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Subject: FutureCulture Digest #379
To: future-digest@nyx.cs.du.edu
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 11:47:26 MDT
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 ______________________________________________________________________
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|                u  t  u  r  e       <___________  u  l  t  u  r  e    |
_______________________________________________________________________|


Issue #379
Thursday, April 22nd 1993
 
Today's Topics:
---------------
 
 comp culture class
 die, entropy, die!
 Internet Resource Guide
 NPR Again 4/22/93
 online medical info
 Re:  the end of the universe
 Re: MediaMOO & A Proposal.
 Re: Video News Release, not documentary
 Send FAQ
 send FAQ
 the end of the universe
__________________________________________________________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:55:13 -0400
From: Johnny Chrome <woogie@wam.umd.edu>
Subject: the end of the universe

>What happens to the end of the universe is no concern of mine.

Man, what would Thoreau say to that? Or Ghandi? Whatever happened to thinking 
universally, acting planetarily....

My Lenny Kravitz comment was completely knee-jerk. I personally feel that the 
future, while being exciting, enticing, brimming with potential, is also best
not counted on. I'm not sure what has shaped my opinions this way, but it seems
healthiest to me to have hope and despair for the future at the same time; I 
don't want to be caught napping if I wind up living in some Gigerian nightmare
world. 

On a serious note, I was wondering if anybody knows the name of the person who
thought up the concept of memes. I have never before joining this mail-list 
encountered anyone else who used that term....I remember that K. Eric Drexler
dropped the term and the name of the man and his book (he was a geneticist, if
I remeber correctly....but perhaps I am mistaken in believing that one person
is responsible for the term...) in good ol' _Engines of Creation_, but I lost
my copy of said text (and its great bibliography) to the Potomac river about 
two years ago in a freak picnic accident. So if anyone knows, I'd be greatly 
appreciative....

Incidentally, I always thought memes kind of went like those Artificial Life
programs went, in the way they replicate and interact and resonate...I don't 
think that's got much to do with chaos, but I suppose I could be thinking on the wrong scale.
 
______________________________
 
Subject: send FAQ
From: cybapunk@hovel.welly.gen.nz (Phil Ross)
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 17:04:48 +1200

send FAQ

--
cybapunk@hovel.welly.gen.nz    X Phil Ross
cybapunk@tornado.welly.gen.nz  X Sysop of The Hovel BBS
cybapunk@sideways.welly.gen.nz X Author of Lords And Ladies, _THE_ BBS door!
     ... If at first you don't succeed, redefine success ...
 
______________________________
 
Date: 22 Apr 1993 04:20:02 -0600 (CST)
From: "free agent .rez" <REZABEK1037@iscsvax.uni.edu>
Subject: comp culture class

>mind garberg

>I am currently putting together a class to teach next year entitled:

>Computers as Culture

>What do you wonderfully wacky folks think it should include?

one good text to use might be "cyberspace: first steps" edited by Michael
Benedikt. additionally, and i feel this pretty strongly [i am working on a
project under the auspices of our humanities dept on virtual culture], that IF
AT ALL POSSIBLE, A REQUIREMENT FOR THE COURSE SHOULD BE THAT STUDENTS GET ON
THE NET AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN SOME ALREADY EXISTENT VIRTUAL COMMUNITY FOR
THE DURATION OF THE SEMESTER. whether it be somewhere in usenet which interests
each student individually, or fc, or some other mailing list, i really do think
that the Net behooves interaction for comprehension.

let me know more about your class as your work progresses!

.rez
 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 19:51:43 +1000
From: Kenneth McKenzie Wark <mwark@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au>
Subject: Re:  the end of the universe

The first use nof the term meme, as far as i know, is the chapter on it
in Richard Dawkins, _The Selfish Gene_, Oxford UP, New York, 1976.

The term has, as a meme would, acquired a life of its own. 

eez had a nice formula for it, but i can't quite remember how it went. 
Something like a "unit of communicative resonance." 
(Tha should say Rez back up there, not eez. I hate vi too much to bother
editing it). 

