Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #02403
To: JVernonM@aol.com
From: Bruce Robinson Bruce_Robinson@bc.sympatico.ca
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 18:02:07 -0700
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Beam genome
It seemed to me, Jim, that your original genome suggestion incorporated
two distinct ideas: some form of "beam" genetic tree, and a "beam"
history. Since I was having so much fun doing my taxes, Wilf got there
first with his idea of a genealogy:
>> At first glance writing a Beam genealogy could be quite problematic,
>> defining which came first, who invented it, what it was derived from.
>> It would require a consensus of the historical time line (or time tree)
>> showing the creators, genotype, phenotype and evolutionary links of all
>> BEAM devices from pre-Beam to the present.
The internet has truly complicated things, because information is spread
so fast and so far. In pre-internet days the primary means of
transmitting ideas was by means of publications and conference
presentations -- all easy to pin down in time, all easy to assign
"ownership" to. Not so today. Someone can grab an idea off the net,
develop it, pass it on in slightly modified form, and who's to know
which came first?
On the other hand, papers are still being presented, and can act as
"anchors" that fix certain events in the history of Beam. For example,
how many people can say "I first got interested in beam when I read the
'Mark Tilden' article in Equinox?"
The internet also offers a unique capability to reach a consensus. As
Wilf suggests, a hypertext environment outlining the history/genealogy
of Beam would allow everyone interested to look at the "official"
version as it was being created, and get in their own comments: fill in
missing bits, correct erroneous facts, and no doubt get into some heavy
debates.
Nobody seems to be volunteering to get this thing started (my hand isn't
raised either), possibly because it sounds like a pretty horrendous
undertaking. But it doesn't have to be a one-person show. If we could
agree on a consistent "look and feel", and a consistent HTML style,
there's no reason for one person to do it all. Different people could
take on different branches of the genealogy. Hypertext ties it all
together in a more-or-less seamless manner. Feedback could be by e-mail
or embedded feedback forms, information to be moderated by willing
volunteers.
Two reasons I'm not volunteering to kick this off -- very low-level HTML
skills, and a VERY restrictive ISP -- I figure the active Beam group
would blow my monthly traffic limit in less then a week. On the other
hand, I know a heck of a lot about systems and would be quite willing to
help with conceptual design, testing, debugging, etc.
So, who else is interested? Who's got some extra webspace?
Regards,
Bruce
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/list/alt-beam
Free Web-based e-mail groups by eGroups.com
Home