bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cloud and boundary layer interactions over the Arctic sea-ice in late summer
Authors: Shupe M. D. , Persson P. O. G. , Brooks I. M. , Tjernström M. , Sedlar J. , Mauritsen T. , Sjogren S. , Leck C.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. Observations from the Arctic Summer Cloud Ocean Study (ASCOS), in the central Arctic sea-ice pack in late summer 2008, provide a detailed view of cloud-atmosphere-surface interactions and vertical mixing processes over the sea–ice environment. Measurements from a suite of ground-based remote sensors, near surface meteorological and aerosol instruments, and profiles from radiosondes and a helicopter are combined to characterize a week-long period dominated by low-level, mixed-phase, stratocumulus clouds. Detailed case studies and statistical analyses are used to develop a conceptual model for the cloud and atmosphere structure and their interactions in this environment. Clouds were persistent during the period of study, having qualities that suggest they were sustained through a combination of advective influences and in-cloud processes, with little contribution from the surface. Radiative cooling near cloud top produced buoyancy-driven, turbulent eddies that contributed to cloud formation and created a cloud-driven mixed layer. The depth of this mixed layer was related to the amount of turbulence and condensed cloud water. Coupling of this cloud-driven mixed layer to the surface boundary layer was primarily determined by proximity. For 75% of the period of study, the primary stratocumulus cloud-driven mixed layer was decoupled from the surface and typically at a warmer potential temperature. Since the near-surface temperature was constrained by the ocean–ice mixture, warm temperatures aloft suggest that these air masses had not significantly interacted with the sea–ice surface. Instead, back trajectory analyses suggest that these warm airmasses advected into the central Arctic Basin from lower latitudes. Moisture and aerosol particles likely accompanied these airmasses, providing necessary support for cloud formation. On the occasions when cloud-surface coupling did occur, back trajectories indicated that these air masses advected at low levels, while mixing processes kept the mixed layer in equilibrium with the near-surface environment. Rather than contributing buoyancy forcing for the mixed-layer dynamics, the surface instead simply appeared to respond to the mixed-layer processes aloft. Clouds in these cases often contained slightly higher condensed water amounts, potentially due to additional moisture sources from below.
Phosphorus sorption and buffering mechanisms in suspended sediments from the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay, China
Authors: Li M. , Whelan M. J. , Wang G. Q. , White S. M.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. The adsorption isotherm and the mechanism of the buffering effect are important controls on phosphorus (P) behaviors in estuaries and are important for estimating phosphate concentrations in aquatic environments. In this paper, we derive phosphate adsorption isotherms in order to investigate sediment adsorption and buffering capacity for phosphorus discharged from sewage outfalls in the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay near Shanghai, China. Experiments were also carried out at different temperatures in order to explore the buffering effects for phosphate. The results show that P sorption in sediments with low fine particle fractions was best described using exponential equations. Some P interactions between water and sediment may be caused by the precipitation of CaHPO4 from Ca2+ and HPO42− when the phosphate concentration in the liquid phase is high. Results from the buffering experiments suggest that the Zero Equilibrium Phosphate Concentrations (EPC0) vary from 0.014 mg L−1 to 0.061 mg L−1, which are consistent with measured phosphate concentrations in water samples collected at the same time as sediment sampling. Values of EPC0 and linear sorption coefficients (K) in sediments with high fine particle and organic matter contents are relatively high, which implies that they have high buffering capacity. Both EPC0 and K increase with increasing temperature, indicating a higher P buffering capacity at high temperatures.
Development and exploitation of a controlled vocabulary in support of climate modelling
Authors: Moine M.-P. , Valcke S. , Lawrence B. N. , Pascoe C. , Ford R. W. , Alias A. , Balaji V. , Bentley P. , Devine G. , Guilyardi E.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. There are three key components for developing a metadata system: a container structure laying out the key semantic issues of interest and their relationships; an extensible controlled vocabulary providing possible content; and tools to create and manipulate that content. While metadata systems must allow users to enter their own information, the use of a controlled vocabulary both imposes consistency of definition and ensures comparability of the objects described. Here we describe the controlled vocabulary (CV) and metadata creation tool built by the METAFOR project for use in the context of describing the climate models, simulations and experiments of the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). The CV and resulting tool chain introduced here is designed for extensibility and re-use and should find applicability in many more projects.
Earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy from a reviewed database
Authors: Martino S. , Prestininzi A. , Romeo R. W.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. A database (Italian acronym CEDIT) of earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy is presented, and the related content is analysed. The catalogue collects data regarding landslides, liquefaction, ground cracks, surface faulting and ground-level changes triggered by earthquakes of Mercalli intensity 8 or greater that occurred in the last millennium in Italy. As of January 2013, the CEDIT database has been available online for public use (URL: http://www.ceri.uniroma1.it/cn/index.do?id=230&page=55) and is presently hosted by the website of the Research Centre for Geological Risks (CERI) of the "Sapienza" University of Rome. Summary statistics of the database content indicate that 14% of the Italian municipalities have experienced at least one earthquake-induced ground failure and that landslides are the most common ground effects (approximately 45%), followed by ground cracks (32%) and liquefaction (18%). The relationships between ground effects and earthquake parameters such as seismic source energy (earthquake magnitude and epicentral intensity), local conditions (site intensity) and source-to-site distances are also analysed. The analysis indicates that liquefaction, surface faulting and ground-level changes are much more dependent on the earthquake source energy (i.e. magnitude) than landslides and ground cracks. In contrast, the latter effects are triggered at lower site intensities and greater epicentral distances than the other environmental effects.
A model-based study of the wind regime over Corinthian Gulf in Greece
Authors: Koletsis I. , Kotroni V. , Lagouvardos K.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. The Corinthian Gulf is a narrow sea-level passage surrounded by a steep complex topography that consists of high mountains, elevated and sea-level gaps/straits. The complex terrain is expected to affect the wind flow in the area that often experiences high winds with important consequences on the commercial and recreational activities over the Gulf maritime area. For that reason, a model-based study of the wind regime over the Corinthian Gulf has been built, as observational data over the area are recent and spatially sparse. The analysis of 5yr data from MM5 model reveals that the wind regime of the gulf is greatly influenced by the topography. Easterly winds occur more frequently and are stronger at the maritime area in the western edge of the gulf with a frequency of occurrence of the order of 70%. Moreover, the most intense wind events at this area occur during the winter season (December, January, and February). Finally the paper also provides a discussion on the synoptic patterns, which lead to the strongest wind events in the studied area.
Tsunami evacuation modelling as a tool for risk management: application to the coastal area of El Salvador
Authors: González-Riancho P. , Aguirre-Ayerbe I. , Aniel-Quiroga I. , Abad S. , González M. , Larreynaga J. , Gavidia F. , Gutiérrez O. Q. , Álvarez-Gómez J. A. , Medina R.
Published: May 2013

