Howdy Eric,
In response to the last statement below - I do not think that E-mail dooms us. I am of the opposite viewpoint. I suspect that this computer revolution will give us a style of communication that will effectively remove the barriers to interpersonal communication that exist now. We are on the cusp of transmission speeds that will permit video communication, tactile communication and other forms that will be very helpful to our plight. The pieces are falling together rapidly, even us geeks who do everything we can to keep up could not hope to predict the technological future 6 months from now. I think we are heading for "computer coalescence" the software and hardware will finally make computer communication complete.
I do prefer contact, like everyone else. I have actually met with a few of you due to this list, and I hope to meet many more over the next year or 2. It was fun and communication was fast. I can imagine if 20 or so of us regulars got together, we would have a blast. The volume in the room might be unbearable though (except in the "stoners corner") haha
Bill Roh
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-virus@lucifer.com [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com] On Behalf Of
Eric Boyd
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 1999 7:03 PM To: Church of Virus Subject: virus: e-mail communication
Hi,
Reed, Zloduska, Jake and interested others,
A while back on this list, John Williams asked a question about the nature of e-mail communication, about it's special dynamic, the ebbs and flows that we are all so familiar with. It didn't get to much response, if I recall (talking about talking is not high on anyone's list, Tim), but I certainly feel the question is relevant to Reed's recient discussion of various posting styles.
Personally, I don't like Reed's new style. Far too much fluff. In my opinion, if you've got a message, you say it. Stories are fine in their place, but I thought this was a place of learning? Maybe I'm just too used to engineering lectures, where it's all spelled out.
But really, if you claim that "the medium is the message", I think
you'll see that this black and white text, being just two-dimensional,
cannot support "real people". Although I am amazed at the depth that
can be inserted into two-d, I also know that such depth doesn't come
without a lot of hard work. I use email to communicate and exchange
ideas (mind). If I want to get to know someone ("really"), or get
those warm fuzzy feelings, or even have a really good argument
(heart/body/soul), I don't turn to email. I stay in RL. Is that so
wrong?
If the first assertion of my last paragraph is correct, does that doom our Church of Virus?
ERiC