[Air-l] Imagining the Internet

[Janna Anderson]

Colleagues,

Summer is the ideal time to remind everyone about the possibilities offered
by the "Imagining the Internet" website, subtitled "Internet Predictions
Database." The site, sponsored by the Pew Internet Project, has several
areas of use to researchers and students.

- It carries a searchable collection of more than 4,000 internet
stakeholders and skeptics' public prognostications published between 1990
and 1995. This collection offers a selection of material ready to be
researched and developed.

- The site also provides a wealth of recent comments on the future of the
Internet (many of which were provided by AoIR members - thank you for your
participation in our web-based Experts Survey last fall).

- The site has a "Submit Your Vision" area on which more than 600 people
from around the world have shared their thoughts about the networked future.
This is a wonderful tool for getting students motivated to study the future
potential of the internet and engaging them in postulating their own ideas.

The information on the site affords a world of possibilities for research
analysis, and you are invited to partake. We expect to add a second Experts
Survey to the content over the next six months or so, and we'll be letting
you know how you can participate.

The web address is http://www.elon.edu/predictions

In addition, the book tied to the project has just been published by Rowman
& Littlefield. "Imagining the Internet: Personalities, Predictions,
Perspectives" includes a brief survey of communications history, and it uses
Predictions Database quotes and other supporting information to illustrate
the serious impact of pervasive networks and how they will change our lives
in the next century. The book is now in print, and you can order it from the
Barnes & Noble online store for about $20 if you have a B&N club card.
Amazon is charging the full cover price of $27.95. The 250-page book is
structured as a reader that is perfect for helping people put the internet's
history and future into revealing perspective.

And one more plug:

You should be sure to take a look at ordering Ray Kurzweil's latest book,
"The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology." Kurzweil will be
speaking along with Vernor Vinge, Thomas Malone and others at a September
conference on AI titled "Accelerating Change 2005" at Stanford University.
For more information, see http://www.accelerating.org/ac2005/

Janna

-- 
Janna Quitney Anderson
Assistant Professor of Communications
Director of Internet Projects
School of Communications
Elon University
andersj at elon.edu
http://www.elon.edu/andersj
(336) 278-5733 (o)
(336) 446-0486 (h)