Latest version always available from: ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-cmc* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Information Sources: the Internet and Computer-Mediated Communication ======================================================================== WHO === Compiled by John December (decemj@rpi.edu) WHEN ==== The internet-cmc project last update: 13 May 95 WHERE ===== Anonymous ftp Host: ftp.rpi.edu; File: pub/communications/internet-cmc.readme Web access: http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/internet-cmc.html WHAT ==== This file (internet-cmc.readme) describes information relating to my project to list information sources related to the Internet and Computer-Mediated Communication. As part of my academic interests, I collect, organize, and present information describing the Internet and computer-mediated communication. This information includes resources and studies about technologies, applications, culture, discussion forums, and bibliographies. My areas of interest include include the technical, social, rhetorical, cognitive, and psychological aspects of networked communication and information. Comments always welcome. WHY === I've gathered this information because I'm working on a PhD dealing with CMC and the use of the Internet. I'm sharing this information because I feel it belongs to the network community, for free, because that is where and how I got it. If my effort is worth something to you, I'm glad. Just cite me or acknowledge my work and preserve my copyright statement. In preparing this list, I first developed an ASCII file version, internet-cmc. However, I have recognized the need for this information to be more amenable for entry into other information systems, so I have developed a file tagged with identifier information (internet-cmc.dat) and a software program to translate this .dat file into other formats described below. FILES ===== Here are the files available at the ftp site: Anonymous ftp Host: ftp.rpi.edu; Directory: pub/communications/ File Explanation -------------------- ------------------------------------------------ internet-cmc.readme this file internet-cmc.dat the `raw data' file for other internet-cmc files, tagged according to the KEY, described below. internet-cmc a human-readable (wide column) version which can be manipulated or reformatted using Unix scripts; some scripts are suggested in this file itself. internet-cmc.txt a human-readable version which stays in 80-columns; useful for reading as static text (printed or online), but not as useful for scanning and reformatting as internet-cmc or for rapid access as the HTML version; The *.txt format integrates the short description of the resource with its annotation and URL reference. internet-cmc.col A three-column text version (using |'s to divide up the page); (This is similar to the format I first used in publishing the list; it is now back by popular demand). internet-cmc.tex the LaTeX version (source) internet-cmc.ps.Z the compressed PostScript version The Postscript format integrates the short description of the resource with its annotation and URL reference. internet-cmc.html the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) version Thanks to Kevin Hughes for developing an early version of the software to convert internet-cmc.dat to internet-cmc.html. I've since developed a segmented hypertext version of this information--you can retrieve just the section, subsection, or sub-subsection of information you want. Connect to: http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/icmc/top.html internet-cmc.dvi the device-independent (binary) version internet-cmc.gif The graphics image that I use in the .html version. internet-cmc.bib This is a selected listing of items related to Computer-Mediated Communication, the Internet, and network information infrastructure and use. internet-cmc.use Some tips on using this information (still in draft form). The source code for translating internet-cmc.dat into its various formats is available on request. (It is pretty hacked up.) USE === Basically, o internet-cmc.html is useful in a WWW client; Connect to URL: http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/icmc/top.html o internet-cmc.ps looks best for reading on paper (handouts). o internet-cmc.txt is good if you want the 80-column constraint (other wise, it seems a bit awkward to read). o internet-cmc is great for manipulating with Unix scripts. (This is too wide for printing on paper). DEVELOPMENT NOTES ================= 1. Quality Improvements ---------------------------------------------- I try to check the information in this document as much as possible-- but this is a monumental task. So if a link is old, I might not get to it for a while. Let me know if you have problems with any source, and feel free to suggest new ones. Even