First Monday August 2005

Dear Reader,

The August 2005 issue of First Monday (volume 10, number 8) is now
available at http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/

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Table of Contents

Volume 10, Number 8 - August 1st 2005

A proposal for an open content licence for research paper (Pr)ePrints
by Roger Clarke
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/clarke/

Abstract:
Many academic papers that are to be submitted to refereed conferences and
journals have been previously exposed to the author's colleagues. The term
'preprints' has long been used to describe such documents. 'Departmental
Working Paper' series were for many years a conventional vehicle for their
publication. In the modern world, preprints are frequently transmitted
electronically, variously as e–mail attachments and as files available for
download via FTP or HTTP.

When a preprint is made available electronically, it is likely that the
author provides the recipient not only with a copy, but also with a
copyright licence. In most cases, however, the licence is only implicit,
and the terms of the licence are unclear. This creates the potential for
considerable uncertainties, and those uncertainties are of serious concern
in the context of tension between for–profit publishers of refereed
articles and the research communities that referee and edit them gratis,
and depend on them for early access to information.

This paper briefly reviews the open content and ePrints movements,
considers the interests of the various stakeholders, proposes a set of
licence terms intended to satisfy the needs of all parties, and concludes
that a particular Creative Commons licence type should be applied to all
electronic preprints.

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Diffusion pattern of Linux: An assessment on major technology dimensions
by Nir Kshetri
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/kshetri/

Abstract:
This paper attempts to gain an understanding of the diffusion dynamics of
Linux by assessing it on Rogers' technology dimensions — relative
advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and trialability. The
analysis makes clear that Linux possesses greater relative advantage than
its proprietary competitors because of its low cost, lower susceptibility
to bugs and crashes, resilience to obsolescence, ability to run on older
machines and higher perceived security. Linux is facing compatibility
problems with applications, hardware and other corporate resources;
suppliers' and customers' technologies; and, skills of current and
potential employees. Extreme configurability and user unfriendly
interface; limited support and staff knowledge; and, potential hazard of
forking into competing versions have been some major sources of Linux's
complexity. Linux seems to have a reasonably good performance on
observability and trialability dimensions. The paper concludes by offering
some suggestions on how to accelerate the diffusion of Linux among
software developers, national governments and international agencies.

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Using the Internet to reduce market risk for alternative energy sources:
The case of large-scale solar photovoltaic production
by Joshua M. Pearce
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/pearce/

Abstract:
Although tremendous progress has been made in improving the conversion of
sunlight into electricity with solar photovoltaic cells, their widespread
adoption is primarily limited by high costs. This paper explores the use
of the Internet as a catalyst for the diffusion of solar photovoltaic
technology by reducing market risk. With market risk minimized by a
database generated by a community of pledged consumers, solar cell
companies would be motivated to construct a "Solar City Factory." Such a
factory would produce solar panels that would enable systems costs to drop
below US$1 per Watt and thus be less expensive than fossil fuels in
providing bulk electricity. This price would have a positive–spiral effect
encouraging many consumers to switch to solar electricity and transition
the global energy infrastructure to renewable solar energy.

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The unacknowledged convergence of open source, open access, and open science
by John Willinsky
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/willinsky/

Abstract:
A number of open initiatives are actively resisting the extension of
intellectual property rights. Among these developments, three prominent
instances — open source software, open access to research and scholarship,
and open science — share not only a commitment to the unrestricted
exchange of information and ideas, but economic principles based on (1)
the efficacy of free software and research; (2) the reputation–building
afforded by public access and patronage; and, (3) the emergence of a
free–or–subscribe access model. Still, with this much in common, the
strong sense of convergence among these open initiatives has yet to be
fully realized, to the detriment of the larger, common issue. By drawing
on David's (2004; 2003; 2000; 1998) economic work on open science and
Weber's (2004) analysis of open source, this paper seeks to make that
convergence all the more apparent, as well as worth pursuing, by those
interested in furthering this alternative approach, which would treat
intellectual properties as public goods.

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Adoption of information technology by Greek journalists: A case study
by Andreas Veglis, George Tsourvakas, Andreas Pomportsis, and Evagelia Avraam
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/veglis/

Abstract:
The information age has created many challenges for every profession. In
the case of journalism the introduction of information technology has
altered considerably various aspects of the profession. Today various
computerized sources are regularly being used in media organizations. This
paper investigates the adoption of information technology by Greek
journalists. The study focuses on journalists working in local newspapers.

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Virtually there: Travelling with new media
by Peter B. White and Naomi Rosh White
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/white/

Abstract:
This paper examines the uses of mobile, fixed telephone and Internet–based
communication by travellers and the implications of that use for the
experience of travel. For most of the respondents, continued communication
with their networks of contacts back home were integral to their travel
experience, allowing them to maintain an ongoing symbolic proximity or
co–presence with people with whom they shared a common history. Travellers
make clear distinctions between the uses, benefits and drawbacks of
phones, texting and Internet–based communication. The continuation of
intense communication between travellers and non–travellers suggests that
people 'back home' and the travellers are involved in forms of 'virtual
travel'.

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Sooner or later we will melt together: Framing the digital in the everyday
by David Beer
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/beer/

Abstract:
Digital technologies are increasingly pervading our everyday lives. Many
of our everyday practices involve the appropriation of digital
technologies. The aim of this piece is to discuss two central issues
surrounding this digitalisation of everyday life: (i) what constitutes
digital culture?; and, (ii) how do digital technologies transform
ownership? These questions are considered in this work with the intention
of creating a benchmark from which future explorative (empirical) case
studies can be developed. The central argument of the piece is that the
study of digital technologies should be framed within everyday life. In
other words, the study of digital technologies should be redefined as the
study of the digitalisation of everyday life.

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Characteristics, uniqueness and overlap of information sources linked from
North American public library Web sites
by Chandra Prabha and Raymond D. Irwin
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/prabha/

Abstract:
This article reports on the availability, domain distribution, percentage
of Web sites versus Web pages, perceived value, and category of 31,400
Web–based resources selected by 50 public libraries in the United States
and Canada. Eighty–seven percent of these resources were available, 60
percent were Web pages, and resources selected by 20 percent of the
sampled libraries were finding tools such as general or subject specific
search engines. Ninety–three percent of the resources were selected by
just one of the 50 libraries; only 17 percent of the resources appeared to
be primarily of local interest. The public may be unaware of these unique
resources. The public library community must develop programs to increase
the awareness and sharing of these evaluated resources.

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From genesis to revelation of an online resource: The North Carolina
History and Fiction Digital Library
by Elizabeth H. Smith
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/smith/

Abstract:
This paper provides an account of the development of the North Carolina
History and Fiction Digital Library
(http://www.lib.ecu.edu/ncc/historyfiction/) from an idea into a worldwide
resource in two years. The principal investigator for the project
introduces the Web site and gives practical and technical information that
can be used as a model in other digital projects. The paper includes use
statistics; reactions to the site; suggestions for how students,
historians, genealogists, and other researchers can use the site; and
plans for enhancements.

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Book reviews
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_8/reviews/

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