The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-387-Vol-3of3.iso/t/thinknet.zip/THINKNET.001

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   |  |   | | |    \|  \ ======== |... \| ..... |.Meta-Theory, And Other..
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OCTOBER 1991                    ISSUE  001               VOLUME 1   NUMBER 1
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This is Thinknet, an on-line magazine forum dedicated to thoughtfulness
in the cybertime environment.


*CONTENTS*


Publication Data
About Thinknet
Prospect for Philosophy and Systems Theory in Cybertime
The Philosophy Category on GEnie
Philosophy on the WELL
Origin Conference on the WELL
Internet Philosophy Mailing Lists
Books Of Note
Other Publications
Books, Electronic Newsletters, and Cyber-Artifacts Received
Protocols for Meaningful Discussions: ARTICLE
Thoughtful Communications: EDITORIAL



<<<<<<<<<<<<Thinknet Electronic Newsletter (c) 1991 Kent Palmer.>>>>>>>>>>>>>


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PUBLICATION DATA                                                         kdp
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*Scope*

Academic or Nonacademic philosophical debates and discussions which
are ongoing and enabled by electronic means are both of interest. Any
meta-theoretical exchanges within a particular discipline which borders
on philosophy or Systems Theory that are carried out on the global networks
and might be of more general interest to others outside their discipline would
also be included. Thoughtful public conversations of any type might be
considered relevant which are being conducted on-line. Some news from the
outside *real* world of interest may be passed along from time to time as well.
Thinknet is a review of significant and thought-provoking dialogue within our
new electronic nation.


*Rationale*

If cyberspace and the networks allow us to communicate our thoughts widely;
the question is whether there is anyone out there who has anything
significant and thought provoking to say and anyone willing to listen with
deliberation and to respond with understanding? If any real thoughtful
discussion is discovered to be going on in here Thinknet will let you know
about it. Thinknet is meant to be a clearing house of ideas and a switchboard
of channels of philosophical and meta-theoretical communications.


*Subscriptions & Submittals*

Thinknet is an occasional publication. Distributed on an ad hoc basis.

You may send electronic mail to the address below to subscribe.

Hardcopy subscriptions cost money for postage and handling. Write the
editor for the current rates.

Your are invited to submit information, articles, and news
for possible inclusion. Send submissions to

            [e-mail]

            PO BOX 8383
            ORANGE CA 92664-8383
            UNITED STATES


*Bulletin Boards*

Thinknet will be posted in the WELL philosophy conference in a topic.

The WELL
27 Gate Five Road, Sausalito, CA 94965
modem 415-332-6106
voice 415-332-4335

Also on GEnie in the Philosophy category under the Religion and
Ethics Bulletin Board.

GEnie Client Services 1-800-638-9636

These philosophy categories are described in separate sections below.

If you would like to offer thinknet a home in the philosophy category
of your BBS please send a message to the editor.


*Services*

BBS LISTINGS

We are particularly interested in identifying Bulletin Board
systems where philosophical discussion is carried out in a
focused manner, i.e. where philosophy has its own category.

CORRESPONDENTS

If you would like to become a correspondent reporting on significant
developments on a particular mailing list or bulletin board please
apply. We would like to provide summaries of ongoing developments
from time to time. Just like news correspondences report on what is
going on of interest in the cities around the world. If you listen in
on a particular mailing list regularly and would not mind summarizing
what is happening for others outside the field, then this is the place
to send your summaries and if they are deemed significant enough
they will be passed along. In cybertime it is streams of information
which must be reported on in order to keep us up to date with what is
happening across the entire cybertime environment.

MAILING LIST

Thinknet is a moderated mailing list. It is capable of handling ongoing
discussions of the evolution of thought within the cybertime environment.
Discussion packets may be subscribed to by those who would like to consider
together the overall development of THE MATRIX.

MENTION OR REVIEW OF RECEIVED CYBER-ARTIFACTS

Thinknet will mention artifacts which it receives that is within its scope
and possibly review these. If you would like your electronic newsletter,
BBS, hardcopy book, mailing list, work in progress, information channel,
mentioned and perhaps reviewed. Send that artifact to thinknet and please
identify it as a submission for review.


*Staff*

EDITOR

Kent D. Palmer  -> [e-mail]

CONTRIBUTORS

Gordon Swobe    -> GEnie: G.SWOBE
Bruce Schuman   -> [e-mail]
Jeff Dooley     -> [e-mail]
Steven Clark    -> [e-mail]


*Coda*

We are looking for others who would like to participate in the preparation
and dissemination of this journal. Apply in person to the address above.

Inspiration for the format and design of this electronic journal from
the ARTCOM electronic art's related newsletter located on the WELL.

Thinknet may be distributed freely in electronic and paper form. It
should be considered as shareware. Thus the copyright notice must
be preserved and the text copied in its entirety. It is not allowed
for anyone to charge for Thinknet newsletter except the original producer.

