Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!emory!hubcap!mephisto!ukma!tek From: tek@ms.uky.edu (Thomas E. Kunselman) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Creative (?) Use of Internet Message-ID: Date: 28 Aug 90 13:00:45 GMT References: <894@beguine.UUCP> <1990Aug25.170503.21457@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> <7851@gollum.twg.com> Organization: U of Ky, Math. Sciences, Lexington KY Lines: 52 tale@turing.cs.rpi.edu (David C Lawrence) writes: > >Incidentally, just because IRC and ForumNet don't directly archive the >discussion hardly means it will be lost. I've have logged a few >interesting discussions in interactive conferencing systems, with the >knowledge and approval of those involved. It was not hard at all, and >some were cleaned up of spurious other crap (which also appear in >"long term storage ...") and make very interesting records of what >transpired. In fact it was even easier for me than taping a telephone >call would be; presumably rules for directly logging such >conversations would be akin to those which govern taping of telephone >lines. This however is one of the reasons the EFF now exists -- to >take the presumptions out of these things and help us clearly define >policies for effective use and societal advancement with CMC of the >future. Yes, it is possible to log newsgroups and on-line 'chat' discussions. It is difficult to make something like this easily useful for the average user. Sure, I can log discussions from newsgroups, but what if I wanted to setup an electronic way to handle project management in my office? I'd want each of my staff members to be able to access the system, but I wouldn't want discussions on how to handle required state reporting mixed up with other types of reporting that has no relevance. It would be nice to have a software package that would automatically archive messages from staff members, storing them in their appropriate hierarchical groups. Some groups might only need to be viewed by myself and the responsible staff member, since the work doesn't involve anyone else, but would still need to be included in the overall whole. Or what if a cross campus committee was setup with subcommittees and members used a software system to complete business? A system which carried conversations on various levels, the postings of the main committe, the work done by subcommittees. A protection scheme that would allow only appropriate subcommittee members to carry on discussions in their areas, but would allow any interested committee member to view the conversations. A way to categorize postings to differentiate between member debate and the end statement's of a subcommittee or the committee. I'd be very interested in learning of such software if anyone knows of something that might fulfill such a purpose. > (setq mail '("tale@cs.rpi.edu" "tale@ai.mit.edu" "tale@rpitsmts.bitnet")) > The most remarkable thing about looking at a picture of myself was the sudden > realisation that my hair is in fact parted on the left and not the right. Thom -- Thomas Kunselman {rutgers,uunet}!ukma!tek Planning and Institutional Research bitnet: irkunsel@ecuvm1.bitnet East Carolina University internet:tek@ms.uky.edu Greenville, NC 27858 (Educate, Don't Legislate!)