[Air-l] RE: [Air-l] Re: first post (An Internet without Space)

[Kevin Tharp]

Regarding the place - space conversation, a question comes to my mind.  When we invest of ourselves in cyberspaces or cyberplaces, are we investing in the space/place, or are we investing in the people that occupy that space/place.  As a researcher/practitioner in the development of cyber**aces that can encourage and support the interaction between the people of a geographic locality, it seems to me that an understanding of such things lies in the perceptions of the people that appropriate them as part of their lives.  

Similar to the concept of community (dare I use such word in educated company), it is not the infrastructure that makes the community, it is the people that make the community.  The community is then supported by the infrastructure.  Using the term place in the vein of "third places", I prefer to focus my lens on the people that make up space to see if it is a place.  But more importantly I like to examine how and why people are willing to turn a cyberspace into a cyberplace.  To put it in more layman's terms, space is the final frontier, a place is somewhere you go. ;-)

BTW, this is my first post to this list.  But with recent conversation on this list, I am prepared and my flame proof suit is now on, so fire at will.  That's Will --> 8-)

Regards,
Kevin W. Tharp