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ABOUT THINKNET                                                         kdp
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The National Public Telecomputing Network started by T.M
Grunder Ed.D. at the Cleveland Freenet is attempting to set
up a national network of Bulletin Boards based on the same
concept as Public Radio and Public Television stations. One
of the concepts connected with this effort is the idea that
high quality packages of information will be produced and made
available on-line for free. The public will subscribe in order
to support the production these information packets.

On-line newsletters are the first step toward this goal. Many
good on-line newsletters already exist. This newsletter takes
its inspiration from these. Such newsletters allow the quick
spread of information about a specific subject and serves
as a focal point for the discussions of those within the virtual
world.

Thinknet will attempt to serve this purpose for thought provoking
discussions, especially those connected with philosophy, systems
theory, or meta-theoretical discussion connected with particular
disciplines. If the on-line world is going to contribute to the
solution of problems in the *real* world then it will have to be
by sustaining thoughtful discussions about those problems, and the
place of man in the universe in general. Philosophy may well
experience a renaissance in this environment where people from all
walks of life can discuss issues of community, state, national, or
world importance. Philosophy will be important to set the stage
for the discussions within particular disciplines. Systems theory
is basic to our understanding of global and national problems; giving
an underlying basis for understanding the interconnection between
different things. Each discipline has its own meta-theoretical
discussions which can be eavesdropped upon to gain an appreciation
of how that discipline fits into the whole. Interdisciplinary studies
will become more and more important as scholars and laymen specializing
in different disciplines gain direct access to each other.

Thinknet hopes to act as a catalyst for those interdisciplinary
discussions which are so vital to our developing a holistic
understanding of the world and ourselves.

............................................................................

Contact Tom Grunder at [e-mail]
Data line for Cleveland Freenet: 216/368-3888

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PROSPECTS FOR PHILOSOPHY & SYSTEMS THEORY IN CYBERTIME                  kdp
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I think there is a possibility of renaissance for philosophy
within the confines of the new electronic environment represented by
Bulletin Boards and National Networks. The Bulletin Board
usually consists, among other things, of Categories which contain
Topics. Within the topics different people interested in a subject
post responses to eachother's messages. These turn out to be
rambling multiperson conversations in most cases. But when philosophy
has its own Category as it does on a few Bulletin Boards then
those people who are interested in broader issues outside of
traditional disciplines can get together and discuss deeper issues
and perhaps form a consensus. Because those interested in these
philosophical topics are very rare in society in general it is
difficult for them to find each other and get together physically.
Thus the electronic networks form vital link between individuals
who might normally not be able to find each other and communicate.

Also the way topics are structured allows for thoughtful and considered
replies and a continuity to discussion that might not be possible in
other forums. Thus in some sense the Platonic dialectical discussion
method may come into its own in this medium in a way it has never
done in conversation. In the Bulletin Board each individual becomes
a broadcaster who can direct his broadcasts at a narrow audience. These
broadcasts are interleaved in the topics in such away that the prerequisites
of dialectical discussion are satisfied. Thus it seems to me that
we should foster the development of this form of discussion because
it may well lead to this small segment of society who are interested in
learning and developing ideas to collaborate from which may come many
things which without this medium of personal broadcasting would not
be possible.

Academic journals and other formal communication media are one way and
controlled communications media. The telephone is really only two way
medium we have. Considering Radio, Tv, Newspapers, and other media we
can see that the power of this new broadcasting media that makes use
of the telephone as a means of publishing and broadcasting text produced
by individuals. Among this text from individuals there will be much trivia.
However, sometimes there will be significant things that need to become
more widely known among the community of personal broadcasters and receivers.
Electronic news letters are the obvious way for this information to become
more widely know. In some ways the channels of high quality information are
more important to identify and communicate to others than specific pieces of
information. Most journals concentrate on communication of information.
This journal will concentrate on the information sources of significance.
We need to identify the broadcasters who have something important to say
and get them talking to each other in meaningful exchange.


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PHILOSOPHY CATEGORY ON GEnie                                   Gordon Swobe
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The Philosophy category on GEnie is young. Located in the
"Religion and Ethics" BB, it is host to a wide range of participants
and viewpoints. At this early stage in its growth, many of the
participants who have come to the category have done so with at
least a mild interest in the philosophical aspects of religion. As
the category matures it is expected that others will find their way
to it who may not have frequented the board in the past due to a
lack of interest in the categories previously available.
        This increase in the diversity of thought should be a
valuable asset to the whole board. Active discussions are in the
areas of Ontology, Nihilism, Epistemology and Logic. Recently, a
topic was opened for the purpose of discussing an important modern
philosophical work. The range of expertise is broad - from
interested laymen to sophisticated Ph.d's.
        The most exciting aspect of this Category is its rapid
growth. New discussions are being launched daily by those who have
areas of specialty they wish to share. THINKNET can be a vehicle for
bringing new ideas both to and from GEnie and other networks, as
well as a philosophical symposium in and of itself.

.............................................................................