send me any little nitpicks (spelling errors, formats). My goal is to continuously increase the quality and usability of this information. a. Freshness and mechanical checks i. I'm still actively seeking tools or methods to automatically verify the existence of Internet resources. My goal is to have an automated way to verify that a resource exists given its Uniform Resource Locator (URL). (Through a periodic "touch" function on the URL or possibly through Web spider/ant databases.) Since all the entries in my list are in a database, I could hook up an automated tool to my translation program, giving me a way to verify link freshness automatically. ii. In the program that I use to translate internet-cmc.dat to the other formats for this information, I've placed checks to make sure that the required information to identify a resource is there. b. Usability Improvements i. Segmented hypertext version: you can retrieve just the section, sub-section, or sub-sub-section you want. (URL http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/icmc/top.html). This improves the download time tremendously. (July 1994). ii. Integrated annotations with resources: the Postscript (including .tex source code) and the *.txt version of the file lists the annotation (long description) of each resource with its short description and access method. This eliminates the need for a "Description of items" listing at the back of the list (which had been in *.txt, *.tex, *.ps versions < August 1994). The internet-cmc version, however, retains this short/long description separation---as the internet-cmc version would be more likely manipulated as an online file--the user could easily strip out the long annotations if desired. (August 1994). c. Content improvements i. Increased consolidation. One promising trend I've seen, starting in summer 1994, is the development of more well-organized, topic-oriented resource collections, maintained by domain experts (people with expertise in the area of the resource) to appear. I'm constantly looking for these, as well-done collections provide higher-level links for my list, elminating the need for me to link to many instances of resources related to a topic. My feeling is that these collections will eventually lead to more stability in my list. (I hope :)). ii. Better annotations. I've been going over sections of my list and improving the annotations I write for each resource. These annotations are used within the CUI Catalog developed by Oscar Nierstrasz (formerly of) the Centre Universitaire d'Informatique (CUI), l'Universite de Geneve (URL http://cuiwww.unige.ch/w3catalog); therefore, the more complete and accurate these annotations are in my list, the more useful they will be in the catalog (as well as improving the quality of my list). 2. Be a subject for my dissertation research ----------------------------------------- I need people to answer questions about their use of specific Internet resources and interfaces. Send an email note to me (decemj@rpi.edu) asking how you can participate. COPYRIGHT ========= My copyright statement is meant to protect my ownership of this work and to prevent someone from directly profiting from its distribution. Feel free to use my files for any educational or personal use in any setting (academia, industry, government, etc.) as long as you don't directly charge for the distribution of this work---that is, you don't charge anyone a fee to receive a copy of this work (aside from normal connect times in the case of online services, the normal tuition charges in the case of training or education, or the cost of delivery medium itself such as photocopying). If you have any doubt about the use of this work, and especially if you are using it in a commercial setting, just send me a note. I've never turned anyone down who asked to use this work, nor have I earned any money from its use or distribution. The following section illustrates references and uses of this work that are OK with me. REFERENCES TO THIS DOCUMENT =========================== I had been keeping track of where on the network and in books my document was referenced. I had been doing this for my own interests and to keep track of Internet information archives. I'm no longer specifically looking for these references in order that I may focus more of my energies on improving this information itself. Internet searching tools allow me to find most references (particularly since the development of Web spiders. My document is referenced or in full text at dozens of ftp sites, gophers, and web Pages. If you are a maintainer of copies, please make sure that you regularly obtain my most recent version so the users will have the most updated information possible. Using a reference rather than having local copy is the best way to deliver the "freshest" information. For Web users, update the pointer to the