[Air-l] A definition of the internet

[Ellis Godard]

Right. Which is why I offered a definition, after rejecting the essentialism
implicit in Sam's original message.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org 
> [mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Christian Nelson
> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 4:47 AM
> To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
> Subject: Re: [Air-l] A definition of the internet
> 
> 
> One need not give up on definitions to give up on essentialist 
> definitions.
> Words are like tools, but tools that cannot be shared with 
> others, and 
> that produce things that are incompatible with what other people need 
> or find useful, are useless.
> --Christian Nelson
> 
> On Oct 16, 2006, at 11:16 PM, Ellis Godard wrote:
> 
> > We might each have a definition that's "really good" for our own
> > purpose(s),
> > and all have different definitions. Moreover, any one 
> definition would 
> > be
> > useless for at least one other person, and no definition would be 
> > "really
> > good" for everyone. Words are tools. Meanings are contextual and 
> > strategic.
> > Essentialism is hollow. :)
> >
> > That said, I define it (much as Nancy has) as a network of TCP/IP
> > networks
> > to distinguish it from cyberspace (social life distributed 
> > through/on/as/in
> > the Internet), but with an explicit awareness of hardware, 
> software, 
> > and
> > otherware convergences.
> >
> > -eg