case studies of mailinglists
Dear Air-l, for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few case studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and for the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar case studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's perhaps a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics and issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome. BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his Virtual Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his passions. Yours, Geert Lovink (Sydney)
geert lovink wrote:
Dear Air-l,
for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few case studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and for the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar case studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's perhaps a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics and issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome.
BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his Virtual Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his passions.
My PhD was in this area but by large scale analysis of discourse dynamics and I was born in Sydney Australia. A couple of months ago I submitted a paper to Information Systems Research that compares usenet and listserv sustainablity patterns. The abstract is given below The Boundaries of Virtual Communities:
Quentin, I'd like to read more. Is the PhD online anywhere? First, what are 'non-linear feedback loops' and what is 'asymptote'? Thanks, Ben ----- Original Message ----- From: "Quentin (Gad) Jones" <qgjones@acm.org> To: <air-l@aoir.org> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 4:36 AM Subject: Re: [Air-l] case studies of mailinglists
geert lovink wrote:
Dear Air-l,
for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few
case
studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and for the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar case studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's perhaps a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics and issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome.
BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his Virtual Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his passions.
My PhD was in this area but by large scale analysis of discourse dynamics and I was born in Sydney Australia.
A couple of months ago I submitted a paper to Information Systems Research that compares usenet and listserv sustainablity patterns.
The abstract is given below
The Boundaries of Virtual Communities: From Virtual Settlements to the Discourse Dynamics of Virtual Publics By: Quentin (Gad) Jones
This thesis argues that most examinations of the public online behavior of Internet users have been in terms of "virtual community", with researchers using social theory and generally adopting ethnomethodology or a social network approach. Furthermore, that these approaches underplay the fact that builders of online interaction systems impact on the behavior of users through the architecture of the spaces they create. As a result, there is a need for information system researchers to examine the nature of the relationship between the virtual spaces typically used for public online behavior, their technological platforms, and the behaviors such systems contain. This alternate focus, which is adopted in this thesis, moves the emphasis away from notions of community, and its attention to people and their relations, to the nature of the containership of virtual spaces and the boundaries such places impose on online behavior.
In both virtual and physical places, communication technologies can be seen as enablers of only a limited range of social interactions. However, prior to the writing of this thesis, recognition of this fact has not coincided with a research framework or clear methodology for exploring the relationship between online space and behavior. As a result, a new framework is proposed here to systematically investigate the enabling and constraining nature of virtual publics. Virtual publics are defined as symbolically delineated computer mediated spaces such as email lists, newsgroups, IRC Channels etc., whose existence is relatively transparent and open, so groups of individuals are able to attend and contribute to a similar set of computer-mediated interpersonal interactions. Axiomatic to this new approach is the notion that limitations to virtual public behavior result not simply from the nature of the technologies under study, but also from the collective impact of innate human cognitive processing constraints. These constraints, when reached by users trying to process overloaded online discourse, are hypothesized to result in non-linear feedback loops acting on virtual public interaction dynamics. Such system effects are not easily identified by normative or experimental studies which have a tendency to cloud the range of possible behaviors. For this reason, the methodology applied here is large-scale field studies of virtual public mass interaction dynamics.
By a detailed analysis of 2.65 million USENET messages posted to 600 newsgroups over a 6-month period, three effects of the hypothesized non-linear feedback loops are examined. These are: 1) that until asymptote, users are more likely to generate simpler responses as the overloading of mass-interaction increases; 2) that until asymptote, users are more likely to respond to simpler messages in overloaded mass interaction; and 3) that until asymptote, users are more likely to end active participation as the overloading of mass-interaction increases. The relationship between the hypothesized non-linear feedback loops and technology type is also examined empirically by comparing the Usenet data with that of 478,240 email messages sent to 487 email lists managed by Listserv software over a 5-month period.
