[Air-l] Research on Fidonet?

[Rafal Rohozinski]

Is anyone aware of any published research looking at FIDONET 
communities? While FIDO is a dying technology it was once (80's) the 
'alternative Internet' and  retains a strong following in Germany and 
Russia where it remains a free alterative to the commercial Internet. 
Fido is an interesting case study as being a member of FIDO required 
one to subscribe to a set of rules, and actively participate in the 
technical functioning of the networks itself. I conducted extensive 
research on the Russian Fidonet (and internet) during the mid 1990's 
for my doctoral  thesis (some of which is published here 
http://www.unrisd.org/infotech/conferen/russian/toc.htm) and I am 
looking at updating the research in anticipation of publishing the 
broader findings. Any tips, citations or general advice (or 
anecdotes) would be very welcome.

Rafal Rohozinski
rar20 at cus.cam.ac.uk
Cambridge University