Re: [ba-unrev-talk] Continuation of Doug's Colloquium
The thread seems to have wandered off a little from the objective for
which it was started. (01)
I hoped to see a discussion that would develop in a sound approach for
continuing Doug's Colloquium in a sustainable, effective manner. I
believe that Fleabyte is a _one_ good model for starters. It seems to
have gone over reasonably well even though it was run by a single person
for a long period of time. However, it does need volunteer staffing
(editors, writers, researchers, problem solvers, etc.) under a volunteer
management to coordinate a variety of skills. It certainly could use
some funding to, mostly, pay for someone doing routine staff work, but
it doesn't want to get caught in a commercial trap for fear of
commercial influence over its contents. (02)
Henry (03)
On Tue, 2003-01-21 at 08:44, Henry K van Eyken wrote:
> You are probably aware that last year the URL www.bootstrap.org became
> the address of the Bootstrap Alliance and thereby replacing the site of
> the Bootstrap Institute. We recently obtained a new URL for the Alliance
> site and are now in the process of recreating the Bootstrap Institute
> site at www.bootstrap.org.
>
> I have been asked to do the make-over of the Bootstrap site and I
> understand that appropriately competent associates of Doug will look
> after the Alliance site, which will be more clearly adapted to the
> objective of creating a viable Bootstrap Alliance.
>
> One important component of the Bootstrap site is a transcript of Doug's
> Colloquium held at Stanford University early in 2000. That transcript,
> as transcripts go in general, contains many errors and is being gone
> over with a fine-tooth comb to clean it up as much as possible.
>
> It has been the intention all along the convert the Colloquium to a book
> format. I am working with Doug to condense that transcript from a record
> of ten spoken lectures to a proper text format and thereby removing
> redundant material, adding in some clarifications, etc.
>
> Separately from that, the Colloquium was perceived as a fresh starting
> point for ongoing discussion (i.e. "colloquium") about software and
> organizational aspects to realize Doug's dream as manifested by his 1962
> framework for augmenting the human intellect. Because so many outside
> the immediate "Bootstrap community" have further embroidered on and
> developed those ideas, and also because so much knowledge has been
> accumulated over the last half a century in the areas of neurosciences,
> computer science and the humanities, we began a separate web publication
> that we first named "Engelbart in Context," which was later changed to
> "Fleabyte."
>
> Fleabyte is intended to put the state of the art and the potential of
> digital augmentation of the human intellect before a wider public. It is
> especially hoped that this will have a positive effect on a community
> sharing a common planet. It was, therefore, published as a web magazine
> and in such a way that it may eventually be converted to a public DKR.
>
> Much input could be derived from our discussion forums. In recent months
> I am continually struck by the messages put forward, for example, by
> Gary Johnson and John Deneen.
>
> Unfortunately, I pretty well had to run Fleabyte by myself, which, of
> course, is impossible to sustain. Frankly, I am burning out and need to
> step aside to refresh my spirit. Needed are a variety of talents whose
> efforts need to be marshalled by appropriate leadership.
>
> This message is a kind of last-ditch attempt by putting the problem of
> continuing all aspects (technical, psychological, social) of Doug's
> "unfinished revolution" before the members of this forum. What can be
> done? How may we organize a dedicated team effort? Should we do it at
> all?
>
> Henry
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> (04)