Willard
Now here's what's happening in your world                    
even as we speak.
_________________________________________

 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 03:27:09 -0700
From: dewitt@lumina.ucsd.edu (John DeWitt)
Subject: Send FAQ

Please send me the FAQ (mentioned on alt.cyberpunk,alt.cyberspace)
Thanks, JDW

 
______________________________
 
Date: 22 Apr 1993 05:28:06 -0600 (CST)
From: "free agent .rez" <REZABEK1037@iscsvax.uni.edu>
Subject: die, entropy, die!

>"Johnny Chrome" 20-APR-1993 23:20:06.97
>Whaddaya mean, "the future of all space and time isn't gonna whither and die"?
>Who ya gonna believeanyways?
>Several hundred well-respected (well, maybe not so much anymore) theoretical
>physicists and their gigabytes of nth-decimal place proofs of the eventual 
>dissolution of the universe through the force of entropy,

hey, there, where's that old Nothing's Impossible attitude, huh?!?! entropy
schmentropy. i, for one, and i this be no joke, have waged a WAR on entropy and
all it stands for. memes are the most densely negentropic, NOVEL thingies yet
to hit the scene, and i think that an ANTI-entropy meme could really do some
good! come on! 

that could be the plot of the VIDEO project -- !

"THE NEW FLESH:" A Bunch Of Rag-Tag [anti]CyberPunks Team Up To Bring A Halt 
 {'93}  * * *    To Entropy.

DEATH to dat damn VideoDrome! YEAH! *LONG LIVE* that New Flesh! *OH* YEAH!

.rez
 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 08:15 EDT
From: jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov (Jim Jagielski)
Subject: Send FAQ

Please...
-- 
    Jim Jagielski               |  "And don't apologize! Everytime I try to
    jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov   |   talk to someone it's 'sorry' this and
    NASA/GSFC, Code 734.4       |   'forgive me' that and 'I'm not worthy'."
    Greenbelt, MD 20771         |			- God

 
______________________________
 
Date: 22 Apr 1993 08:23:27 U
From: "Michael Maier" <michael_maier@qmgate.anl.gov>
Subject: NPR Again 4/22/93

                       Subject:                               Time:10:10 AM
  OFFICE MEMO          NPR Again 4/22/93                      Date:4/21/93
National Public Radio is talking about the NET again.  This time they were
talking with Mitch Kapor of EFF about ISDN.  Using it as interium step until
fiber is laid to all our homes.

Michael Unscene

 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 10:00:52 -0400
From: Latrina Lipshitz <elkube@access.digex.com>
Subject: online medical info

To: future@nyx.cs.du.edu
Subject: online medical info

There have been a couple recent postings about medical histories
online; in general the flavor of these postings has been "online info
is great."  I won't argue with that --there are indeed many benefits,
for both health care providers and recipients, to having accessible
medical info.  But as always there's a cloud to every silver lining.

There exists a company --which I THINK is based in Boston-- called
something like Medical Information Bureau.  It collects medical 
histories and info from insurance claims and malpractice suits, then
sells this info to insurance companies, health care providers, and
employers.  Does the prospective client have any pre-existing
or undeclared conditions which the insurance seller doesn't want 
to cover?  Is this a risky patient, i.e., has s/he filed malpractice
suites in the past?  Does this prospective employee indulge in an 
"unacceptable" lifestyle or have a medical condition which makes 
company-subsidized insurance expensive?  

Essentially the MIB is to medical histories what TRW (et al.) is to
credit histories, with all the same inherent dangers.  More Big 
Brotherism, less individual privacy; and too accessible to information 
brokers.  I'd like to see some real hard work done in the protection
of individuals' privacy before we rush to put more personal data online. 

I think there's a form you can send to MIB to request a copy of the
data they've collected on you.  I'm pretty sure I put it aside for 
future use; if I can only find it now, I'll post it. 

-Latrina

 _ __ _______________________________________________________________
| |_ \                                                               |
| |_ <  latrina l. lipshitz  |  elkube@access.digex.com              |
| |__/                       |  box 1565 white plains md 20695-1565  |
|____|_______________________________________________________________|

 
______________________________
 
Date: 22 Apr 1993 09:22:34 -0500 (CDT)
From: Jarrett Coffman <JC12370@academia.swt.edu>
Subject: Re: MediaMOO & A Proposal.