Some topics on the philosophy category on GEnie's Religion and Ethics Bulletin
Board:

Discussions on issues of Philosophy
Epistemology: How Do We Know?
Existentialism
Ontology: What is the nature of Being?
Mind/Body, What's the Problem?
Nihilism
Objectivism: Rand's and Others'
Philosophy of Religion
Logic
Natural Law -   Clarence Thomas
New Philosophy for Now and Future
Aesthetics
Symbolic Logic in ASCII
ANTI-OEDIPUS Deleuze & Guattari
Philosophy and Quantum Physics
Philosophy of Philosophy

The topic 'Symbolic Logic in ASCII' is an introductory Symbolic Logic
course taught by a professional instructor. On the whole the discussion
is lively and informed but definitely not academic in nature.

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PHILOSOPHY  ON THE WELL                                         Jeff Dooley
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A critical spirit, sharpened by communicative competence, seems a capable
charm against dogmatism in the WELL's philosophy conference.  Whether
contributors join to clarify their understanding of an issue, try out some
new idea, or to assist discussion in matters with which they are familiar,
the flavor of this telecommunications philosophy class remains one of
mutual curiosity and measured argument. Critical commentary is, for the
most part, supported by careful scholarship; ad hominem arguments are rare.

None of this is to suggest that agreement on issues is anything but
fleeting.  Rather, /well/phi/ seems to harbor a diversity unlikely to be
found in most university classrooms.  The mix of points of view is one of
the conferences most attractive attributes; it is a diversity reflected in the
range of topics under discussion.  The debate continues among realists and
skeptics; among naturalists and idealists. Other focuses of discussion
include metaphysics and spirituality, ethics, existentialism, Heidegger,
post-structuralism and deconstruction, systems, epistemology and ontology;
and there is a place for introductions and book reviews.

A benefit is gained when new ideas and questions appear.  The general
recognition of this apparent fact by regular contributors has made the
environment a congenial one for newcomers, regardless of familiarity with
philosophical traditions.  Philosophy is a human activity, and it deals
with questions relevant to human life and inquiry.  Examination of these
questions, in an atmosphere of mutual learning and critical spirit, is what
characterizes activity in /well/phi/.

............................................................................

These are some of the topics on the WELL philosophy category:

Introductions:  Philosophy on the Well
Announcements and Administrative Matters
The meaning of philosophy: let's define our terms.
The New Physics:  What does it really mean?
Life begins at conception?
SCIENCE AND SPIRIT
The social contract:  Where do "rights" come from?
New and not so new books
Can I quote you on that?
New Age:  the good, the bad and the ugly.
Skepticism
Metaphysics
Gems from the nets
The Meaning of Life
Ethical questions
Godel's Proof -- and Beyond...?
NEO-EXISTENTIALIST ZEN
The Importance of Free Will
Thoughts on Deconstructionism
Who needs philosophy?
Well Philosophy Book Group Forming
Words to Live by...
Uh-oh...BAUDRILLARD!
David Hume and Suicide
Heidegger and Catholicism
New Host for Philosophy conference sought.  Apply in Person
Lecture, Oct. 25:  What Is One's Obligation to Oneself?
Morality, New World Order and Emerging Global Culture
Bioethics
Naturalism, knowledge and systems: uncertainty and the observer.
Scientology from an insiders point of view.
FAIRNESS: Meaning Of
Why is there something rather than nothing?
Rationality and Political Enthusiasm
EXISTENTIALISM:  To boldly go. . .
The Philosophy/ORIGIN Interface

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ORIGIN CONFERENCE ON THE WELL                                 Bruce Schuman
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THE ORIGIN CONFERENCE IN THE WELL: A STEERING WHEEL FOR CYBERSPACE

   With the publication of the September 1991 issue of Scientific
American, their special issue on computers, communications, and
networks, the advancing frontier of cyberspace seems to have taken
a major evolutionary step.  No longer only a testing ground for
the most innovative and fringe ideas of esoteric technocrats,
computer communications are now beginning to seriously impact the
American mainstream.

   And it may be that this explosively evolving new medium poses
some historically unprecedented opportunities for philosophical
and scientific and political development.  Within the context of a
high-speed low-cost text-based conference environment, potentially
involving hundreds of independent thinkers, each with their own
resources, insights, and creative ideas, it is possible now to
bring these individuals together to discuss and create alternative
visions for our networked future, with the objective of guiding our
joint evolution towards the most desirable possible outcomes.

