necessary, into the state of Internet scholarship to identify productive lines of inquiry that scholarship in this field has felt for one reason or another unable or not empowered to take on. They are meant to inflect the course of Internet industry from present trends (which I am sure Industry will welcome) towards ones more compatible with our culture(s) and to help inform our culture(s) at large about Internet. I have considerable experience in the field. It makes common sense to me to intervene here to highlight significant lapses, oversights, absenses, and indeed erasures in Internet scholarship. The intervention may seem confusing, thats partly the point, to de-familiarize or make what you think is normal (and what some people here think is normal is very odd indeed) seem strange, but given the subjects to be discussed confusion along with distress, followed by collective action toward a healing seem appropriate emotions and responses. I have an introduction in the AIR-L. It would help if there was some way of seeing other peoples names, research interests, links and a brief statement of interests, like they used to have (still have?) in MediaMOO. It is difficult to write to peoples queries or interests without knowing their work and affiliations. Dont feel bad about your confusion. Confusion is an appropriate way to feel given the nature of the field. I wonder what your area of expertise is. I will summarise my queries so far shortly. Best Lachlan Lachlan Brown Cultural Studies Golsmiths College University of London Thirdnet, Toronto (416) 826 6937 (416) 822 1123 -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Travelocity.com is giving away two million travel miles. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;3969773;6991039;g?http://svc.travelocity.com/…

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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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Coordinator Report: Privacy, Surveillance, and Security
by Ellis Godard 14 Mar '02

14 Mar '02

There were only 10 submissions for Privacy, Surveillance, and Security. Nils and I recommend accepting 1 panel (which was proposed as such) and 2 paper sessions, and rejecting the one submission which did not have a title or author (though for other reasons, of course). This leaves 3 strong events: Privacy Perceptions: Attitudes Toward Internet Privacy - Matej Shifting Articulations of Internet Privacy - Gustafson Restricted Privacy...as culture-specific... - Ribak Privacy Perceptions and Online Practices - Ana, Clement, and Aspinal Monitoring Practices Big Brother in Australia - Whitty The Work of Being Watched... - Andrejevic Online Privacy and Consumer Protection - Ferbank & Zizi Panopticon.com - Carlson and Campbell Productive Surveillance (proposed as a panel) Using the Community to Sell - Fernback The Panoptic State - Elmer Space the Final Frontier - Andrejevic

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The Semantic Web
by Arthur Stutt 14 Mar '02

14 Mar '02

Hi Has anyone come across any material which takes a critical look at the social impact of the Semantic Web as envisaged by TIM BERNERS-LEE, et al.? http://www.sciam.com/2001/0501issue/0501berners-lee.html http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/ http://www.semanticweb.org/ Arthur

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