Re: [silk] The least random number
Chris Kantarjiev wrote: On Thu Dec 11 2014 at 5:45:42 PM Udhay Shankar N wrote: So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? You have only yourself to blame for my membership, Udhay :-) That's true for me as well. --hmm
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Thu Dec 11 2014 at 5:45:42 PM Udhay Shankar N wrote: So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? You have only yourself to blame for my membership, Udhay :-)
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 7:15 AM, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > > > So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? > > Chris Kelty sent me back in November of 2006. At the time I was gearing up for a three-month NSF funded stint at game companies in India. I wound up spending time in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. I managed to be part of the FoU Camp v 2.0 during that trip as well. I witnessed the "chicken" incident at that FoU Camp. Coincidentally, my book about the game industry, which draws on some of the data from that trip just came out from MIT Press: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/developers-dilemma The ebook version is probably a month or so out, but you can find it on Amazon or direct from the press. It is kind of funny to reflect on that right about now... Eight years after I joined the list. We've had some fun conversations. I think I scaled back my silklisting after a few encounters with members that weren't fans of science and technology studies, which is one of the fields I work within. But I still look forward to the conversations and things that Udhay sends to spark conversation. I point to the fundamental rules of the list as one of the best ways for real conversation to be had in virtual spaces. I use the rules in my classes in the real world. I look at recent things like GamerGate and stuff coming out of 8chan and wish more communities were fans of those kinds of rules. Happy birthday silklist. Casey -- Casey O'Donnell, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Media and Information Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab (GEL) Michigan State University http://www.caseyodonnell.org
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 6:03 PM, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 4:06 PM, Keith Adam wrote: > >> (When I saw the listing in the search engine there was nothing to suggest >> that the majority of the participants in the list were predominantly living >> in India or part of the Indian diaspora). > > Actually, I don't believe that "the majority of the participants in > the list were predominantly living in India or part of the Indian > diaspora". About half, if that. As I've often said with a touch of > bemusement - the first place where I saw email addresses ending in > .cn, .pl, .gr and .yu was my own list. > > The last of these top level domains does not exist anymore, and the > one immediately preceding it is an open question. > > We live in InterestingTimes.cn While on the topic of top level domain names -- Which country is the luckiest (and why)? -- http://qr.ae/qPxcc == The fact that Tuvalu as a nation makes money because of its name, it tops my list of luckiest nations. All countries receive a top-level domain name on the Internet which features as a suffix to that country's Internet addresses, for example, .in for India, .za for South Africa, .be for Belgium, .uk for the United Kingdom, .hk for Hong Kong, etc. Tuvalu hit the jackpot when it received the .tv domain name, although initially the Tuvalu people didn't realize they owned the most recognizable suffix of all, .tv . Then, in 1999, a Canadian businessman, Jason Chapnik, walked into a Tuvalu parliament meeting and announced his intention to buy their .tv domain name. Following negotiations, in 2000 Tuvalu decided to sign up with Chapnik and form a new company DotTV based in Pasadena, California. The island has a 20% stake in DotTV and received $50 million for the lucrative deal, payable in quarterly payments of $1 million dollar each over a 10-year period. This unexpected source of income enabled Tuvalu to become economically independent. Where in the past it could not become a member of the United Nations as it could not afford its $20,000 membership fee, it joined the UN and on 5 September 2000 became its 189th member. It also enabled the islands to upgrade their infrastructure with roads being laid, the installation of electricity on outlying islands and a school being built on the main island. The runway on Tuvalu's airport was also extended to accommodate the larger planes. This enabled Tuvalu to export food for the first time in its history. Tuvalu is not the only country cashing in on this dotcom windfall. Countries like Turkmenistan (.tm), Tonga (.to), Moldavia (.md) and the Federated States of Micronesia (.fm) all have a country code that resembles a well-known phrase, although none as desirable as Tuvalu's .tv suffix. The South Pacific island of Niue with domain name .nu, has already sold more than 70,000 addresses with the .nu suffix for $45 per year, mainly to European organizations, as "nu" means "now" in Dutch, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian. The economy in Niue has been thriving since the export of their two little letters started in 1997. Obviously there's money to be made in cyber world if you have the right name.