Abstract. Advances in the understanding and prediction of tsunami impacts allow the development of risk reduction strategies for tsunami-prone areas. This paper presents an integral framework for the formulation of tsunami evacuation plans based on tsunami vulnerability assessment and evacuation modelling. This methodology considers (i) the hazard aspects (tsunami flooding characteristics and arrival time), (ii) the characteristics of the exposed area (people, shelters and road network), (iii) the current tsunami risk management situation (time needed by the responsible authorities to warn the local communities), (iv) the time needed for evacuation of the population, and (v) the identification of measures to improve the evacuation. The proposed methodological framework aims to fill the gap between risk assessment and management in terms of tsunami evacuation, as it allows for an estimation of the degree of evacuation success of specific management options, as well as for the classification and prioritization of the gathered information, in order to formulate an optimal evacuation plan.
Towards Promoting An African Medical System: A critique of government responses to claims of a cure for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, 1986-2007
Authors: Amusa S. B.
Published: May 2013

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been described as the greatest health challenge of our era. Aside from Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment (HAART), the virus has defied any other form of permanent cure or disease control. The continents of Africa and Asia are the worst-hit areas by the scourge of the pandemic. Yet in Africa, there have been claims of HIV/AIDS being cured by African indigenous medical practitioners. Our paper examines the official responses of the Federal Government of Nigeria to such claims. We will examine the emergence and national responses to the epidemic in Nigeria and assess the government’s contempt for the efforts of indigenous medical practitioners in the quest for a viable cure. We conclude by asserting that until African governments realize, recognize and appropriate indigenous medical achievements into mainstream health strategy and policy, Africa will not only remain at the periphery of global health systems but will also continue to be ravaged by HIV/AIDS.
The Social Epidemiology and Burden of Malaria in Bali Nyonga, Northwest Cameroon
Authors: Pemunta N. V.
Published: May 2013

