Information Technology Reference
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As the groups grow larger and larger, this back-channel situation occurs
more often.
DJ
~
One of the groups I belong to has over 600 members, but most of the
posting is done by about 20 individuals. Right now the list is having an
identity crisis of sorts, and those who do the posting will be determining
the outcome. But this is the way in any group, I think; the ones who par-
ticipatethemostcarrythemostweight,especiallyinviewofthefactthat
we have no way of knowing who the lurkers are.
As far as forming a community vs. academic concerns, I DON'T see any
difference between the two. A group's major function may be to discuss
academically,butthefactthatitisagroupofpeopleautomaticallymakes
it a community.
J.
~
One of the things I seem to be hearing is there is a natural evolutionary
process going on with communities much like any community (in RL)
that we might belong to. In some groups, the norms have changed. In
others,membersaremovingontonewgroups(beginningwithextensive
back-channel discussions that lead to new groups), hence the old groups
sound as if they are splitting up into separate factions.
Are we saying that on-line groups go through the same evolutionary
process that any other group we might belong to does? Do “charters” (or
maybe FAQs is a better word) get rewritten? Has anyone been a member
of a group that changed its understanding of itself? (Forgive me, but my
mind has wandered to the Monty Python knights that “used to be the
knightsthatsaidneat”and“nowaretheknightsthatsay'icky'.”)Butseri-
ously, has anyone experienced this type of group transformation? Or do
the information files of a group get revised on-goingly?
Another point I would like people to explore/consider is the idea of par-
ticipating somewhere on the Net where we feel our understanding of
reality is somewhat dismissed by others. Someone used the expression
“dismissiveofmybeliefs.”Ihavecontinuedtoparticipateingroupswhere
my thinking certainly wasn't the norm because I had managed to “get”
something from the experience. What is the hook for you that keeps you
(Continued)