   The ORIGIN conference in the WELL is a systematic environment
for the development of high-level new ideas, all across the
epistemological spectrum.  We are developing a variety of linked
themes, brought together into unity in terms of "parallel
processes in conference dynamics".  A brief list of related
projects is as follows:

1. Mathematical Linguistics: The study of the algebraic properties
   of meaning and conceptual structure

2. Scientific Epistemology: An investigation into the structure of
   knowledge and scientific method; the means by which certainty
   is established

3. Integrative Networking: A study and activist development of
   "content-driven interdisciplinary online network integration",
   involving the development of methods for synthesizing online
   linkage between independent subjects and specialists

4. Online Politics and Electronic Democracy: An exploration and
   development of methods to expedite democratic dialog and
   decision processes through online media

5. Universal Spiritual Science: A discussion of comparative
   religion and the "perennial philosophy", conducted in the
   context of scientific epistemology, semantics, and online
   networks, and devoted to establishing through consensus a broad
   moral and ethical foundation for public welfare

   The ORIGIN thesis in a nutshell: If we want to steer cyberspace
in directions we like, we need to build actual applications of
this technology, not just talk about them.  ORIGIN is a design to
do this.  In our discussions, we design democratically-driven
network-based programming technologies to cybernetically steer
society towards places it decides it wants to go.

   And we want your participation.

   Please contact us:  'g ori' on the WELL

............................................................................

   There is a more detailed description of the ORIGIN conference
   called BRIDGE ACROSS CONSCIOUSNESS available from Thinknet
   or Bruce directly.

These are some topic headers for the ORIGIN conference on the WELL:

Welcome/Introductions
Integrated Networking: What is it?
Objectives and Purposes of the ORIGIN Conference
ORIGIN Conference Introduction
Collating the Scholarship of Many Minds
Algebraic Epistemology
Synthetic Dimensionality
An Algebra of Dimensions
Self-Government as a Cybernetic/Homeostatic Control Loop
The Emperor's New Mind
The Best Way to Use the ORIGIN Conference
Online Democratic Programming
Vision of the Network
Fast Flow: ORIGIN CB Channel Number One
Parallel Processing in Teleconference Dynamics
Powerful Ideas
Systematic Consensual Definition
Knowledge, Certainty, and Control
The Dreams of Reason
Control Models of "Revolution"
The Dimensional Structure of Information
Science as a Communal Activity
State of the Art: Convergent Iterative Design
The Universal Hierarchy of Abstraction
Feedback Control Signals in the ORIGIN Conference
The Optimization of Online Dialog: An Iterative Manifesto
WHEN THE MACHINES GO AWAY
POINTERS: Abstracts of Current Longer Postings
ORIGIN as "Place"
Knowledge <====> Reality       How Accurate the Map?
The Online Self-Control of Social Systems
Shared Minds
The Meaning of "ORIGIN"
The Bridge Across Consciousness
Interdisciplinary Topic Linkage in the WELL
The Philosophy/ORIGIN Interface
The Algebraic Form of Metaphor
A Privileged Epistemic Tribunal?
Principles of Cybernetic Idealism
Current ORIGIN System State on Cybernetic Idealism
The Demanding Discipline of ASCII Code Communication
MODELS and MAPS MANIA
Gandhian Idealism
Connectionism
Life is short, but it's wide
Build a Network!
Demographics of Absolute Zero
File Addresses for Project-Related Documents
Ad Hoc Top-Down Decomposition
Intelligent Databases
The Perennial Philosophy
LEGAL MODELS of Evidentiary Reasoning
Synthetic Theory: Jig-Saw Puzzle/House of Cards
Mind <== ? ==> Brain
War in the American Streets
Scientific Religion

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INTERNET PHILOSOPHY MAILING LISTS                             Steven Clark
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newcomers to my list PHILSOP occasionally ask me what other lists there
are that will interest philosophers.

The truthful answer is that there are as many as you please. Most lists
that call for any conversation at all usually end up being fairly
philosophical, and some of them avoid the obvious traps (or at least do
so quite often) of being pretentious, obnoxious, willfully ignorant or far
too clever. But here is a partial (in two senses) list of lists.

The longest-running and largest list for all the humanities is HUMANIST.
This is a moderated, and bundled, list. Subscribe by mailing a request
to join, and a short biography, to Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear
([e-mail]). Most of the mail is informative, but not
necessarily about anything one really wants to know. Arguments
occasionally develop, though the old days of rancorous debate appear to
be over.

By the way, I am giving the addresses in the form that is necessary for
those on JANET. This is the reverse order as far as the rest of the world
is concerned - so the HUMANIST address above would be @BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
for non-JANET users).

[e-mail] (i.e. this list) was founded principally for UK
philosophers, but is now - I hope - the basic European list. There are
also a great many philosophers worldwide, from Japan to Israel and
Finland to New Zealand. This is for most of its members a bulletin board,
but conversations can start up and continue as long as people wish. The
other main bulletin board for philosophers is :

[e-mail]1

This is run by Nollaig Mackenzie ([e-mail]). Subscribe by
mailing SUBSCRIBE PHILOSOP yourname to [e-mail]1. Remember
that all LISTSERVed groups distinguish between the LISTSERVer address,
the LIST address and the LISTOWNER's address. Please try not to confuse
them. PHILOSOP is almost entirely bulletin board: conversations are
encouraged to move off the list into private life or else to the
following.