http access given at the top of this file. I have http mirror sites in Europe for internet-cmc.html, internet-tools.html, and my Internet Web text, http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/text.html (see http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/text.html for mirror site information). My document has been mentioned in many Internet books, In full-text, my list has been or will appear on CD-ROMs from Sun Microsystems and Atlanta Innovation, Inc. and portions have appeared in some books. I include a portion of this list in my book, _The World Wide Web Unleashed_. KEY === to internet-cmc.dat: Look at the file internet-cmc.dat. The format should be fairly self-explanatory. The following is a detailed description of it. Each item of the file internet-cmc.dat is of the form: ::= # ::= | | | ::= EMAIL | FINGER | FTP | GOPHER | HTTP | PHONE | TELNET | UNIX | USENET ::= "[:]" ::= % string | NULL ::= ADR | AUDIENCE | BODY | CHECKED | DIR | DIAL | FILE | GROUP | HOST | LOGIN | PASS | PORT | PURPOSE | SUBJECT | TOPIC | DIAL | COMMAND ::= | AUTHOR | COPYRIGHT | DATE | DISCLAIMER | END-DOCUMENT | PAPER | SECTION | SUB-SECTION | SUB-SUB-SECTION | TITLE | UPDATES ::= string ::= a blank character ::= PAPER ::= author. (year). title. other publication information. ::= END-DOCUMENT More explanations: Description -------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- # a comment (a # followed by a blank character, followed by any character strings.) #AUTHOR the author of the document (email address) #COPYRIGHT a statement of the copyright #DATE the release date; version #DISCLAIMER disclaimers about document use #EMAIL an email CMC ITEM (see below) #END-DOCUMENT the end of the document #FINGER a finger CMC ITEM (see below) #FTP a ftp CMC ITEM (see below) #GOPHER a gopher server #HTTP hypertext transfer protocol #PAPER a PAPER ITEM (see below) #PHONE telephone (%DIAL field shows phone #) #SECTION a main section title #SUB-SECTION a sub-section #SUB-SUB-SECTION a sub-sub-section #TELNET a telnet CMC ITEM (see below) #TITLE the title of the document #UPDATES how to obtain updates of the document #UNIX Unix operating system command #USENET a Usenet newsgroup Description --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ %ADR Internet address (used with #EMAIL) %BODY body of the email message %COMMAND command (used with #UNIX) %DIAL Used with #PHONE to show phone call %DIR directory (used with #FTP) %FILE name of the file (used with #FTP) %GROUP name of the Usenet newsgroup %HOST computer host Internet address (e.g., for #FTP, #TELNET) %LOGIN the login name you should use (e.g, for #TELNET) %PASS the password (e.g., if password for #FTP is NOT 'anonymous') %PORT port number (used with #TELNET) %SUBJECT the subject of the email message Each of the above CMC ITEMs has a "description : long description." The long description is optional, the : separates the short description from the long description. OTHER FIELDS ------------ Note: not all the entries have the following fields filled in yet, and I don't use these fields for anything yet. %PURPOSE the overall purpose for the item; one of: GUIDE to provide an explanatory guide LIST to list information (e.g., internet-cmc is a list) CATALOG to provide a catalog (a list with more description for each item) DESCRIBE to describe something COLLECT to collect/gather information (e.g., a gopher menu) %AUDIENCE the intended audience for the item; one of: NEW a new user to the Internet or the explained application USER an experienced (intermediate) user ADVANCED an advanced user SPECIAL a specialized user %TOPIC the topic the item relates to; one of EDUCATION LIBRARY INTERNET EMAIL TEXT %CHECKED date last checked REVISION PROCESS ================ 1. I update this information almost once a week (I save references to new information from LISTSERVs, newsgroups, my Hot List, and other sources, and when my directory space gets nearly full, it is time to update my document!) 2. After this (almost weekly) update, I generate a http version and place it at the http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/ Guides/decemj site. 3. I submit files for the ftp site to an administrator first, so I don't update the ftp site information as often as the information at the http site. REVISION HISTORY ================ Vers Date Lines ---- --------- ----- 1.00 23 May 92 242 1.20 04 Jun 92 279 1.40 29 Jun 92 272 1.50 01 Aug 92 319 1.60 01 Sep 92 353 1.70 20 Oct 92 368 1.80 01 Dec 92 384 1.81 05 Dec 92 391 1.90 11 Jan 93 411 2.00 19 Jan 93 435 2.10 01 Feb 93 462 2.20 13 Feb 93 486 2.30 15 Mar 93 513 2.40 04 Apr 93 539 2.50 10 May 93 570 2.60 03 Jul 93 633 2.70 26 Jul 93 694 2.90 28 Aug 93 551 .dat file, multiple formats (HTML/tex/txt) 2.98 02 Oct 93 594 3.00 03 Nov 93 696 3.10 17 Nov 93 733 3.14 01 Dec 93 790 3.15 15 Dec 93 848 3.20 22 Jan 94 960 3.25 11 Feb 