I personally like the idea of a multimailinglist MUD. My programming skills are
fair and my MUDing experience is null. Basically I just never tried MUDs because
they didn't seem to be for me, but this multimailinglist MUD has potential to go
beyond the game playing to something truly useful. Now if we only had a machine
to put it on. I don't suppose that anyone out there has a spare computer and
internetconnections they would like to donate? Didn't think so, but I thought
I'd ask.

Jarrett
 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 08:01:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: adam fast <adamfast@hardy.u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Video News Release, not documentary

On Tue, 20 Apr 1993 BOTTGERBRET@yvax.byu.edu wrote:

> About this film idea, 
> 
> If we want to make something that will jack into the REAL matrix -- the cable 
> television industry -- we need to make a 90-second Video NewsRelease (VNR) for 
> distribution on the broadcast media outlets. 

ok, i see the value of a FC-mind virus. i am all for this 90 second spot
(and i still think we should make the other fc-vid(s) too---)

but how do you condense iNet ideas and FC ideas into 90 seconds? (a minute
and a half.)

how do you condense anything into that space? (you have to pardon me but i
am media illiterate when it comes to television, i live under a rock :-)

i think a VNR is a good idea. how do we do it?

ees uoy
adam

 
______________________________
 
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 08:39:20 PDT
From: Don Eliason <eliason@merlin.llnl.gov>
Subject: Internet Resource Guide

Dear Net.Surfers,

Info surfs up!

The following is a response I got to a query concerning the Internet Resource
Guide (IRG).  I imagine that it may be old news to some of you more advanced
net.surfers, but it may be of interest to some other newbies such as myself.

What do you think about the involvement of AT&T in this project?  Perhaps it
reflects the belief of some that the commercialization of the iNet is already
upon us.

Njoy,
Don
eliason@merlin.llnl.gov

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

We hope you can retrieve the IRG using one of the several methods
outlined in the following transition announcement. If you run
into problems, please let us know.

Thanks.

InterNIC Directory and Database Services Administrator 
(admin@ds.internic.net)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

              INTERNET RESOURCE GUIDE TRANSITION
       NSFNET NNSC to InterNIC Directory and Database Services.

Starting April 1, 1993, the Internet Resource Guide (IRG) compiled
and maintained by BBN, Inc. for the NSFNET Network Service Center
(NNSC) is being transitioned to the InterNIC Directory and Database
Services being provided by AT&T. This document provides details of
this transition for users and entry providers of the IRG.

Transition Overview:
---------------------
    The Internet Resource Guide has been moved from nnsc.nsf.net to
    host ds.internic.net in the /resource-guide directory.  The format
    is the same as it was on nnsc.nsf.net.  It is available via
    anonymous FTP, WAIS, and electronic mail.

    During 1993 the Internet Resource Guide will be incorporated into
    the InterNIC Directory of Directories.  The first step will be to
    move the ASCII text chapters into the Directory of Directories as
    they currently appear in the IRG so that these entries may be
    available to users of the Directory of Directories.
    AT&T is contacting the IRG entry providers and inviting
    them to convert their entries to Directory of Directories format.

    No more new or updated entries will be accepted for the IRG, but
    if any are submitted, BBN Inc. will send them to the InterNIC 
    Directory and Database Administrator.  The Directory and Database 
    Administrator will contact the provider about putting the entry 
    into the new Directory of Directories format.

    The IRG will remain intact for at least one year.

    The mailing lists maintained by the NNSC (irg-ftp, irg-ps, irg-txt)
    will be taken over by Directory and Database Services and merged
    into one list (dirofdirs-announce).  This mailing list will be used 
    to announce changes in the status of the IRG and updates to the 
    Directory of Directories.