[e-mail]

This is the Noble Savages Philosphers Group (sic), run by Barry Floyd
([e-mail]). Subscribe by mailing SUBSCRIBE NSP-L yourname
to [e-mail]. This is a highly conversational and
argumentative list which is nonetheless polite and helpful. Most of the
members are from North America, and a lot of them are postgraduate
students, not necessarily of philosophy.

The APA has started a bulletin board. To read that you should call
EDU.CALSTATE.ATL (or 130.150.102.33) and type APA when asked for a
password. JANET users will need to get an account at the nsf-relay (or at
least pass through that: arrangements have changed recently - consult
your computer service), and type TELNET at the NSF prompt. Communication
is slow and somewhat unreliable. The board, as yet, is not very helpful,
except that there is an e-address list of APA members. Contact Saul
Traiger (TRAIGER@ EDU.OXY) for more details.

[e-mail] is the Hegelian Philosophy Discussion group. Small
membership, occasionally interesting for outsiders. Subscribe via
LISTSERV@ VILLVM in the usual way.

[e-mail] is concerned with the Principia Cybernetica Project.
Contact Cliff Josslyn ([e-mail]) or Francis
Heylighen ([e-mail]).

[e-mail] is for Computer Ethics. It sometimes strays rather
far into general ethical chat for want of any distinctively
computer-oriented problem, but often does uncover a genuine issue.
Certainly a good place to ask questions about specific problems.

[e-mail]1VM is (obviously) for political discussion, dominated
by Americans and often rancorous. I haven't checked it recently, but
there used to be some attractive libertarians on it.

[e-mail] is a moderated list for discussion of papers
available to members on the local listserver. All you wanted to know
about post-modernism and were afraid to ask. Contact the editors
([e-mail]).

[e-mail] discusses more continental philosophy than Derrida,
in a fairly helpful way, but does have its difficult customers :-)
Subscribe in the usual way via [e-mail].

There are several interesting hotlines on [e-mail]. You
subscribe to these after enrolling on COMSERVE (sorry - I find I've
deleted the details about that: try COMSERVE-REQUEST@RPIECS). The only
ones I have recent experience of are:

PHILCOMM, about the philosophy of communication

RHETORIC, about (you guessed it) rhetoric.

There are several lists supposedly devoted to the discussion of
religious matters. My experience of these is not good. Discussions have a
tendency to degenerate into abuse (which happened on
[e-mail]) or to be dominated by some proselytizer impervious
to polite requests to lay off (which happened on RELIGCOM).
[e-mail] is probably the best behaved and most
helpful at the moment.

And then there are things like [e-mail]. This is a
moderated list for those interested in invented languages like those of
J.R.R.Tolkien. Often very technical and well-informed. Contact Julian
Bradfield (JCB@ UK.AC.ED.LFCS), the list owner and moderator.

And another Rhetoric list, [e-mail]. This is a more
personal list than many - it obviously began as a group of friends and
retains the personal note. Rhetoric does include more than literary
theory: it's about the effect of language on thought, and the nature of
informal argument. Subscribe via [e-mail].

I hope that is helpful. Remember that you can find out what lists there
are by asking some LISTSERVers (not all). Mail LIST GLOBAL for a bumper
collection (making sure there's room in your mailer first).

............................................................................


Three philosophy lists are mentioned in the LIST OF LISTS. Two of these are
repeats of lists mentioned above.


[e-mail]

Mailing list for philosophers (waged or unwaged) in the
United Kingdom to discuss matters of mutual concern, and to
encourage other such philosophers to meet in the High
Country of computer-mail.

Subscribe by sending
 SUBSCRIBE PHILOS-L [Your Name]
to [e-mail]
Internet users can join by sending the above command to
[e-mail]

Coordinator: Stephen Clark <[e-mail]>


[e-mail]

Academic philosophy mailing list and file server. The files posted
by subscribers can be of all sorts: work in progress, comments thereon,
advertisements for conferences, newsletters, journals, or associations,
job postings, conditional agreements of social action. The items on the
board have to have some connection with academic philosophy; but that's
not interpreted narrowly.

To subscribe send the following command to LISTSERV@YORKVM1
(non-Bitnet users send mail to [e-mail])
  SUBSCRIBE PHILSOP Your_Full_Name
where Your_Full_Name is your real name, not your userid.

Coordinator: P.A. Danielson <[e-mail]>
               sol.yorku.CA


[e-mail]

A Philosophy, Religion, and Society magazine for intense debate.
So far, it has been an Analytic Philosophy debate forum, but
philosophically informed articles dealing with society and religion
are more than welcome.

All requests to be added to or dropped from the mailing list, as well
as all contributions, should be sent to [e-mail].