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the anopheles mosquito that kills at least one million people in Sub-Saharan Africa every year, leading to human suffering and enormous economic loses. This paper examines the complex web of cultural, poor socio-economic conditions and environmental factors for the prevalence of malaria in Bali Nyonga. The study outlines and assesses the multiple notions of malaria causation with dirty environment (80.76%) and the mosquito (76.92%) as the leading causes. Other causes are poor hygiene (46.15%), impure sources of portable water (23.08%), malnutrition (15.38%), witchcraft (11.54%), human-vector contact (34.61%),and palm wine drinking (32.69%).It reveals  that any effective management of malaria must be based on an understanding of traditional cultural views and insights concerning the cause, spread and treatment of the disease, as well as gender roles within a given community since women bear a greater  burden of the disease than men. This study further  underscores the need to incorporate folk theories of disease causation, gender and malaria issues into malaria control strategies in order to improve their coverage and effectiveness in different contexts.
Introduction: Collecting the fragments of transformation
Authors: Beer David
Published: May 2013

The relationship between music and the Internet is a site of perceived possibility and volatility. Stories of music theft, illegal downloads, unresolved court cases, and anti-piracy technologies, are now prominent. Conversely, stories about the creation of real-time music composition, music's increasing accessibility, the regeneration of music collecting, and the development of virtual music communities have also become prominent. This paper introduces a fascinating suite of articles that originally appeared in First Monday on music's evolving relationship with the Internet, and are now included in Special Issue: Music and the Internet.
Giving away music to make money: Independent musicians on the Internet (originally published in August 2001)
Authors: Pfahl Michael
Published: May 2013

No one has felt the impact of music on the Internet more than the independent musician. The recording industry has dominated the production and distribution of music for many years. The big six recording labels are making a push to incorporate the Internet into their distribution process. Standing in their way is the issue of security.
It seems that music files on the Internet, no matter how secure they may seem, are susceptible to tampering. This will force a shift in distribution away from selling music on the Internet in compact disc or MP3 file form and towards artists creating communities of shared interest that provide music to their audiences for free. New revenue sources will be created using streaming audio and video technology in a pay-per-view format, among others. This will drive the demand to see an artist in concert and increase the revenue that is generated from live performances.
This paper will address the current state of the industry and the battle between the Internet world and record companies. Next, various plans will be discussed that create and distribute music on the Internet. Finally, I propose a comprehensive strategic plan for successful Internet commerce by independent artists that will be based on artists giving away all of their music for free via the Internet.
Music in the Age of Free Distribution (originally published in January 2002)
Authors: Kasaras Kostas
Published: May 2013

This essay is an attempt to present and critically discuss the phenomenon of music piracy on the World Wide Web. The main arguments in this paper will try to approach the phenomenon from two directions. The first one attempts to present the MP3 phenomenon as a part of the challenges that the music industry had to face. It is argued that in the past several technological developments have already challenged the music industry's status quo in similar ways. The second direction, is attempting to situate the MP3 phenomenon in its general technological, economical and political framework. In other words, the MP3 phenomenon should be examined as a part of the cultural transformation that the Internet 'explosion' produces on a global scale.
The future of sociology of FLOSS
Authors: Lin Yuwei
Published: May 2013

The following commentary is part of First Monday's Special Issue #2: Open Source.
This paper briefly summarises the current research on the free/libre open source software (FLOSS) communities and discusses the deficiency of a body of FLOSS research done from the sociological perspective. Since Eric Raymond's famous 'Cathedral and Bazaar' that depicts a harmoniously cooperative community/bazaar that engages 'hackers' to develop and advocate FLOSS, many other successors have adopted a similar utopian-like perspective to understand the FLOSS development and organisation processes within and across communities. However, I argue that such a view, partially valid in explaining the FLOSS development, not only ignores the diversity of population and their different articulations, interpretation on and performances towards developing FLOSS, but also neglects the different environments and contexts where FLOSS is deployed, developed and implemented. A sociological point of view is vital in that it helps understand the dynamics emerging from the heterogeneity of the FLOSS social world and allows us to see different roles played by diverse actors and various environments and contexts where FLOSS evolves differently. This paper concludes with a list of suggested research topics for future studies.
Homesteading the Noosphere (originally published in Volume 3, Number 10, October 1998)
Authors: Raymond Eric
Published: May 2013

After observing a contradiction between the 'official' ideology defined by open-source licenses and the actual behavior of hackers, we examine the actual customs which regulate the ownership and control of open-source software. We discover that they imply an underlying theory of property rights homologous to the Lockean theory of land tenure. We relate that to an analysis of the hacker culture as a 'gift culture' in which participants compete for prestige by giving time, energy, and creativity away. We then examine the implications of this analysis for conflict resolution in the culture, and develop some prescriptive implications.
Essence of distributed work: The case of the Linux kernel (originally published in Volume 5, Number 11, November 2000)
Authors: Moon Jae Yun , Sproull Lee
Published: May 2013