Contact Information
-------------------
    Any questions or concerns may be directed to:

        The InterNIC Directory and Database Services Administrator
        AT&T
        5000 Hadley Road  Room 1B13
        South Plainfield, NJ  07080
        Email:  admin@ds.internic.net
        Phone:  (908) 668-6587

Putting an Entry in the Directory of Directories
------------------------------------------------
    The request form for placing an entry in the Directory of
    Directories may be obtained from host ds.internic.net via anonymous
    ftp.  Issue the following commands:

       cd pub/InterNIC-info
       get dirofdirs-request.template

    Or, send mail to mailserv@ds.internic.net and include the following
    command in the body of the message:

       file /ftp/pub/InterNIC-info/dirofdirs-request.template

    This form contains a description of the new format, the terms and
    conditions which apply, and a template for providing the information.
    A completed form may be returned to:

       Email:  request@ds.internic.net
       FAX:    (908) 668-3763
       Mail:   The InterNIC Directory and Database Services Administrator
               AT&T
               5000 Hadley Road  Room 1B13
               South Plainfield, NJ  07080

Accessing the InterNIC Directory of Directories:
------------------------------------------------
    You may use WAIS, anonymous FTP or electronic mail to access the
    InterNIC Directory of Directories.

     Using WAIS
    ----------
    To access the Directory using WAIS, telnet to ds.internic.net and
    login with userid "wais."  No password is required.  The default
    database is "resources" which is the database name for the
    Directory of Directories.  An online tutorial and a help interface
    are available to new users of the Directory and Database Services
    WAIS client.

    Using anonymous FTP
    -------------------
    FTP to host ds.internic.net.  The Directory of Directories is stored
    in the "resource/" directory as ASCII text files in resource category
    subdirectories (e.g. NIC, ftpsite, compcenter, archive, etc.).  The
    IRG entries will have the same file names as they have in the IRG
    directory (e.g. section1-1.txt).  Each chapter in the IRG is stored
    in the following Directory of Directories subdirectory:

       Chapter 1:  compcenter
       Chapter 2:  library
       Chapter 3:  archive
       Chapter 4:  directory
       Chapter 5:  provider
       Chapter 6:  nic
       Chapter M:  nirserver

    Entries in the new Directory of Directories format have file names
    based on an abbreviation of the name of the resource.
    
    Using electronic mail
    ---------------------
    Entries in the Directory may also be obtained through electronic mail
    by sending a message to mailserv@ds.internic.net.  To retrieve
    individual files, include the FILE command in the message body.  FILE
    has the following format:

        FILE - This command initiates a file transfer by emailfor each
               file specified.  It requires a fully > qualified pathname
               for each desired file.

               examples:  file /ftp/resources/newsletter/SimpleTimes.b
                          file /ftp/resources/compcenter/section1-1.txt

    A directory list may be obtained by including the LD (or DIR)
    command which has the following format:

        LS/DIR - This command initiates a directory listing for each
                 directory specified.  It requires a fully qualified
                 pathname for each desired directory listing.

                 example:  ls /ftp/resources

    A users guide for the Directory and Database Services Mailserver
    may be obtained by sending email to mailserv@ds.internic.net and
    including the command HELP in the message body.

Accessing the IRG
-----------------
    The Internet Resource Guide may be accessed using anonymous FTP,
    WAIS or electronic mail.

    Using FTP
    ---------
    FTP to host ds.internic.net and cd to /resource-guide.  The IRG
    is stored in the same directory struc> ture as it appeared on
    nnsc.nsf.net.

    Using WAIS
    ----------
    The IRG may also be scanned using WAIS by telneting to
    ds.internic.net and logging in with userid "wais".  No password is
    required.  When you receive the "search->" prompt, issue the command:

       database resource-guide

    to point you to the IRG database.  An online tutorial and a help
    interface are available to new users of the Directory and Database
    Services WAIS client.

    Using Electronic Mail
    ---------------------
    The files which make up the IRG may also be obtained through
    electronic mail by sending a message to mailserv@ds.internic.net.
    To retrieve individual files, include the FILE command in the
    message body.  Some examples are:

       file /ftp/resource-guide/overview
       file /ftp/resource-guide/chapter.1/section1-14.ps

    The LS (or DIR) command may also be used to get a directory listing
    of the IRG.  Use the following command in the message body:

       ls /ftp/resource-guide

    A users guide for the Directory and Database Services Mailserver
    may be obtained by sending email to mailserv@ds.internic.net and
    including the command HELP in the message body.
   

 
 _________________________________________________________________________
|                                                                         |
|  That's all for today!                                                  |
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|  The opinions expressed in FutureCulture are those of the individual    |
|  author only.                                                           |
|_________________________________________________________________________|


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