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BOOKS OF NOTE                                                           kdp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Some basic resources*

THE MATRIX
by John S. Quaterman           ISBN 1-55558-033-5
(Digital Press 1990 ~$50 pp719)

This book is a very complete introduction to electronic networks. It will
probably become the standard reference guide for Computer Mediated
Communication. It is a living document since it is associated with a mailing
list for updates at '[e-mail]'. I think there is little
more I could say beyond what one of the writers of the foreword has already
said:

"John Quaterman's book, THE MATRIX, is a practical road map through the
mind-numming detail and countless idiosyncrasies of the world's networks
and protocols. Those who use wide area networks, and many who do not, will
find this book opens doors for them, --- doors previously shut, doors
whose existence was not even dreamed of. The networks described here,
and particularly the interconnections among them, have begun to have a
revolutionary effect: electronic mail can reach any part of the world in
hours or minutes, where postal mail would take weeks; data, programs,
and documents of all sorts can be shared among collaborators in diverse
nations, standards organizations are forced to come to grips with basic
issues of international communication --- languages, alphabets, and protocols
at all levels. Through these networks, individuals are gaining an
unprecedented freedom to communicate, sometimes in spite of organizational
or national policies. THE MATRIX is a comprehensive reference on today's
corporate and academic regional, national, and international networks.
A thorough index provides quick access to any desired piece of information;
numerous maps and tables furnish at a glance summaries; and
sections on the history, funding, standards, and services of each network
provide valuable insights to designers and administrator, as well as to
users. This is a highly recommended, invaluable, one-of-a-kind book."

Frank da Cruz (Author of Kermit)

............................................................................
CONTENTS OF THE MATRIX:

I BACKGROUND

 1 Introduction
 2 User Services
 3 Uses
 4 Layers and Protocols
 5 Management Protocols
 6 Administration
 7 History and Future
 8 Standards Bodies

II THE MATRIX

 9 The Matrix
10 Worldwide Networks
11 The Internet
12 North America
13 Europe
14 Australasia
15 Far East
16 Southeast Asia
17 South Asia
18 Latin America
19 Middle East
20 Africa
21 Commercial Systems

Appendixes

A Public Data Networks
B Computer Mediated Communication and the Law

List of Trademarks

Index
............................................................................

I think it is clear from the contents that this is an encyclopedic
survey of the worlds networks. What is so amazing is the extent of these
networks which have completely encircled the globe with a medium which
is so perfect for the dynamic expression of thoughts. Thoughts have never
before had their own medium in which they can gain strength by consensus.
John Quarterman has laid out this new territory. Now it is up to us to
settle it.

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!%@:: A DIRECTORY OF ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESSING & NETWORKS
by Donnalyn Frey & Rick Adams      ISBN 0-937175-15-3
(2nd Edition 438 pages; O'Reilly Associates 1991 ~$27.95)

Taken from the O'Reilly Catalog:

"This book is designed to answer the problem of addressing mail to
people you've never met, on networks you've never heard of. It
includes a general introduction to the concept of e-mail addressing,
followed by a detailed reference section, which provides information
for over 130 different networks around the world."

"For each network, the book shows: general description, address structure
and format, architecture, connections to other networks or sites, facilities
available to users, contact name and address, cross references to other
networks, future plans, and the date of update. Appendices include
indexes to second level domains, network names, country codes, and a
description of how InterNet addresses are handled by UUCP sites."

If you routinely send e-mail and want concise, up-to-date information
on many of the world's networks, this book is for you."


Both of these books define the domain in which thinknet operates. So it is
appropriate that our first book reviews concentrate on that domain.

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS                                                      kdp
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BOARDWATCH MAGAZINE: Guide to the World of On-line Services

ISSN: 1054-2760. Available in many Software stores.

Jack Richard does a very good job of relating what is going
on in the Bulletin Board arena.

[e-mail]

Orders: [phone]
Voice: [phone]
BBS:  [phone]

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SOFTWARE ENGINEERING FOUNDATIONS

Two papers on software engineering paradigms by the editor
are available for review in hard copy. The subtitles of the
papers are "Software Ontology" and "Software Systems Meta-
Methodology". The first paper outlines an ontological paradigm
which seeks to understand how software is different from
other sorts of things in the world. The second paper builds on
George Klir's General Systems Theory to show how software design
methodologies inter-relate.

I am looking for constructive criticism by individuals specializing in
ontology, general systems theory, software engineering, and philosophy
of science. If you would like to read something that relates to all of
these subjects drop me an electronic mail message and tell me what you are
interested in yourself.

[If others would like to ask for reviewers of their work on subjects
related to Thinknet's scope in this newsletter they may do so. Thinknet
reports on works in progress in keeping with its mission to identify
channels of information not just finished artifacts.]

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BOOKS, ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS AND OTHER CYBER-ARTIFACTS RECEIVED       kdp
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ARTCOM ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

Excerpt:

"Welcome to ART COM, an online magazine forum dedicated to the interface of
contemporary art and new communication technologies.

"You are invited to send information for possible inclusion. We are especially
interested in options that can be acted upon: including conferences,
exhibitions, and publications. Proposals for guest edited issues are also
encouraged.

"Send submissions to: well![e-mail]
           [e-mail]

"Back issues of ART COM can be accessed on the Art Com Electronic Network
(ACEN) on the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (WELL), available through the
CompuServe Packet Network and PC Pursuit.