Statistical analysis of the Usenet data demonstrated the existence of the hypothesized effects and supports the assertion that individual 'information overload' coping strategies have an observable impact on mass interaction discourse dynamics. This thesis is the first empirical exploration of Usenet discourse for systems effects. The comparative analysis of the email and Usenet data also demonstrated the relationship between discourse dynamics and technology type.
The thesis has a number of important implications for designers and managers of virtual publics including methods for understanding the viability of the discourse and user stability associated with various virtual public types. It also provides a means for understanding the usability of various computer mediated communication technologies in group-level terms. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the theoretical work suggests a new research paradigm for the examination of online behavior that is progressive in nature and leads to the discovery of hitherto unknown novel facts.
_______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l@aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l
Ben Davidson wrote:
Quentin, First, what are 'non-linear feedback loops'
Non-Linear Systems are Systems which are not characterizable by linear or first-order equations, but are governed by any variety of complex, reciprocal relationships, or feedback loops. In the case of online discourse in places like email lists, newsgroups etc. it works as follows: An increase in the membership of a virtual public will probably result in an increase in virtual public communication and communication load. Communication load being the processing effort required by users to deal with a set of communications. However, it will not be possible for individuals to expand their involvement in virtual public communication indefinitely because of limits to the resources available to them to process group communication. Once virtual public communication becomes unmanageable or incoherent to individuals, then, the pattern of their involvement will alter, which in turn will impact on subsequent discourse dynamics. In taking this approach, it can be seen that the notion of communication loads abstracts the individual idea of information overload to the group level.
and what is 'asymptote'?
asymptote n. a straight line that is closely approached by a plane curve so that the perpendicular distance between them decreases to near zero as the distance from the origin increases to infinity.[C17: from Greek asumpt tos not falling together, from A-1 + SYN- + ptotos inclined to fall, from piptein to fall]
The Boundaries of Virtual Communities: From Virtual Settlements to the Discourse Dynamics of Virtual Publics By: Quentin (Gad) Jones
I'd like to read more. Is the PhD online anywhere?
I haven't put the entire thesis online yet because I have just started a new job and because I am thinking through advice I have received not to put the entire work online (It is 250+ 10 point single spaced). I am also thinking about turning it into a book. Various related papers do exist which I am happy to forward to anybody that is interested including: Jones Q., Ravid G., and Rafaeli S. "Mass Interaction, Information Overload and Computer Mediated Communication Tools": Submitted to Information Systems Research, March 2002. Jones Q., Ravid G., and Rafaeli S. (2002). "An Empirical Exploration of Mass Interaction System Dynamics: Individual Information Overload and Usenet Discourse." In: Proceedings of the 35rd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, IEEE, Big Island, Hawaii. Jones Q., Ravid G., and Rafaeli S. (2001) "Empirical Evidence of Information Overload in Mass Interaction." Proceedings of CHI'2001. The ACM's Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Seattle, USA. ACM Press. Jones Q., and S. Rafaeli (2000). Time to Split, Virtually: 'Discourse Architecture' and 'Community Building' as means to Creating Vibrant Virtual Publics. Electronic Markets: The International Journal of Electronic Commerce and Business Media. 10(4) 214-223. Jones Q., and S., Rafaeli. (2000). What do virtual 'Tells' tell? Placing cybersociety research into a hierarchy of social explanation. In: Proceedings of the 33rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, (HICSS), Hawaii, IEEE Press. *** arguments modified and improved upon substaintually in the PhD thesis". Jones Q., and Rafaeli. S., (1999) "User Population and User Contributions to Virtual Publics: A Systems Model." Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Supporting Group Work (Group99). Phoenix, Arizona, USA, ACM Press. *** early and immature **** Jones Q., (1997) "Virtual-Communities, Virtual-Settlements & Cyber-Archaeology: a theoretical outline." Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. Vol 3., Issue 3., Dec. http://jcmc.huji.ac.il/vol3/issue3/jones.html
Quentin, You should consider the possibility that whoever told you that keeping your thesis offline was a good idea may be wrong. My first book, some of which was based on my dissertation, pre-sold over 500 copies by being available online in free full-text, which is good for dissertation in a field as narrow as instructional technology. (See http://reusability.org/read/). It continues to be freely available online, and people keep buying the book because either (a) they don't want to read 350pp on their monitor, and/or (b) it costs about the same to print the whole thing out as it does to buy the book. Seems like the only reason not to put your thesis online involves "information hording" of some kind... Just my $0.02 worth of experience, David Quentin (Gad) Jones wrote:
I'd like to read more. Is the PhD online anywhere?