This paper provides a historical account of how the Linux operating system kernel was developed from three different perspectives. Each focuses on different critical factors in its success at the individual, group, and community levels. The technical and management decisions of Linus Torvalds the individual were critical in laying the groundwork for a collaborative software development project that has lasted almost a decade. The contributions of volunteer programmers distributed worldwide enabled the development of an operating system on the par with proprietary operating systems. The Linux electronic community was the organizing structure that coordinated the efforts of the individual programmers. The paper concludes by summarizing the factors important in the successful distributed development of the Linux kernel, and the implications for organizationally managed distributed work arrangements.
Evolution of the Linux Credits file: Methodological challenges and reference data for Open Source research (originally published in Volume 9, Number 6, June 2004)
Authors: Tuomi Ilkka
Published: May 2013

This paper presents time–series data that can be extracted from the Linux Credits files and discusses methodological challenges of automatic extraction of research data from open source files. The extracted data is used to describe the geographical expansion of the core Linux developer community. The paper also comments on attempts to use the Linux Credits data to derive policy recommendations for open source software.
Code, culture and cash: The fading altruism of open source development (originally published in Volume 6, Number 12, December 2001)
Authors: Lancashire David
Published: May 2013

The nexus of open source development appears to have shifted to Europe over the last ten years. This paper explains why this trend undermines cultural arguments about "hacker ethics" and "post-scarcity" gift economies. It suggests that classical economic theory offers a more succinct explanation for the peculiar international distribution of open source development: hacking rises and falls inversely to its opportunity cost. This finding throws doubt on the Schumpeterian assumption that the efficiency of industrial systems can be measured without reference to the social institutions that bind them.
The usability of open source software (originally published in Volume 8, Number 1, January 2003)
Authors: Nichols David M. , Twidale Michael B.
Published: May 2013

Open source communities have successfully developed a great deal of software although most computer users only use proprietary applications. The usability of open source software is often regarded as one reason for this limited distribution. In this paper we review the existing evidence of the usability of open source software and discuss how the characteristics of open source development influence usability. We describe how existing human-computer interaction techniques can be used to leverage distributed networked communities, of developers and users, to address issues of usability.
Internet banking, e-money and the Internet gift economy
Authors: Fox Mark A.
Published: May 2013

The following commentary is part of First Monday's Special Issue #3: Internet banking, e-money and the Internet gift economy.
Electronic purses, interoperability and the Internet (originally published in April 1999)
Authors: Van Hove Leo
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue #3: Internet banking, e-money, and Internet gift economies, published in December 2005. Special Issue editor Mark A. Fox asked authors to submit additional comments regarding their articles.
Back in 1998-1999, several players, including the European Commission, contended that the patchwork of over 20 domestic-only electronic purse schemes that existed in the euro-zone was untenable in the long run, and that making the schemes interoperable was a matter of urgency in view of the introduction of the euro coins and banknotes. In the article below, I argued that the lack of cross-border compatibility was no major barrier to the development of e-purses as payment instruments for the real world, and that there was no business case for standardization. Today, it can be observed that the CEPS standard, while underwritten by over 90% of the e-purse schemes that existed at the time, was in fact a deadborn child. To the best of my knowledge the first CEPS-compliant e-purses have yet to be issued in Europe and it is very uncertain whether any will ever see the light of day. Tellingly, the most recent press release on the CEPSCO site dates back from May 2001.
In the article I also argued that, unlike in the real world, the lack of interoperability would severely hinder the adoption of e-purses as payment instruments for the Internet - even on a national scale. I therefore concluded that "there [wa]s a real danger, especially in smaller countries like Belgium, that electronic purses w[ould] not succeed in breaking the chicken-and-egg deadlock" in the virtual world. Looking back six years later, it is interesting to note that Internet payments with Proton were discontinued in 2002. Using Proton for buying on the Web had become possible as early as December 1997, but met with limited success among surfers and e-tailers alike. At the height of its popularity, only some 20 Belgian online shops accepted Proton.
Elsewhere, e-purses can still be used on-line - in Austria and Germany, for example - but there too the response has been lukewarm. Part of the explanation for these failures lies in the persisting lack of interoperability, which restricts e-tailers’ ability to sell abroad. With CEPS not materializing, the window of opportunity for e-purses on the Internet is therefore becoming smaller and smaller. This said, e-purses have not been all that successful in the real world either. But that is a different story; see “Electronic Purses: (Which) Way to Go?”, elsewhere in this Special Issue.
These last few months the move toward the standardization of electronic purses has gained considerable momentum. Card issuers and newspapers present this move as crucial for crossborder transactions, and especially urgent for the Euro-zone. Starting from the network externalities theory, I argue that interoperability is more important for electronic commerce over the Internet than for real-world cross-border transactions.
Electronic purses: Which way to go? (originally published in July 2000)
Authors: Van Hove Leo
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue #3: Internet banking, e-money, and Internet gift economies, published in December 2005. Special Issue editor Mark A. Fox asked authors to submit additional comments regarding their articles.
The article below, which was written in 2000, showed that initial expectations about consumer uptake and retailer acceptance of e-purses were unrealistic. The article concluded that “the initial euphoria ha[d] faded away and, at best, ha[d] turned into cautious optimism”. Today, things look even bleaker. In Europe several schemes have simply been discontinued and only a handful are doing reasonably well, particularly in the Benelux (see Van Hove, L., “What Future for Electronic Purses?”, forthcoming in Lammer, T. (ed.), Handbuch E-Money, E-Payment and M-Payment, Springer Verlag, 2006).
My original article noted that experts who still believed in e-purses saw two major ways in which the new payment instrument could eventually be brought to the top of consumers' wallets. The two magic formulae put forward were 'multi-application' and 'electronic commerce'. Today, it can safely be stated that the Internet is unlikely to save e-purses. However, the first formula might still do the trick. For example, in Hong Kong retail usage of the Octopus transit card is growing steadily. And transit operators around the word are following in Octopus’ tracks. In Europe, London’s Oyster card is the case to watch. Starting in January 2006, Transport for London will extend the use of the card to low-value purchases at retail stores in the capital.
This paper uses a unique data set covering 12 national systems to document the current state of electronic purse projects in Europe. Specifically, it presents and compares rates of penetration and use, and analyses their evolution over time. While one or two EPs perform significantly better than the others, retailer acceptance and consumer uptake invariably fall short of expectations. This does not bode well for the use of EPs on the Internet, and particularly since the virtual world presents a number of additional hurdles. On the other hand, it may also present additional opportunities.
Story space: A theoretical grounding for the new urban annotation
Authors: Murthy Rekha
Published: May 2013