"To access the Art Com Electronic Network on the WELL, enter 'g acen'
at the Ok: prompt. The Art Com Electronic Network is also accessible on
USENET as alt.artcom. For access information, send email to:
[e-mail]."

COMMENT: Artcom is a very interesting newsletter dedicated to the arts.
It is the prototype from which Thinknet was patterned. Its news is in the
issues seen so far by the reviewer of more general interest than just to
artists. It seems to be focused on how the network and BBS medium might be used
by artists and so explores the technology, its promises and limits, as well
as the artistic realm.

NOTE: Electronic Newsletters and other cyber-artifacts found on the
net or in BBSs will be reviewed occasionally. Books and their electronic
cousins will be noted if posted directly to the editor. Some short
review comments may be appended.

NOTE: This portion of Thinknet will function like FACTSHEET FIVE does for small
press ephemera. FACTSHEET FIVE will do very short reviews of all materials
they receive and thus make it possible for those interested in a particular
kind of ephemeral material to find a source. The difference is that we are
not interested in all published materials. Thinknet is only interested in
materials within its scope which means materials on philosophy, systems theory,
or meta-theory within particular disciplines which others outside the
discipline might be interested in as well, and evidence of thoughtful discussion
on any subject of significance. Other materials should be sent to FACTSHEET
FIVE instead.

"Welcome to another issue of the 'zine' of crosscurrents and cross-pollination.
Available by mail or in person from Mike Gunderloy and Cari Golberg Janice,
6 Arizona Ave., Rensselaer, NY 12144-4502; phone [phone] (24-hour
answering machine, so call anytime); 300/1200/2400 baud phone [phone]
(call anytime you have a computer handy); RelayNet Sysop at -> ALBANY. Mike's
Compuserve address is 72271,275; from InterNet, you can get there by addressing
mail to [e-mail]. On the WELL, Mike is ffmike; the Netmail
address for this is [e-mail]. ..."

"FACTSHEET FIVE is published eight times a year, appearing at roughly seven-
week intervals."

COMMENT: FACTSHEET FIVE has a high signal to noise ratio. Lots of noise; weak
relevant signals. It notes and gives short reviews to absolutely everything.
So you will have to wade through a lot of material of no interest in order to
find what is of interest to you. However, it is the best place to find
ephemeral material sources of all types. This newsletter will be submitted to
FACTSHEET FIVE.

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PROTOCOLS FOR MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS                                    kdp
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At this point, many conversations on Bulletin Boards which deal
with theoretical issues are unstructured text. Point and counterpoint are
made in a haphazard way which displays the creativity of the
people discussing the topics. However, this produces a very
unwieldy text. Anyone who has tried to understand one of the trains of
conversation in order to catch up to a topic will know it is hard to
understand the historical records of the ongoing conversation after the fact.
In fact the past of the conversation is even in some sense closed to those
involved in the conversation because it is too difficult to go back
and retrieve things. About the best that could be done now is produce
indexes and summaries of the chain of messages, but these are both
time consuming and the stream of messages is usually not valued highly
enough for this type of treatment. On internet news groups the problem is
exacerbated by the problem of time delays of the propagation of message
from all over the world so that conversations have a disjoint nature
inherently. Partial quotation and maintaining the same title (as well as
quoting the message number) are used to attempt to get around this problem
but if one did not see the original message this still turns out to be
confusing. Moderated mailing lists seem to be the best way to handle
coherent international discussion. The newsgroups seem best for one shot
question and answer repartee. However, within the mailing lists and
on BBS topics there is a need for a means of ordering the discussions beyond
the current level of disorganized text.

One answer to this is a voluntary protocol which supports discussion by giving
it a structure. Such a protocol is familiar in the breaking up of documents
in to more easily understood chunks. A similar type of protocol needs to be
formulated for breaking up theoretical and philosophical discourse. This short
article introduces some terms that might be used in such a discourse. The goal
is to allow dialectical exchanges between participants which allows them
to learn from each other in an optimal manner and also makes it possible to
retrieve what has already been said easily.

*Locator*

UNIVERSE OF DISCOURSE: [cosmic locale]
CATEGORY: [category name]
TOPIC: [topic name]

*Standard Header*

FROM: [Sender's name]
SUBJECT: [subject name]
KEY WORDS: [word list]
IN RESPONSE TO: [Name]

*Standard Components*

PROBLEM:

An area of mutual discussion formulated in terms of a problematic.
Problematics are often wicked in the sense defined by Herbert Simon
in which if you optimize one parameter then other parameters become
non-optimal.

ISSUE:

An issue is piece of a problem area in a universe of discourse.
Issues are tradeoff points within the landscape of the problematic.
They are the saddle between optimas.

SUB-ISSUE:

Issues may be subdivided into a hierarchy.

POSITION:

The position which a particular person takes for a while
in the discussion. A position emphasizes one optimization rather
than another based usually on underlying assumptions and proclivities
of the one taking a position.

ARGUMENT:

Evidence and statements which support a particular position.

