First, my disk problems appear to have stabilized for the time being, so
I've decided to put off installing the new disk for a week or more. As
I've said before, it's not an easy operation, so I want to take my time
to make sure I do it right. This is not an easy machine to work on -
just disassembling it is a major task, and I don't relish the idea of
surgery on the motherboard, especially since it's been quite a while
since I've had a soldering iron in my hand.
I've decided to hold off the discussion-oriented kinds of articles until
two things come to pass:
1. I've created a separate mailing list to handle these articles
and
2. someone has come forward volunteering to moderate the new list.
I'm a bit sorry to have to take this step, but I think it's the only way
I can get the time I need to work on a number of projects that have become
very important to me. I feel the recent discussion was valuable and edu-
cational, though it did come close to confrontation. I did find it a bit
of a strain, though, just due to the sheer volume of articles, and having
to deal with a lot of misaddressed mail and bounces due to problems that
certain hosts are experiencing out there in network-land.
So-- I will once again accept articles for the mailing lists, but I do
not promise to relay articles that attempt to initiate discussion. I want
to be able to return to this mode of operation via a new discussion-oriented
list, but I will not do so until one or more persons have come forward
volunteering to moderate the discussion. The duties of the moderator are
negotiable. If my recent description of the task scared away people who
might have otherwise been interested, please don't let that stop you. Just
tell me what you do feel you could do.
I will accept articles that contain information relating to our general
subject of indigenous peoples, and that ask questions or supply answers.
However, until further notice, I will return any articles which express
opinions or offer speculations that I feel are likely to provoke protracted
discussions.
Some of the time I hope to save by taking this step will be spent working
on a set of writeups which will help new members of the mailing lists get
acquainted with the services provided. I will also be taking part in
private discussions with the members of a number of NativeNet task forces
that seek to accomplish certain practical objectives. I invite anyone
who is interested in any of these projects to get in touch with me to
become part of these task force mailing lists.
You will be able to retrieve articles which have already been submitted,
to the mailing lists which serve as the communications vehicles for these
working groups, so you can get a sense of what has already been discussed
and what, if any, decisions have already been made.
The present working group lists (and present sizes) are:
1. NativeNet brochure planning (12 members)
This group is working on putting together text and graphics for
a brochure that will describe the overall goals and operation of
the NativeNet system. At the present time, we are working on
coming up with a mission statement for NativeNet and deciding on
what we want to say in the brochure and how we want to say it.
2. Columbus Quincentenary database planning (13 members)
Plans are now underway to construct a database containing infor-
mation on various resources (organizations, books, films/videos,
events, people) which can be helpful in planning for educating
ourselves and others about the devastating consequences of the
voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. This committee
is working on setting up the database, which will be accessible
via electronic mail at no cost. (Volunteers are also required
to input data into the database and to check it for accuracy,
which can also be done entirely via email.) At the present time,
we are preparing to begin the discussion by defining the nature
and scope of the project as developing a plan for designing and
implementing the actual database.
3. reading list discussion group planning (7 members)
Our experience as an electronic community has already demonstrated
that we can learn a lot from one another and with one another.
Some of the present members of NativeNet feel that reading books
and articles together and discussing them would be a worthwhile
use of this computer communications technology. This planning
group will be talking about how to go about creating and admin-
istering specialized mailing lists which we hope to establish for
this purpose.
4. questionnaire / survey planning (13 members)
For purposes of getting a better idea what users of the NativeNet
mailing lists find most important, and to get some understanding
of who is in our user community, a number of us have been talking
about some kind of poll of the users. We're currently talking
about what kinds of questions we want to ask, how formal the survey
should be, and when to conduct it. An article about this project
was posted not too long ago, so it can be found in the archives.
5. native schools project planning (5 members)
As a preliminary step to a project to network teachers of native
students in North America so they can collaborate effectively on
developing curricula and supporting one another in other ways, we
are planning to begin publishing a paper-based newsletter in the
fall. The project will be announced soon by means of the native
education mailing list. (Please let me know if you would like to
be included on that list.) This planning discussion group will be
talking initially about the production of this newsletter.
6. networking native organizations (7 members)
Several projects are currently underway in the United States and
Canada to get organizations representing native people using
telecommunications for the effective exchange of information now
being handled via paper-based and FAX correspondence. We would
like to help these organizations install and learn how to use
electronic mail systems which are connected to public-access
networks, and to have them participate in various NativeNet
efforts, including some existing mailing lists, as well as being
able to define and utilize their own private communiations channels.
I expect that my efforts will be directed toward working on these projects,
plus doing some related work on a contract basis for an organization which
shares many of these goals, and which might become a partner in some of
these efforts at some point. I am hoping to conduct a careful review of
existing and planned technologies so that our vision will not be limited to
habitual ways of doing things. If anyone would be interested in helping me
conduct this review (e.g., of NREN developments, Internet-accessible data-
bases, books/periodicals on networking, and online library resources) on
behalf of NativeNet, please contact me as soon as possible.
And please, if any of the special-purpose mailing lists listed above hold
any interest for you, please let me know, so I can add your name to let you
get a feel for where we're going with these efforts. As I've said many
times, I think the potential is there for using this networking technology
not just to talk *about* native people, but to apply it directly to the real
and urgent needs of these people, and I hope others will be willing to help
in these efforts.
Gary
--
Gary S. Trujillo gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us
Somerville, Massachusetts {wjh12,bu.edu,spdcc,ima,cdp}!gnosys!gst