The development and mainstreaming of technologies used to communicate in a digital, "virtual" space raises concerns about new opportunities for social control by corporate and government interests. But the apparently limitless reach of virtual space might actually contain the means of resistance to such control as well. This paper takes a focused look at select writings by Henri Lefebvre, Jean Baudrillard, and Paul Virilio to consider how the conditions prompting their technological and social anxieties might be recast as cause for optimism in our mobile digital age.
Towards an integrated architectural media space
Authors: Schieck Ava Fatah gen.
Published: May 2013

Large projection screens are becoming more and more ubiquitous in urban spaces. However, there is currently no methodology for designing media walls as an integral part of the urban built environment. This paper reviews the application of display walls and projection screens as an emergent new type of urban form in major metropolises around the world. It identifies issues related to the implementation of media walls, which perhaps form the basis for an integrated architectural media space. We suggest that in order to achieve real integration on an urban scale, we need to consider the design of space as a whole, taking into account the urban space, the dynamic visual information and the social interaction space.
Introduction to virtual architecture at State of Play III
Authors: Valauskas Ed
Published: May 2013

None Available
Architecture and the Internet: Designing places in cyberspace
Authors: Kalay Yehuda E. , Marx John
Published: May 2013

Cyberspace, as the information space is called, has become accessible in the past decade through the World Wide Web. And although it can only be experienced through the mediation of computers, it is quickly becoming an alternative stage for everyday economic, cultural, and other human activities. As such, there is a potential and a need to design it according to place–like principles.
Making places for human inhabitation is, of course, what architects, landscape architects, and town planners have been doing in physical space for thousands of years. It is curious, therefore, that Cyberspace designers have not capitalized on the theories, experiences, and practices that have been guiding physical place–making. While most 3D environments closely mimic physical spaces, they are, by and large, devoid of the essential characteristics that differentiate a ‘place’ from mere ‘space.’ And only rarely are they sensitive to, and take advantage of, the peculiarities of Cyberspace.
We believe that this state of affairs is temporary, characteristic of early adoption stages of new technologies. As the Web matures, and as it assumes more fully its role as a destination rather than as means of communication, there will be a growing need to design it according to place–making principles.
By looking at physical architecture as a case study and metaphor for organizing space into meaningful places, this paper explores the possibility of organizing Cyberspace into spatial settings that not only afford social interaction, but, like physical places, also embody and express cultural values. At the same time, because Cyberspace lacks materiality, is free from physical constraints, and because it can only be ‘inhabited’ by proxy, these ‘places’ may not necessarily resemble their physical counterparts.
Reflections on: When Internet companies morph
Authors: Kauffman Robert J. , Miller Tim , Wang Bin
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue #6: Commercial applications of the Internet, published in July 2006. Special Issue editor Mark A. Fox asked authors to submit additional comments regarding their articles.
Reflections on: Online grocery shopping
Authors: Fox Mark A.
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue #6: Commercial applications of the Internet, published in July 2006. Special Issue editor Mark A. Fox asked authors to submit additional comments regarding their articles.
Reflections on: Trust management on the World Wide Web
Authors: Khare Rohit , Rifkin Adam
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue #6: Commercial applications of the Internet, published in July 2006. Special Issue editor Mark A. Fox asked authors to submit additional comments regarding their articles.
A Taxonomy of Internet Commerce (originally published in October 1998)
Authors: Bambury Paul
Published: May 2013

