Re: Hypertext / Hypermedia Theory

[pollarda@xxxxxxxxxx (Art Pollard)]

As promised, here is the information describing the Hyper-Theory mailing 
list.  I hope that this mailing list will serve to provide a userful 
forum for discussion on hypermedia theory and its applications.

-Art


                 HYPERMEDIA THEORY MAILING LIST
                  List Maintainer: Art Pollard


     1) PURPOSE FOR THIS MAILING LIST
     2) FOCUS OF THE TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION
     3) THE WWW AND THE HYPER-THEORY MAILING LIST
     4) PSEUDO - MODERATION POLICY
     5) HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE HYPER-THEORY MAILING LIST
     6) WHO IS THE MAILING LIST OWNER AND HOW TO CONTACT HIM


1) PURPOSE FOR THIS MAILING LIST

     The hyper-theory mailing list was created to serve as a medium
     for discussion on hypermedia theory.  The newsgroup
     alt.hypertext was once devoted to hypermedia theory and
     applications.  However, with the growth of the World Wide Web,
     and the rapid growth of the internet, the new users have
     unabashedly taken over alt.hypertext and have tried to make it
     a forum for discussion of World Wide Web issues.  Furthermore, 
     it does not seem reasonable to think that this will be resolved 
     anytime soon.
     
     Because of these reasons and to help researchers, developers,
     and users pursue their interests in the field of hypermedia
     theory and implementation details, this list was created to
     serve as a high signal to noise ratio resource.

     It is hoped that by providing a forum for discussion of
     hypermedia theory and implementation issues, the field of
     hypermedia will be developed and will move forward to provide
     a much more robust system than what is currently in use today.




2) FOCUS OF THE TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION FOR THIS MAILING LIST

     Some suggested topics for discussion for this mailing list are
     as follows:

       * Hypermedia Theory
       * Hypermedia Models
       * Hypermedia Implementation Details
       * Useful Functionality Found in Various Hypermedia Systems
       * General Hypertext Discussions.


     This mailing list is designed to be a high signal to noise
     mailing list.  This means that those that are on this mailing
     list are looking for information on specific topics and are
     not interested in everything under the sun.  Thus, there are
     topics of discussion which are not looked upon as being the
     most desirable in this mailing list.  These are as follows:

       * How do I do XXX in system YYY?
       * Does anybody have a copy of YYY that they would sell me?
       * Hey, come check out my home page!
       * Netscape does XXX but, I don't know how.  How do I ...
       * I want to set up a web server what do I do?
       * I think you get the idea...


3) THE WWW AND THE HYPER-THEORY MAILING LIST

     The WWW is not synonymous with "Hypertext".  This means that
     there are many different hypermedia systems in existence in
     addition to the WWW.

     Part of the purpose of this mailing list is to distance the
     discussions on this list from those specific to the World Wide
     Web.  (There are already plenty of newsgroups devoted to Web
     related discussions.)   However, discussions which discuss the
     Web specifically as related to Hypermedia are welcomed and
     even desired.  This also holds true for other hypermedia
     systems that are in use.  (But, let us not get caught in the
     rut of discussing only one implementation primarily.)



4) PSEUDO-MODERATION POLICY

     Art Pollard (this mailing list owner) is also the moderator
     for the newsgroup Comp.Theory.Info-Retrieval.  This mailing
     list is currently unmoderated and if all goes well, this list
     will remain unmoderated.

     However, the list owner reserves the right to move the mailing
     list into a moderated format if it becomes evident that there
     are problems keeping the discussion topics within the
     guidelines of this mailing list.  

     Because this list is delivered directly to people's personal
     e-mail addresses, the list owner reserves the right to
     unsubscribe anyone who posts commercial advertisements to the
     list.  (If the abuse is not too flagerent, there will usually
     be a warning the first time this occurs.)  This is done to
     protect the mailing lists users from spurious advertisements
     and unwanted solicitations.

5) HOW TO SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO THE HYPER-THEORY MAILING
   LIST


     TO SUBSCRIBE: 

     To subscribe to the hyper-theory mailing list, all you need to
     do is to send an e-mail message containing:

          subscribe hyper-theory <your e-mail address>

     in the BODY of the message.  (Note: You will not be subscribed
     unless it is in the BODY of the message.  You can put this
     message in the subject line of the message for your own
     purposes however, it will not subscribe you unless it appears
     in the BODY of the message.)

     The e-mail needs to be mailed to the following address:

     majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx

     After subscribing, you will receive this description of the
     list as well as additional instructions for unsubscribing.

     TO UNSUBSCRIBE:

     To unsubscribe to the hyper-theory mailing list, the procedure
     is basically the same as that used to subscribe.  An e-mail
     message containing the following message:

     unsubscribe hyper-theory

     in the BODY of the message must be sent to the following
     address:

     majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx



6) WHO IS THE MAILING LIST OWNER AND HOW TO CONTACT HIM


     The mailing list owner is Art Pollard.  Art works for Lextek
     International a development and consulting company which
     specializes in natural language processing, and both large and
     small scale hypermedia and information retrieval systems. 

     Art may be contacted via e-mail at any one of the following
     addresses:

     PollardA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
     PollardA@xxxxxxxxxx
     PollardA@xxxxxxxxxxxx

     or via snail mail/phone/fax at:

     Lextek International 
     2255 N. University Parkway
     Suite 15
     Provo, UT 84604
     (801) 375-8332 (Voice)
     (801) 378-3724 (Fax)