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 4:06 PM, Keith Adam wrote: > (When I saw the listing in the search engine there was nothing to suggest > that the majority of the participants in the list were predominantly living > in India or part of the Indian diaspora). Actually, I don't believe that "the majority of the participants in the list were predominantly living in India or part of the Indian diaspora". About half, if that. As I've often said with a touch of bemusement - the first place where I saw email addresses ending in .cn, .pl, .gr and .yu was my own list. The last of these top level domains does not exist anymore, and the one immediately preceding it is an open question. We live in InterestingTimes.cn Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Dec 12, 2014, at 5:36 AM, Keith Adam wrote: >> >> So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? >> >> Udhay >> > > Udhay's post has made me think about what silklist has meant to me. I was > not invited, I did not know anyone 'in real life' and I had no noteworthy > achievements that would solicit my 'collection' in to the list. Thank your for your story, well told and full of affection. I like the part about finding Silklist on AltaVista, like looking up in a random number in phone book. Sometimes it does seem, as they say, that the Universe is there full of interesting doors, just waiting to see if we'll knock on them. I'm glad you knocked on Silklist's door. Glad I did too. And congratulations on your many achievements. which sound noteworthy enough to me! jrs
Re: [silk] The least random number
On Thu Dec 11 2014 at 5:45:42 PM Udhay Shankar N wrote: > > So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? > I sent this offlist to Udhay, but then thought I might join in the discussion as well. I joined the Silkist sometime in 2007. 7 years on Silk, then, not as old as the regulars, but quite a respectable amount of time heh? I joined because there were quite a few mentions on different blogs I was following and was curious. This was also the time when the introvert in me was completely missing in action and I was signing up for a lot of fora, trying to absorb a lot of new stuff and meet a lot of new people. Since the time I joined, I have met a fair number of old Silk people, and a bunch of new Silk people too. I have begun trimming my email and replying in-line as much as possible.
Re: [silk] The least random number
> > So when did you join silklist, and how did you hear about it? > > Udhay > I think I joined sometime in 1998 or 1999. I had not long been on the internet and was given a little book about the internet and the things you could do on it from my ISP, PIPEX. One of the suggestions was 'email lists'. So I typed that in the prevalent search engine of the time (I think it was Alta Vista) and near the top of the results was silk-list - with the tag about it being a place to have knowledgeable conversations etc. So I subscribed... Although I do not participate much I take great interest in the posts and following the discussions. I have found that the way I personally approach discussions, arguments and logical thought has changed in the fifteen or so years. And I frequently discuss topics raised on Silk with some of my friends. I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by the collective intellect of the list to post replies. Silk has lead me to discover many authors, Cory and John included; many areas for self-study, technology and sociology; books such as the Illuminatus Trilogy and last week I ordered 'The works: Anatomy of a city'; and... the cultural aspects. (When I saw the listing in the search engine there was nothing to suggest that the majority of the participants in the list were predominantly living in India or part of the Indian diaspora). The cultural aspect gave me an interest in India. And in a way, I found it helped me with the experience of India when I had the privilege of spending eleven months there with work in 2006 (I had an apartment in Pune May - December as well as spending time in Delhi and Mumbai). Being able to give salutations in Hindi is a great icebreaker with new colleagues that I meet. [It is with reverence, some amusement and I hope respect from Indian colleagues I have worked with that I include in joint implementation plans an activity to break a coconut on the evening prior to any cutover to live]. My email archive has been maintained since 2001 and I enjoy re-reading posts; some of my favourites being 'buffer overruns from 2002 and Adam Rifkin's 'I wake up, and once again it's December 9' from 2003. [I have a draft in my head of my take - 'I wake up and once again it's April 12' and I may share one day]. During the past fifteen years, my life and career has changed in many ways. From being a bingo hall manager at the beginning to now enjoying a career as a consultant business analyst. My personal life has changed as well. From raising one fabulous son out of the ruins of one (and so far only) marriage to meeting the love of my life and the happy birth of my second son last year. In the middle I have gone through depression and a shambolic personal life to hopefully coming out of it a better person. I no longer drink alcohol and have not done so in three years and eight months. It took me while to discover why driver-ji called me sarabi gora. Udhay's post has made me think about what silklist has meant to me. I was not invited, I did not know anyone 'in real life' and I had no noteworthy achievements that would solicit my 'collection' in to the list. To my great shame I have not met any of the dear participants - even when I was in the vicinity. I am not an active silklister. But, Silk has been and is a thread with some meaning and fondness through life's web so far. I hope you forgive my indulgence in this post. Keith
Re: [silk] The least random number
When we were about to move to Bangalore in 2007 Chris Kantarjiev said we had to join this list. -- Charles On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 8:12 PM, Biju Chacko wrote: > Jace suggested I join silk some time in 2001 I guess. I remember some epic > threads those days. Things are very tame nowadays. > > -- b > > On Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:30 Amitha Singh wrote: > > > Some time in 2000 when we were using our Grey Cells to find a mythical > > creature, Unimobile (not related in any way to the Unicorn) and you > invited > > me to join in one afternoon when bunch of us were talking about the > > universe, psychology, technology and everything else under the sun! > > > > Amitha > > >
Re: [silk] The least random number
Jace suggested I join silk some time in 2001 I guess. I remember some epic threads those days. Things are very tame nowadays. -- b On Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:30 Amitha Singh wrote: > Some time in 2000 when we were using our Grey Cells to find a mythical > creature, Unimobile (not related in any way to the Unicorn) and you invited > me to join in one afternoon when bunch of us were talking about the > universe, psychology, technology and everything else under the sun! > > Amitha >
Re: [silk] The least random number
Some time in 2000 when we were using our Grey Cells to find a mythical creature, Unimobile (not related in any way to the Unicorn) and you invited me to join in one afternoon when bunch of us were talking about the universe, psychology, technology and everything else under the sun! Amitha
