Hi Barry, all, imho we shouldn't attempt to find *one* new word for a conglomerate of different services, concepts, and psycho-socio-technological spheres. The (Inter)net/media/cmc/it world grew out of its formerly somewhat clearly definable pot and became a landscape of interwoven plants and other organisms. Only we're still used to being able to talk about it in terms of "the pot". It is the increasing frequency of moments of experiences like Barry's that suddenly yet steadily make us aware of a changing paradigm... Let's differentiate, identify, and regroup our terminological entities! Greetings from Zurich, --u At 10:44 Uhr -0500 19.3.2005, Barry Wellman wrote:
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 _____________________________________________________________________
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