I haven't put the entire thesis online yet because I have just started a new job and because I am thinking through advice I have received not to put the entire work online (It is 250+ 10 point single spaced). I am also thinking about turning it into a book.
I used a case study approach in a paper The Internet and the Large Group that was published in Group Analysis a few years back: Davidson, B. (1998) The Internet and the Large Group Group Analysis 31[4] pp.457-471 http://www.bendavidson.co.uk/professional_pages/publications/articles/lrgegr p.htm Ben ----- Original Message ----- From: "geert lovink" <geert@desk.nl> To: <air-l@aoir.org> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 3:23 AM Subject: [Air-l] case studies of mailinglists
Dear Air-l,
for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few case studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and for the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar case studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's perhaps a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics and issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome.
BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his Virtual Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his passions.
Yours,
Geert Lovink (Sydney)
_______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l@aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l
Hi Geert, You might be interested in an account of some Community Informatics work we did in Cape Breton. As you may know, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in Canada has suffered severely in recent years with the loss of its fishery, coal mine and steel mill. The result has been the highest unemployment rate in Canada (20% official/40-50% unofficial). However, the region has for a variety of historical reasons retained elements of a remarkably intact Highland Gaelic culture including a form of Celtic music which musicologists (and musicians) from around the world look to as among the purest currently being performed. As other sources of employment and income have disappeared, culture and tourism and particularly the music "industry" in Cape Breton have come to be seen as a highly valuable and "sustainable" resource. In 1996 we formed an email list called CBMusic which proved to be a significant element in the formation of a global community of those with an interest in the music, and an important link to the local Cape Breton music "business"/community and not incidentally making some quite useful contributions to the local economy. There is an account of this in "Fiddlers on the Wire: Music, Electronic Commerce and Local Economic Development on a Virtual Cape Breton Island", in Doing Business on the Internet: Opportunities and Pitfalls, Celia T. Romm and Fay Sudweeks (Eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1999. I could also send it as a word file to those with an interest. A longer account of the overall work and project will be forthcoming in a book tentatively entitled "Not By Default: Community Innovation and Information Technology on Cape Breton Island", University College of Cape Breton Press, and in the book Burying Coal: Research and Development for Remote and Rural Development, available from Progressive Publishers, Vancouver BC or by email from myself. All the best, Mike Gurstein, Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. (Visiting) Professor: School of Management New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ Formerly Director: Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, NS, CANADA -----Original Message----- From: air-l-admin@aoir.org [mailto:air-l-admin@aoir.org]On Behalf Of geert lovink Sent: May 22, 2002 10:23 PM To: air-l@aoir.org Subject: [Air-l] case studies of mailinglists Dear Air-l, for my PhD at the University of Melbourne I have recently written a few case studies of mailinglist communities. Now I am winding up this project and for the introduction and conclusion I would like to refer to a few similar case studies, but I can't find all that many of them. Does anyone have a suggestion? It could be studies about virtual communities but that's perhaps a bit too broad. I am in particularly interested in internal dynamics and issues of sustainability. Any reference is most welcome. BTW. I do like the (new) afterword Howard Rheingold wrote for his Virtual Community book which MIT Press reprinted recently. I am not sure how welknown this text is. It's a good and honest reassessment of his passions. Yours, Geert Lovink (Sydney) _______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l@aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l
participants (5)
-
Ben Davidson -
David Wiley -
geert lovink -
Michael Gurstein -
Quentin (Gad) Jones