This paper is included in the First Monday Special Issue: Commercial Applications of the Internet, published in July 2006. For author reflections on this paper, visit the Special Issue.
This paper attempts to clarify terminology discussing the interface between commerce and the Internet. It is also an empirically derived classification system or taxonomy of existing Internet business models. This taxonomy has two main branches - transplanted real-world business models and native Internet business models. The latter part of the paper discusses the role of business, governments, regulation and ideology in the development of I-Commerce and makes some cautious speculations regarding its future.
Online Grocery Shopping: Consumer Motives, Concerns, and Business Models (originally published in August 2002)
Authors: Kempiak Mike , Fox Mark A.
Published: May 2013

Dot.com entrepreneurs failed spectacularly in their attempts to create e-grocery companies. This paper examines consumer motives and concerns with regard to online grocery shopping. The reasons for the success experienced by traditional bricks-and-mortar companies that have expanded into this market are also examined.
Hypermedia and governance in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Kraidy Marwan M.
Published: May 2013

The advent of new media has altered the information dynamics that shape public discourse. Convergence, miniaturization, personalization, interactivity, and mobility have blurred the boundaries between producers, consumers, and regulators of information. The role and impact of old mass media such as radio, television and the press, has changed as a result of their interaction with electronic mail, cellular phones, digital cameras, among others. Through an examination of public discourse surrounding Star Academy, the most popular and most controversial program in Arab television history, this article explores how dynamics of information among different media have shaped the Arab public sphere. Based on five months of fieldwork in 2004, the analysis focuses on electronic fatwas, press commentary, new legislation to “protect morality”, SMS messages from fans, cellular phone voting, participatory television talk–shows, and media marketing strategies. The article examines new articulations among political, cultural religious and commercial factors that have been enabled by new technologies and the impact of these interactions on Arab public discourse. The analysis suggests a model of inter–media dynamics.
Coding Control: Governance and Contingency in the Production of Online Worlds
Authors: Malaby Thomas M.
Published: May 2013

Approximately 11 million people worldwide regularly participate in persistent, graphically–realized, online virtual worlds (including EverQuest, Ultima Online, Second Life, and Lineage). Originally built on computer game platforms, these worlds are in many respects the most viable online arenas for broad–based social action; their participants pursue lasting social relations as well as globally consequential economic activities that elide the boundary between offline and online experience. Amidst this startling growth it is the producers of these worlds who are confronting in practical terms unprecedented challenges of governing what are in many cases fundamentally open–ended, yet architected, environments. How are they doing this, and in particular how are they developing their own position as those theoretically (if not effectively) in ultimate control? This article, based on ethnographic research at Linden Lab, the makers of Second Life, considers this question with respect to competing and continually changing ideas of Second Life’s content, a particularly unruly yet central concept in this virtual world’s ongoing governance.
Synthetic Economies and the Social Question
Authors: Castronova Edward
Published: May 2013

The Social Question, formulated originally by German thinkers such as Gustav von Schmoller, asks what should be done about those who receive relatively fewer material benefits from the current set of economic institutions in society. The answer to the Social Question seems to have been, broadly speaking, social insurance and limited redistribution by the state. And yet a new technology has emerged that may change things. Avatar–mediated communication systems do not actually alter anything fundamental in the way human material inequality is constructed, but they do make certain powers of construction substantially more accessible and easier to see. In almost all multi–user environments on the Internet, ordinary users already create much of the entertainment that is consumed, but there are two types of inequality: First, the total wealth held by users is dramatically, almost breathtakingly unequal. Some users have millions and millions of gold pieces and gear that shines like chrome. Other users have no money at all and gear made of old rags.
Second, the users’ rate of wealth increment per hour or unit of effort is also unequal, though less dramatically so. This article explores the opportunities for experimenting with new ways of addressing the Social Question in virtual worlds. Such experimentation can, in turn, provide models for policy–making by geopolitical governments
More, Faster, Better: Governance in an Age of Overload, Busyness, and Speed
Authors: Levy David M.
Published: May 2013

