(Some comments from a lurker...)

For me the biggest value of the lists (both drs and phd) is in the input
from various people interested in various aspects of some so called "topics
of the lists". I appreciate the diversity and personal points of view very
much. They also give an opportunity to make contact off list with some
people that are dealing with a topic from an interesting point of view.

The nature of the mailing list makes it impossible to keep track of what
issues are new and which ones beaten to death.

Maybe those who want to focus the discussion more could facilitate that by
setting up websites that pull together some of these topics and make
references to the particular messages on the list they want to include.
Also everyone can help by making the subject line reflect the contents or
context as well as possible.

The discussion on lists is stuff that appears, flies by and and disappears
into ether (...although, because of its digital nature, it can often be
painstakingly recovered from archives). You can't keep discussion alive if
members, especially new ones, can't bring up topics or make points that
"have already been discussed" or "are not appropriate" because of some
ideology set by some "authority".

The main point is: maybe it is better not to try to raise the threshold of
posting too high. Personally I have slightly felt that there is a tendency
to do that on both lists. I believe that the topics (Design Research,
Doctoral studies in Design) are much too important and much too young to be
subjected to some kind of oligarchic canon. It's a great asset for all of
us to have spaces like these, hopefully they stay lively and inviting!

We all know how to skip messages.

Kari-Hans Kommonen



At 11:14 +0300 10.10.2000, Richard Buchanan wrote:
>Competition among lists is one of many amusing aspects of the internet.
...
>Is the phd list just for "genuine questions from Ph.D. students"?  I
...
>We're a bit more anarchistic in the States and simply go wherever the
>discussion is interesting.  If I have misunderstood the purpose of the
...


----------------------------------------------
Kari-Hans Kommonen, Future Media Home research
Media Lab, University of Art and Design Helsinki UIAH
Hämeentie 135 C, 00560 HELSINKI, Finland

email:  [log in to unmask]
tel:    +358 9 7563 0563
fax:    +358 9 7563 0555




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