94 989 3.29 05 Mar 94 1160 3.30 11 Mar 94 1201 3.35 09 Apr 94 1431 3.39 06 May 94 1584 3.54 11 Jul 94 2029 -- major re-organization; segmented hypertext version 3.61 20 Aug 94 2074 -- consolidation/stale link cleanout 3.66 18 Sep 94 2114 3.72 14 Oct 94 2123 -- more weeding out stale links 3.78 09 Dec 09 2220 -- beginning the move toward linking to collections 3.82 26 Jan 95 2217 -- cut out many companies and put in links to collections 3.95 15 May 95 2268 -- after MOMspider review Biographical Note ================= I'm a candidate in the PhD program in Communication and Rhetoric[2] at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute[3], in Troy[4], New York[5], USA. I'm specializing in the study of Internet-based Computer-Mediated Communication[6]. My interests include: Internet communication and information (human communication issues, user perceptions, cultural and social activity), Internet publishing (methods and practice); Internet training and education; and aspects of networked communication, information, and hypermedia relating to technical communication[7] and communication and rhetoric[8]. Prior to studying at Rensselaer, I earned an M.S. in Computer Science[9] from the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee[10]'s Department of Computer Science[11], an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Poetry) from The Wichita State University[12], and a B.S. in Mathematics from Michigan Technological University[13]. I have a variety of teaching experiences[14]. From 1985 to 1989, I developed, designed and implemented software and graphical user interfaces to analyze aircraft requirements for military missions[15] in the Operations Analysis Department of Boeing Military Airplanes in Wichita, Kansas. I've published poetry[16] in many literary magazines including Mid-American Review, Sou'wester, Passages North, and others. I'm known on the Net for my list of information sources about the [IMAGE][17]Internet and Computer-Mediated Communication[18] and my summary of [IMAGE][19]Internet tools[20] for network information retrieval and computer-mediated communication. I've also developed a hypertext index/guide to Internet information resources, [IMAGE][21]Internet Web Text[22]. I've written papers, articles, and book chapters about the Internet and CMC[23] and have completed work on a book about the Web[24]. I'm editor and publisher of Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine[25], a member of the The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication[26]'s editorial board[27], and I founded the Computer-Mediated Communication Studies Center[28] in May 1994. I was born and grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and have lived in various places in the USA[29]. Here is a link to my index[30]. *** References from this above*** [1] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/index.html [2] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/study/llc/rpi.txt [3] http://www.rpi.edu/ [4] http://www.rpi.edu/Regional/what_troy.html [5] http://nysernet.org/about-nys/iony.html [6] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/study/cmc/what.html [7] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/study/techcomm/resources.html [8] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/study/cmrt/resources.html [9] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/study/compsci/ms/thesis.html [10] http://www.uwm.edu/ [11] http://www.cs.uwm.edu/ [12] gopher://twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu/1 [13] http://www.mtu.edu/ [14] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/teach/experience.html [15] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/works/boeing.html [16] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/works/ppoems.html [17] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/icmc/toc3.html [18] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/icmc/toc3.html [19] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/itools/toc3.html [20] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/itools/toc3.html [21] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/text.html [22] http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/decemj/text.html [23] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/works/pubs.html [24] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/works/wwwu.html [25] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/cmc/mag/current/toc.html [26] http://www.huji.ac.il/www_jcmc/jcmc.html [27] http://www.huji.ac.il/www_jcmc/edboard.html [28] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/cmc/center.html [29] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/pages/jd.html [30] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/index.html [31] http://www.rpi.edu/~decemj/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------