While today’s information technologies provide powerful means to connect us to one another and to vast sources of information, there is increasing evidence that they are also having the opposite effect: disconnecting and distancing us from ourselves and the world around us. Indeed, information overload and the accelerating pace of life — conditions the technologies encourage if not determine — appear to be contributing to health problems, decreased work satisfaction and productivity, as well as to the diminishment of our ethical, social, and political faculties. This paper will focus on the ways current conditions may be limiting our ability to control or govern ourselves, both personally and politically, by driving out slower, “endangered” practices, such as time to think and reflect, time to listen, and time to cultivate our humanity. Drawing a parallel with the environmental movement, it will argue for cultivating and replenishing these endangered habitats, designing spaces and times for reflection and contemplation in the service of mature governance.
e-Government, e-Society and Jordan: Strategy, theory, practice, and assessment (originally published in November 2003)
Authors: Blakemore Michael , Dutton Roderic
Published: May 2013

e-Government, e-Society and Jordan: Strategy, theory, practice, and assessment by Michael Blakemore and Roderic Dutton

A review of e-Government and e-Society developments in Jordan is set in the context of the contradictions and conflicts of negotiating policies that aim to span all scales from local to global. Largely 'developed' hegemonic discourses of technology and governmental reform are critically evaluated in the context of how such global/national strategies will perform uncertainly at regional/local/individual levels. Even within advanced western societies e-Government and e-Society strategies have seldom been underpinned by a research and evaluation framework that feeds back directly into a refinement of strategy and improved policies. As a complex society within the turbulent Middle East regional framework, Jordanian strategy will benefit from a clear understanding of how it will balance the needs of the individual citizen with the macro pressures of globalisation.
A review of national information and communication technologies and a proposed National Electronic Initiative Framework (originally published in May 2006)
Authors: Peslak Alan R.
Published: May 2013

Information and communications technologies (ICT) have had uneven deployment both between nations and within nations. These differences in the use of ICT and the Internet are part of the “digital divide”, an uneven distribution of information and communications technologies and the benefits that accrue from their use. This article examines electronic initiatives to improve implementation of ICT throughout the world and proposes a multi–level national electronic initiative framework (NEIF) including fundamental guiding doctrines, general directives, specific domain areas of activity, and finally deliverables. This framework can serve as a guide to national and NGO (non–governmental) organizations to improve access and utilization of ICT and reduce the digital divide.
The Internet in developing nations: Grand challenges (originally published in April 2004)
Authors: Press Larry
Published: May 2013

This is a call for a "Grand Challenge" project for achieving truly global connectivity. For over a decade, we have hypothesized that the Internet could raise the quality of life in developing nations. We have conducted hundreds of studies of the state of the Internet and "e–readiness," done extensive training of technicians and policy makers, run pilot studies, and held local, regional and global conferences and workshops. After all of this activity, Internet connectivity is nearly non–existent in rural areas of developing nations, and far below that of developed nations in the urban areas of developing nations.

This is not to say the activity of the past decade has been a waste. We have demonstrated the value of the Internet and raised awareness. The United Nations and the administrations of nearly all nations have acknowledged the potential of the Internet. The way has been paved, and it is time to act on what we have learned.

After outlining the work of the last decade, we explore one possible Grand Challenge: Connecting every village in the rural developing world to the Internet using a strategy similar to that used in building the NSFNet. We speculate on wireless technologies that might play a role in working toward that goal: Terrestrial, high–altitude platform, and satellite. We conclude with a brief discussion of alternative Grand Challenges and a call for action.

The time is ripe for an audacious project. What could we achieve with US$15 billion and ten years time?
Refuting objections to a Global Rural Network (GRNet) for developing nations (originally published in August 2004)
Authors: Press Larry
Published: May 2013

In a previous article, we suggested that it is now time to undertake a Grand Challenge project: providing Internet connectivity for every village in every developing nation. Doing so would require perhaps a decade and billions of dollars for design and planning, procurement, installation and operation. Critics object that such a project would not be worth the effort and investment. This article considers nine objections to such an undertaking.

1. Internet connectivity would be nice, but it is not a high priority.
2. Internet service has been offered in rural areas of developing nations, and there is little demand for it.
3. There are no applications of interest or value to illiterate rural people who do not speak English.
4. There is no sustainable business model.
5. Developing nations lack the people and resources to do research.
6. Even if the world community can justify sponsoring the research leading to a concrete backbone plan, developing nations cannot afford to implement it.
7. Villagers cannot afford to use the network even if the backbone transport and connection are free.
8. Developing nations cannot afford high–speed connectivity — low–cost store–and–forward technology is more appropriate technology for a poor, developing nation.
9. We should focus on cities where there is already demand, not rural areas.

