What a bizarre turn this thread has taken. I dare say that if NTU had
cared about trAce in the first place its intrepid gang wouldn't have
needed to move on to other opportunities. From my perspective, it was
the fact that they, their efforts, and the money they brought in was
never appreciated or deemed significant in terms of new literary
trends by the institution that pre-ordained the death of the
programme. To blame them -- particularly Sue -- for its demise is
outrageous in the extreme.
Carolyn
On 2/9/07, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Richard,
>
> I do not know you, have not looked you up, or read the email
> conversation you had with Sue, but you asked the community a
> question––and I would like to respond to you without any preconceived
> notions about who you are and what you and Sue have said to one
> another.
>
> You have to understand that trAce was an important part of many of our
> lives and was instrumental for the support of new media art and artists
> for years. Many of us have relied on the archives for our teaching and
> research, have benefitted from its conferences and online classes, and
> found success following training provided in its week-long workshops.
> And because Sue––with Helen, Simon, Randy, and others––built trAce and
> Sue herself was the driving force behind trAce, many of us in the
> community to which you have written are loyal to these people. I would
> guess that many of us supported their leaving since moving on to other
> challenges represented a need for personal growth and development,
> surely something so intrinsic to human nature that to deny it is not
> healthy.
>
> So, why on earth would you invite us to join you in disrespecting Sue?
> It makes no sense. I doubt you will find many, if any, on this
> listserv who will appreciate your suggestion that what has recently
> happened to trAce is somehow the fault of Sue.
>
> Dene Grigar
>
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2007, at 1:52 AM, Richard Guthrie wrote:
>
> > Sue Thomas decided to email me on this subject privately, why, I can
> > only imagine and you can guess. Here is the latest of three message
> > chain exchange which goes back below to the first. Particularly of
> > note is the mail about 'looking me up'..You can all look me up on
> > www.luminog.wordpress.com
> >
> > Here's her latest:
> >
> > I'm curious to know why you have the idea that I and others built our
> > careers on the back of trAce and then moved on? That is such a very
> > wrong idea I cannot begin to deconstruct it. Why on earth do you think
> > that?
> >
> > sue
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Guthrie"
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 9:17 AM
> > Subject: RE: trAce
> >
> >
> > Hi Sue,
> >
> > No, I did Power and Publishing, looking at how organised publishing
> > dealt
> > with the e-book in its first wave. My supervisor has moved on from NTU
> > having found a better position. I'm someone [who] worked in film and
> > television
> > in five cities around the world before going back to study. Now I
> > write.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Richard
> > www.luminog.wordpress.com
> >
> >
> > Richard Guthrie
> > 32 Southwold Road, Flat C
> > London E5 9PT
> > tel: 0208 442 4832
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: "Sue Thomas" <[log in to unmask]>
> > Reply-To: "Sue Thomas" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: trAce
> > Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 08:45:56 -0000
> >
> > Hi Richard
> > I'm away at the moment so using another email address. I hadn't heard
> > of
> > you before so looked you up and discovered you have just completed a
> > PhD
> > in electronic publishing at NTU. I presume therefore that you probably
> > have done some research into trAce yourself and would be interested to
> > hear your views on the situation. Who was your supervisor, as a matter
> > of
> > interest?
> > thanks for posting to the list
> > best
> > Sue
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> From: Sue Thomas <[log in to unmask]>
> >> Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: Re: [WDL] Without a trAce
> >> Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 08:29:14 -0000
> >>
> >> Hello Richard
> >>
> >> Thanks for raising this. I'm the founder and past Artistic Director
> >> of trAce, so I guess you could say I have a symbiotic relationship
> >> with it. However, I decided to take a back seat in this discussion
> >> until it gets going because I feel it's important to hear other
> >> peoples' voices before I raise my own.
> >>
> >> Needless to say, there is a great deal to discuss, but for the moment
> >> the most pressing issue is to get the archive working properly again.
