son of a gun.. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you. on Fri, 19 May 2000 08:52:19 +0200 (CEST)


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Re: <nettime> RE: nupedia encyclopaedia


agreed,
the concept of a open content is what attracted me to the Nupedia
in fact i've agreed to be an editor or reviewer..whatever they want..
since i don't think the idea of "encycol.." is obsolete..in the sense that
given that the information can not wholly be "unbiased" or final in any
extent..
in the library science arena..
information retains value simply for the form and date of the information
itself..
given that information can be incorrect
is not the concern so far as information and access exist..
also in the library science arena..
is the belief in the "widest" distribution of knowledge regardless of 
the completeness and objectivity..of course libraries are concerned with
quality of information..
and will disclaim any relation to information not considered valid..
however..will still try to provide you access and review of such information..
the idea of encyclo..
is not a ting of the past so much as a evolving database format 
of which Nupedia wants to take to the next level..i.e, beyond hard
copy..limited by the 
bias of its contributor..as in encyclo American..or Britannia..etc..
though Nupedia will too find itself reflective of the bias of it's contributor
as an open directory it suggest that such contributor may be so diverse and
ecletic (sp)
that the bias is not in the database so much as that particular contributor..
and the time and the knowledge base of that contributor..
encyclo..is not a document writen to be absolute..knowledge..it is more a 
reference..
a starting point towards specific or absolute information..
encyclo..is not a complete..data base..it is a
reference
data base of which to get at least an idea..of the specific subject or topic..
even if biased.
hopefully the reader is informed enough to distinguish between 
useful and accurate information and personal opinion..
because a encyclo can never be comprehensive is not reason for it exclusion
as 
a contributor to the flow of information..
the format of an encyclo..
is in reference format..meaning an brief abstract of the entirey of the
particular field of information..
i should say..as a willing contributor to Nupedia..i am not a Ph.D, M.D,
well possibly 
a hight trained professional..i.e., i am a library technician..
which some would argue my professionalism..
however..
if we..the non..Ph.D..and such join in the project..
perhaps..that will help defeat the exclusive quality of contributor in a
particular status..
i think the dmoz.org open directory is reflective of such broad base 
editors..
thus you get a bit of it all per search term..

marc, osfavalados..i hope i have shed a bit of debate into your ting in a
positive way..


*****************KEEP HOPE ALIVE*********
ran-D
Library Assistant II, GP
SFSU, J. PAUL LEONARD LIBRARY
1630 Holloway Ave., SF, CA, 94132-4030
voice: (415) 338-1198

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