Wouldn't a type of overly technical description be IP mediated communication? All the things you describe are IP based and go via the Internet. Yet they are communication (in the social sense of the word). Using IP mediated communication would allow us the fun of coining a new acronym like IPMC or IPMECOM or IPCOM that only the cognicenti understand for awhile. I note, however, that your discussion does not necessarily include mobile communication. For that we would need another acronym like MOMECOM for mobile mediated communication. Rich L. -----Original Message----- From: air-l-aoir.org-bounces@listserv.aoir.org [mailto:air-l-aoir.org-bounces@listserv.aoir.org]On Behalf Of Barry Wellman Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 16:45 PM To: aoir list Subject: [Air-l] we need a new word? I was speaking at a seminar for non-techies at MIT yesterday (not a contradiction, as these were community development folks from across the USofA). And I found myself saying -- and my PPTs reading -- "Internet" -- but then verbally qualifying by saying, "well I really don't mean the traditional email Internet, but also IM, chat, lists, video, etc." (add your favorite including Usenet and BBS). What to call it? "Computer mediated communication" is a mouthful, jargony and chews up PPT space. "New media" is too indistinct and PoMo: moreover, is email "new media" any more? We should focus on the affordances of the media and not on the newness. So what to call it. My first thought at the breakfast table was "e-media", but I am open to other suggestions. I also am putting it on the list, because I am confident that others have had similar dilemmas, and that it would be best if we had a standard word. Barry _____________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman at chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 To network is to live; to live is to network _____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ The Air-l-aoir.org@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/