[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Kerry Miller) wrote:
> Please don't take it as an insult ;-). In response to my suggestion
> for a *digital meeting, your reply, involving publicity, funding,
> providing RA relays (and presumably transcribers for the text-
> bound?) etc seemed more relevant to an analog (f2f) kind -- but isnt
> it just that kind of staging which *generates* the sense of urgency
> that asynchronous communication has happily dispensed with?
Perhaps I didn't understand what you meant by "digital meeting."
I was thinking that providing a variety of tools for conferencing
would allow for a diversity of participation means.
Asynchronous participation, like email or usenet news, is something
that doesn't require much setup (unless it's not available where you
are). That might make it seem less urgent.
I think there is a preference among people to have face-to-face, or at
least telephone conferences because there are some things that are not
communicated very well in email and other text-based media. Tone of
voice and facial expression lend much to the communication process.
> In digital terms, however, how would one make this distinction of
> before and after? -- even if it was felt to be necessary? Isnt it
> conceivable that those who are 'working out' the agenda would be
> identically the same as those who will 'consider the issues
> beforehand'?
This is certainly possible. I was thinking that it is helpful to have
an idea of the goals you want to accomplish, which an agenda can help
with. Also, keep in mind that over time, the number of participants
in the process will change, so the issues and the agenda itself may
change as well.
> Tell me again, please, why sponsoring "a framework of
> coordinated international meetings, to ... discuss the transition"
> should emotionally involve anyone in the success or failure of the
> (a) transitional *product of those meetings?
I sense that many people are emotionally involved in these issues for
a number of reasons. That would explain why they are frustrated when
the product, or even process is not going in the way they hoped it
would.
--gregbo
