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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Am I the only person who is confused about
this list?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have subscribed to this list for two years
and have been a member of the aoir for the last year. I have always found this
list to be useful and informative ... sometimes in the area of my own
research...but often instructive in the directions other peoples research
is taking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Occasionally I have asked for clarification of
particular concepts with which I was struggling. Sometimes I have
eagerly read other message strings, and followed the links and readings
that they have suggested.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In my own research I have used the aoir research
committee's paper on the ethics of internet research as my guide. Inthe past
i</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>f I haven't had the time to read the air-list
messages I have saved them in a file to read later in case I missed
something important. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But now....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well I am finding that at least 50% (and rising)
messages are not worth the effort of reading ... and I am not complaining about
the odd personal messages or friendly banter because that helps me to see you as
people ... its just that I have this odd feeling that we (the list members) are
being provoked. I don't know why and I'm not going to name names. But I
want to know why I feel as if I'm being provoked ... and I don't want the
reasons wrapped up in pseudo-academic speech !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It would be nice for the aoir list to return
to it's reason for existing, and the reason that I and many others subscribed in
the first place ... I have cut and pasted that raison-d'etre here from the
aoir web site:-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P align=left><FONT face=Arial size=-1>"The Association of Internet Researchers
is an academic association dedicated to the advancement of the
cross-disciplinary field of Internet studies. It is a resource and support
network promoting critical and scholarly Internet research independent from
traditional disciplines and existing across academic borders. The association is
international in scope."</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anyone care to lessen my
confusion?</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Denise Carter<BR>DOCTORAL
STUDENT<BR>CASS<BR>UNIVERSITY OF HULL<BR>EMAIL: <A
href="mailto:d.m.carter@cas.hull.ac.uk">d.m.carter@cas.hull.ac.uk</A><BR>OR: <A
href="mailto:denisecarter@denisecarter.net">denisecarter@denisecarter.net</A></FONT></P>
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