We discuss each of these, and conclude with a brief outline of next steps.
Licence fees and GDP per capita: The case for open source in developing countries (originally published in December 2003)
Authors: Haaland Rishab
Published: May 2013

There is a strong case for free software (also known as open source or libre software) being deployed widely in developing countries. This paper describes three reasons in particular: free software is a skills enabling platform; it is far cheaper; and it is more adaptable to local needs. The free software development community provides an environment of intensive interactive skills development at little explicit cost, which is particularly useful for local development of skills, especially in economically disadvantaged regions. Meanwhile, the controversy over total costs of ownership (TCO) of free vs. proprietary software is not applicable to developing countries and other regions with low labour costs, where the TCO advantage lies with free software, and the share of licence fees in TCO is much higher than in (richer) high labour cost countries. The note concludes with a table comparing license fees for proprietary software against GDP per capita for 176 countries.
Digitisation and Its Asian Discontents: The Internet, Politics and Hacking in China and Indonesia (originally published in September 2002)
Authors: Kloet Jeroen
Published: May 2013

Given its transnational character the Internet is often perceived as a technology that will challenge the frontiers of the nation-state. Asian governments, however, eagerly include the Internet in their policies, thereby inscribing this technology into the narrative of the nation-state. In this article I argue that such uses of the Internet to legitimise governments and their policies deserve as much attention as globalised movements that at times challenge such policies. More empirically grounded research - that moves beyond the utopian/dystopian, online/offline and virtual/real dichotomies - is important to grasp such contradictory uses of the Internet. Studies located outside the U.S. and Europe, the places that dominate Internet studies, will prove of crucial value in rethinking the roles of the Internet in society.
The use of the Internet for political action by non-state dissident actors in the Middle East (originally published in November 2003)
Authors: McLaughlin W. Sean
Published: May 2013

The use of the Internet for political action by non-state dissident actors in the Middle East by W. Sean McLaughlin

This paper examines how non-state dissident actors in the Middle East use the Internet for political action in the face of state-imposed constraints on Internet access. Non-state dissident actors have revisionist goals and the Internet offers certain advantages for accomplishing these political objectives. States seek to limit the effectiveness of these dissident objectives and can use various methods, such as limiting Internet infrastructure or imposing censorship constraints, in efforts to oppose Internet-based dissidence. In response, dedicated dissidents can find ways to overcome these state-imposed constraints and continue with their dissident activities. Based on this understanding, this paper develops a dynamic model for Internet-based dissidence and then applies it to three different case studies: The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA). All three case study groups used the Internet in a surprisingly competent and sophisticated manner, overcoming the various state-imposed constraints on their activities. That non-state dissidents in the Middle East have successfully used the Internet for political dissidence may have important implications for the political landscape in the region.
Artists’ earnings and copyright: A review of British and German music industry data in the context of digital technologies
Authors: Kretschmer Martin
Published: May 2013

Digital technologies are often said (1) to enable a qualitatively new engagement with already existing cultural materials (for example through sampling and adaptation); and, (2) to offer a new disintermediated distribution channel to the creator. A review of secondary data on music artists’ earnings and eight in–depth interviews conducted in 2003–04 in Britain and Germany indicate that both ambitions have remained largely unfulfilled. The article discusses to what extent the structure of copyright law is to blame, and sets out a research agenda.
Evaluation of Web access to historical sheet music collections and music–related iconography
Authors: Wheeler Maurice , Venetis Mary
Published: May 2013

Previous research within Music Information Retrieval (MIR) has examined audio and textual facets in attempts to retrieve information about the music itself, including humming melodies, encoding of audio for transmission, extracting bibliographic data as well as melodies and harmonies. An area lacking within MIR relates to the retrieval of images and illustrations that often accompany printed music. Addressing that deficiency, this paper will briefly discuss historical American sheet music and report results from research indicating whether researchers can retrieve sheet music imagery from digital music collections, using basic Internet search engines. The findings are expected to advance our understanding of the complexities of retrieving digital music collections and music–related iconography.
Information societydevelopment in Thailand: Information workforce and information and communication technology perspectives
Authors: Aswalap S.
Published: May 2013

Recent developments of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have changed nations and their citizens across the world regardless of their political or socioeconomic systems. To position Thailand — a constitutional monarchy with a predominantly rural agricultural economy — in a technology–driven and interconnected world, a framework is needed. This article explores the concept of "information society," a concept that, while imperfect, is used to describe the complex global impacts of ICTs. This article discusses Thailand’s successes and failures in trying to achieve the status of information society.