From: esz001@cck.coventry.ac.uk (Will Overington)
Subject: Re: problem with alt.uu.* groups?
Organization: Coventry University, Coventry, UK
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 14:48:37 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.232305.2000@cs.sfu.ca>,
jamie@cs.sfu.ca (Jamie Andrews) writes:
>In article <vsdy6sg@rpi.edu>,
multics@acm.rpi.edu (Multics) writes:
>>I haven't seen any traffic in any of the alt.uu.* groups in over a week.
>>Is there some problem or posting I missed that would explain this?
>
>     Yes, the problem is that UU exists only in the minds of
>about 3 people.

I expect that I am one of the three people that you have in mind!

I would indeed feel honoured.

I very much regret that it looks like Usenet University will not
get going.              {but see later!}

I feel that this is partly because in many ways it implicitly challenged
the status quo, over, for example, the 'going rate' choice in the world
as it is that one is either able to pay fees for education or one goes
without education.

Also, I feel that joyful utopianism can only thrive in an appropriate
environment of encouragement and mutual support. It seems that utopian
dreams are easily shouted down upon appeals to being reasonable, that
is, to being reasonable in a 'going rate' nastiest variety of capitalism
way.

For example, I suggested early on that we design a Usenet University
scarf. This suggestion, made in good faith, was criticised as something
of external form before getting internal content. So, my idea was lost.
I genuinely feel that, had people designed a scarf and interested people
had each gone out and bought some cloth and made a Usenet University scarf
and worn it as winter arrives, then the sense of camaraderie would have
assisted the learning process.

I suggested a concept called Self Awarded Credits. This was criticised,
often without reasons being given. It was controversialized. The idea
was lost. Maybe it could have been knocked into shape as something such
as Self Claimed Credits, with much the same underlying concept.
Yet no.

Also, there seems to be a self defeating attitude around that any matter
of having rules and procedures for doing anything is to be shouted down
as too much red tape.

Yet many fun things in life have to have formality. For example,
preserving and restoring an old steam locomotive. The legal framework
helps, the rules help.

I have thought of suggesting alt.utopianism as a forum where people
can put forward ideas and have them discussed in an atmosphere where
utopianism is the norm.

I regard Usenet University as a marvellous example of a utopian idea.
Such is the misunderstanding of utopianism as a political concept
by many people that I here emphasise that I mean this comment as
a compliment, not in any way as a criticism.

However....
I have added in a cross-posting to alt.uu.future so as to try to
get people interesed again!

Look, if you want Usenet University to get going then please say so
by POSTING to alt.uu.future.

I think that we need to realize that if we are going to get anything
going then we are going to have to put in a lot of effort.

I am prepared to do this. I am most fortunate that I am employed here
and we have a Staff Qualification Scheme and I can get some time
during working hours, as well as some extra time of my own, to carry
out a project.

I have in mind a project on

Electronic Publishing and its Application to Distance Education

to take place over several years.

For example, I am interested in developing a concept of using Authorware
to produce computer based learning packages and incorporating a virtual
world window into packages by linking in external procedures, using the
resulting packages for distance education and quasi-independent study
modules.

And broadcasting those packages in the teletext lines of CNN all over
the world.

Yes, a utopian dream.

Maybe I can succeed, maybe not. Maybe the bits of progress that I do make,
a bit here, a bit there, will become standard practice.



>
>     I'll probably regret having said that.
>
>--Jamie.


Xref: sparky alt.config:5116 alt.folklore.urban:21248