> >> I believe the best way to do this is to collect proof that it is
> >> important to people.
> >>
> >> I'd be grateful if people responding to this issue could post their
> >> comments on the blog at
> >> http://www.hum.dmu.ac.uk/blogs/wdl/2007/02/without_a_trace.html so
> >> that we can gather all the evidence in one place.
> >>
> >> many thanks
> >>
> >> Sue
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Sue Thomas
> >> Professor of New Media
> >> School of Media and Cultural Production
> >> Faculty of Humanities
> >> De Montfort University
> >> The Gateway
> >> Leicester
> >> LE1 9BH
> >> United Kingdom
> >> +44 (0)116 207 8266
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >> http://www.hum.dmu.ac.uk/~sthomas/
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >>
> >> From: [log in to unmask] on behalf of
> >> Richard Guthrie
> >> Sent: Fri 09/02/2007 8:17 AM
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: Re: [WDL] Without a trAce
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Following this discussion on TrAce with interest. Who is at fault in
> >> all
> >> this? Perhaps those involved who have moved on from NTU, having built
> >> their
> >> careers on the back of TrAce, and now appear very silent, can come
> >> forward
> >> to explain what they know.
> >>
> >> Dr Richard Guthrie
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> >From: [log in to unmask]
> >> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> >> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >> >Subject: Re: [WDL] Without a trAce
> >> >Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 17:42:04 -0800
> >> >
> >> >They still owe me $200 for the essay I wrote last year, "The Role of
> >> Sound
> >> >in Electronic Literature." I gave up after nearly 1 year of waiting.
> >> >
> >> >Best,
> >> >Dene Grigar, PhD
> >> >Associate Professor and Program Director
> >> >Digital Technology and Culture
> >> >Washington State University Vancouver
> >> >14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave.
> >> >Vancouver, WA 98686
> >> >[log in to unmask]
> >> >Office Voice: 360-546-9487
> >> >MMC 102G
> >> >Web: www.nouspace.net/dene
> >> >
> >> >On Feb 8, 2007, at 12:04 PM, Lawrence Upton wrote:
> >> >
> >> >>I was owed some expenses from Trace days. It was just timing and
> >> not the
> >> >>Trace staff's fault that made it so... There had never been any
> >> problems
> >> >>in that regard which I know of. My claim arrived after the Trace
> >> staff had
> >> >>left.
> >> >>
> >> >>A year after my claim, I was told that NTU couldnt find the papers
> >> and so
> >> >>had no idea when they would be able to deal with it. And that was
> >> all they
> >> >>said.
> >> >>
> >> >>In reply I mentioned the question of public funds and
> >> accountability. A
> >> >>cheque for the amount arrived within the week
> >> >>
> >> >>*
> >> >>
> >> >>I wonder how much NTU ever appreciated the value of Trace, which is
> >> much
> >> >>missed. Not understanding the value of something is not culpable.
> >> Acting
> >> >>on incomprehension as a reliable indicator of value is culpable;
> >> and that
> >> >>is before we consider the waste of funding
> >> >>
> >> >>L
> >> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >> >>>From: Jess
> >> >>>To: [log in to unmask]
> >> >>>Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 7:25 PM
> >> >>>Subject: [WDL] Without a trAce
> >> >>>
> >> >>>On behalf of Randy Adams:
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>Without a trAce
> >> >>>
> >> >>><TRACEA4E.bmp> It has come to my attention that the URL redirect
> >> for the
> >> >>>trAce Online Writing Centre's Archive is no longer functional.