Many conversations revolve around issues which need to be resolved. Issues
may have sub-issues around which different participants may take different
positions and give arguments supporting their positions. Issue Based
Information System have been developed using this structure to carry on
various deliberations and attempt to make clear the whole problem space and
all the alternatives before a decision is made.

*Optional Components*

ASSUMPTION: Most discourses do not identify assumptions. This is very handy.
  Especially if the are uncovered through the dialectical interaction of the
  conversation.
NARRATIVE: Supporting material in the form of a story. Or a series of events.
NOTE: A side comment:
REFERENCE: A reference to some material beyond the discussion that supports a
  point.
FOOTNOTE ##: Technical details that would break the flow of thought and are
  left till the end to reduce clutter.
SUMMARY: Summing up the argument and various positions so far.
PREFACE: Introductory Remarks.
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: [Name] Personal communications clutter the discourse.
  This would serve to isolate them.
POINT [##]:
COUNTER POINT [##]: These are the real workhorses in any dialectical interaction.
  Each person identifies the points he makes in relation to the others
  points. By point and counterpoint the better argument usually becomes
  clear. These are however needed in intense debate.
SUGGESTION: An attempt to create a compromise which includes and reconciles or
  attempts to find an optimum between competing positions.
CLARIFICATION: This allows one person to refine his own points once he has
  heard the others reaction.
DECLARATION: A statement of position which is the basic stance a person is
  taking and does not expect to waver from. This is the first sign that
  conversation is breaking down.
RANT: Rants are counter productive monologues. However, if we recognize the
  need to blow off steam every once and a while and isolate it from the
  rest of discourse then that will help clarify things.
BACKGROUND STATEMENT: Information which allows the discussion to get going
  when one person knows a lot more about it than the others, or when those more
  knowledgeable wish to make the arena of discourse clear.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: (FAQ) This allows novices to be introduced off line
  to the main points in the subject area.
FLAME: If you must attack others at least bound the attack so it can
  be easily ignored. Otherwise everything you say is likely to be ignored.
FREEFORM AREA: Marking freeform text areas will allow them to be identified
  and used to express our creativity without blocking access to past discourse
  and it will allow insignificant data to be skipped without breaking the flow
  of dialectical discourse.

This is one way in which theoretical discussions may be made more clear. But
it will only work if players agree to use the protocol. Now all discussions
are free form. By introducing some order then not only will discussions
improve in clarity but also these subject areas will be accessible to others
by searching for these key words. This is just a suggestion and I would like
to know others opinions of introducing a voluntary protocol into the
culture of our network conversations on some occasions.

REFERENCE: An excellent article about human/computer protocols is by Brian R.
Gains called "A Conceptual Framework for Person--Computer Interaction in
Complex Systems"; IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, & Cybernetics; Vol 18,
No.4; July/Aug 1988; pp532-541. In this article the various levels of
interaction between humans and computers are defined. The protocol above would
function at the very highest level of Gain's hierarchy of the
"human <-> computer <-> computer <-> human" linkages.


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THOUGHTFUL COMMUNICATION                                                kdp
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The networks and bulletin boards seem to function like the INWARD dimension
of our society, as opposed to the OUTWARD dimension which we relate to in our
daily life. It is a place where distance and distinctions between
people are nullified. It is a place in which we communicate only our thoughts
and we exist for each other only as a series of texts. In that, perhaps
temporary, restriction to texts there are severe limitations on what can be
communicated by the medium. But there is also an opportunity to communicate
in earnest and more widely about the problems that face our society and the
world. There is a chance that in this dialogue philosophy may become
meaningful to society again. That systems theory might find its application
as the core of truly interdisciplinary research projects. And also it is a
place where specialists in different disciplines may discuss the overlaps
between their realms of study and perhaps find unsuspected commonalities.

What is needed is to track the meaningful and significant conversations that
occur in this new medium. To find the sources of inspiration and new ideas.
To discover how we can communicate thoughtfully with each other in a meaningful
way. To engender the dialogue which is somehow prevented in the external world.
Our new medium has not yet become a commercial field full of trivializing
advertisements. There is still a pristine aspect to it which may not last long
as more and more people discover this new medium of communication. It is for
us to attempt to set the stage so that as more and more people arrive in this
new electronic nation they will have the opportunity to think for them selves
and the opportunity to find others who are interested in thinking along with
them.

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|||||||       THANK YOU FOR READING THE THINKNET NEWSLETTER        |||||||||
|||||||     ANY COMMENTS YOU MIGHT GIVE WOULD BE APPRECIATED       |||||||||
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All opinions expressed herein are purely those of the individual authors.
They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Bulletin Board or Network
Node on which they reside. Thinknet is not an organization but a network
of people continuously communicating via electronic means. Join in. You are
welcome to participate. Remember this is for fun. We won't take ourselves
too seriously if you don't take us, or yourself, too seriously, either.
In other words we will not participate in arguments and exchange of flames.
=========================END=OF=THINKNET=FILE===============================