> >> What this
> >> >>>means is that anyone who has the trace.ntu.ac.uk URL listed on his
> >> or her
> >> >>>site, course, review, bookmarks, or blog should change it to
> >> >>>tracearchive.ntu.ac.uk - whatever the exact URL is, simply replace
> >> >>>'trace' with 'tracearchive', and the link will work.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>E.g. http://trace.ntu.ac.uk/article_list.cfm becomes
> >> >>>http://tracearchive.ntu.ac.uk/article_list.cfm
> >> >>>
> >> >>>But this solution will not solve the problem with broken linkages
> >> within
> >> >>>the Archive itself, caused by someone at Nottingham Trent
> >> University when
> >> >>>they decided to turn off the redirect from the old URL. And, for
> >> whatever
> >> >>>reason, it was a conscious decision to turn it off. Although you
> >> can
> >> >>>search the Archive and find individual works or articles and
> >> projects,
> >> >>>any of the associated links that point to the old URL will not
> >> work.
> >> >>>There are hundreds of such links, making the Archive virtually
> >> useless to
> >> >>>researchers, teachers, writers, or artists who want to browse the
> >> work.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>There are several issues here. First and foremost is that access to
> >> >>>trAce's role in the history of new media writing is now
> >> compromised. It
> >> >>>is my opinion that NTU simply doesn't understand the value of the
> >> >>>Archive. Nottingham Trent University received substantial public
> >> monies
> >> >>>to create and maintain the online Archive, which they are
> >> contracted to
> >> >>>do. In addition extra public funds for a dedicated server were
> >> provided
> >> >>>because NTU had initially promised to lodge the Archive on its own
> >> >>>servers and then had withdrawn from that commitment, yet it is
> >> uncertain
> >> >>>whether the Archive is now actually housed on this server.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>The trAce redirect was turned off without warning or consultation.
> >> >>>Everyone who works with online new media knows how important it is
> >> to
> >> >>>maintain such linkages. Anyone who teaches digital writing or new
> >> media
> >> >>>knows how frustrating it is to find a broken link to an important
> >> work,
> >> >>>or how embarrassing it to be presenting at a conference to find
> >> that a
> >> >>>link has suddenly become 404. It can also be embarrassing to find
> >> that
> >> >>>links on your professional or academic resume no longer work.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I acted as Associate Editor for trAce for several years. I also
> >> helped
> >> >>>develop the Archive. During trAce's final year, I asked repeatedly
> >> about
> >> >>>how the redirect was going to work and was reassured everything
> >> would be
> >> >>>fine. The redirect worked for 6 months and was then purposefully
> >> turned
> >> >>>off.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>(For an explanation of why redirects are so simple yet so
> >> important see
> >> >>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL_redirection)
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I propose that Nottingham Trent University should honour its
> >> commitment
> >> >>>and switch the redirect back on.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I would like to hear from anyone who is concerned about this issue.
> >> >>>Please post your comments and questions here. Or, if you prefer,
> >> reply to
> >> >>>me privately at [log in to unmask]
> >> >>>
> >> >>>Please circulate this information as widely as possible.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>Thank you.
> >> >>>Randy Adams
> >> >>>
> >> >>>(The image is an early trAce logo from 1997 designed by Simon
> >> Mills)
> >> >>>********** * Visit the Writing and the Digital Life blog
> >> >>>http://www.hum.dmu.ac.uk/blogs/wdl/ * To alter your subscription
> >> settings
> >> >>>on this list, log on to Subscriber's Corner at
> >> >>>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/writing-and-the-digital-life.html
> >> * To
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> >> blank
> >> >>>subject line and the following text in the body of the message:
> >> SIGNOFF
> >> >>>WRITING-AND-THE-DIGITAL-LIFE
> >> >**********
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> >> SIGNOFF
> >> >WRITING-AND-THE-DIGITAL-LIFE
> >>
> >> _________________________________________________________________
> >> Click Here To Find Your Perfect Match This Valentines!
> >> http://msnuk.match.com/
> >>
> >> **********
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--
Carolyn Guertin, PhD
Director, eCreate Lab
Department of English
University of Texas at Arlington
203 Carlisle Hall, Box 19035
Arlington, TX
USA 76019-0035
http://www.uta.edu/english/ecreate/
(Voice): 817.272.2692 (FAX): 817.272.2718
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