This dissertation, completed in 1990, is a deep ethnographic study of what, at that time, was still an emerging new medium of communication, computer conferencing. It is divided into five sections: an introduction (four chapters), an overview of the theory of "medium as process" that emerged from the participant observation (six chapters), the participant observation (12 chapters), discussion and conclusions (2 chapters), and some appendices (5 appendices).
The original print version also included a preface and credits. This hypermedia version, which is true to the original in most respects (only the hypermedia links represent a significant change from the original text) contains an addional preface.
An introduction to computer conferencing , its characteristics, and the difficulties of studying it exclusively as either an interpersonal or mass medium. The study is focused on two primary questions. (1) What is the structure, use, and practice of computer conferencing on IBMPC? (2) What is the nature of IBMPC as an instance of a communication media? The IBMPC Computer Conferencing facility is introduced as an instance of an interpersonal mass medium.
Overviews the methods used in the study, including participant observation, archival data analysis, participant surveys (and associated data analysis), and numerical taxonomy.
Introduces the theory of "Medium as Process" that is presented in this study. A discussion of problems in existing distinctions of "channel" and "medium" is concluded with a new distinction of channel and medium that defines channel as one of many components that form the constituents of a medium. Medium is then defined in terms of the interrelationships of four groups of such constituents -- mediators, characteristics, effects, and practices -- that form a "Grammar of Media". Taken together, the elements of this grammar form a model of the ways that media are invented and evolve.
A review of relevant literature, organized by the grammar of media. Fairly limited literatures of mediators , characteristics, and practices are identified and reviewed. The seminal works in the field, including Hiltz and Turoff, Johansen, Vallee, and Spengler, and Kerr and Hiltz, are all fundamentally oriented to effects, as is most subsequent and recent literature.
"Mediators" are the often invisible constituent elements with which a medium of communication is constructed. Their are five principle types of mediator. Carriers transport messages through space. , Memories transport messages through time. Switches allow for various choices to be made in the transport of messages, and determine where, when, and if a message is delivered to a particular person. Filters alter messages and/or their delivery during transmission. Interfaces provide the means by which people create and access messages.
Overviews the nature of media characteristics and introduces a characteristic-based informal typology of media that illustrates the problem computer conferencing presents to the current organization of the field of communication.
Discusses the term "effects" through a differentiation of two principle effect types: applications and outcomes. Applications are, in general, the things people try to do with media. Outcomes are often unexpected and frequently undesirable effects of such use. Participants seek, in general, to maximize the applications of media while minimizing undesirable outcomes. This is done, most often, through practices that shape media to meet its participants needs. The relationship between characteristics and effects is discussed in considerable detail along with hypotheses concerning the effect typological similarity with other media may have on a medium's prospects for success.
Presents of formal typology of fifty-two media. This typology is generated through techniques associated with numerical taxonomy. In this case cluster analysis is combined with factor analysis to produce six clusters of media that can be depicted within three dimensions. Although computer media, including computer conferencing, do not form a distinct cluster, all trend toward the middle ground between media, supporting the notion that computer media facilitate combinations of mass and interpersonal media characteristics that have not been possible in prior media.
Tests the formal typology in a survey of user perceptions of computer conferencing and six other media. The results are highly consistent with the formal typology. Most notable among these results is the placement of the two computer media, electronic mail and computer conferencing, in the middle ground between interpersonal and mass media.
Discusses the primary agent through which participants adapt media to meet their needs: practice. Practices are social innovations which sometimes define our perceptions and use of media. Two forms of practice are discussed. Outcome driven practice is generally negotiated and enforced through formal and informal rules. Application driven practice is generally achieved and maintained through a process of emulation of effective behavior. The nature of practice and its effects on the evolution of media is illustrated though a non-media example: the hammer. This chapter introduces key ideas that are illustrated repeatedly through the rest of the study as the evolution of IBMPC's software, benefits, rules, problems, and genres of communication practice is discussed.
Overviews the precursors, initial adaptations, and subsequent growth of IBMPC from its origins in the announcement of the IBM Personal Computer. The mediators that enable IBMPC, including VNET and TOOLS are introduced. A variety of key enhancements to IBMPC's mediators, including subscriptions, shadows, forum following tools, pruning, and append modification, are presented. Other topics include spin-offs of additional conference disks and the evolution of specialized vocabularies and append structures as IBMPC's users adapted the medium to their needs.
A detailed examination of a single computer conferencing event encompassing five computer conference appends and four pieces of electronic mail.
A discussion of the nature of "A Simple Query". Contrasts are made to a variety of analogous genres derived from existing media, including slow conversation, fast correspondence, "Instant" Classifieds, and Citizens Band "Dear Abby". None prove adequate to describing the event, which is given the name "computer mediated query". In the midst of the discussion, the "Knots of the Information Age" are presented.
Distinguishes an additional nine genres of use that have been observed repeatedly on IBMPC, including answers files, polar debate, electronic focus groups, voluntary newsletters, on-line users groups, interactive software development, electronic seminars, meta-forums, and lightening rods. These genres are discussed relative to the two general uses of IBMPC that are valued by IBMPC participants, discussion and information.
Discusses the formal and informal rules of the IBMPC computer conferencing facility. The origins of IBMPC's formal rules, including IBMPC's first rules and existing company rules are overviewed. Specialized forum rules are discussed along with the concept of the lightening rod forum. The nature of IBMPC's informal rules are presented along with the mechanisms by which they are proposed and negotiated. The primary mechanism of such negotiation on IBMPC, the meta-forum, is discussed in considerable detail.
Discusses both the formal and informal means by which the rules of IBMPC are enforced, including the four primary "powers" that can be brought to bear in resolving problems, including expression, erasure, denial, and management action. Key topics of discussion include problematic rules and boundary conditions and the role of the IBMPC reviewer.
Discusses participant perceptions of the problems currently associated with IBMPC, including inadequate access and unrestrained discussion. The major focus, in this chapter, however, is "the problem with problems" as a focus for studying new media. Problems, on IBMPC, have proved to be a moving target, with problems often setting the stage for solutions that make the problem go away. Other "problems with problems" are discussed, including the balancing of problems, incorrect assignment of more general problems to a medium, and the inherent instability of problems relative to benefits.
Using the results of a special forum, IBMPC BENEFITS, and two formal surveys, discusses participant perceptions of the benefits associated with using IBMPC. Specific areas of benefit discussed include obtaining software and support, obtaining IBM and Job Related knowledge, obtaining information, changes to the way people do their jobs, enhancement of ones circle of contacts, improvements to IBM's products and services, and some personal benefits.
A moving depiction of a highly distinctive IBMPC communication event: SHUTTLE FORUM, a short lived forum that grew as an IBM employee response to the Challenger disaster. Documents the exceptional nature of the event and the evolution of forum content as initial disbelief was followed by confirmation, hope, hopelessness, grief, and a sense of community among IBM employee's around the world. Should be read from the beginning, and with a handkerchief handy (It still brings the author to tears).
Discusses the potential for socio-emotional expression in computer conferencing that is demonstrated in SHUTTLE FORUM. The forum is presented as exemplary of an eleventh genre of computer conference interaction, the computer-mediated memorial service.
Considers the potential of computer conferencing to act as the center of distributed electronic communities of interest. Draws on survey data in which IBMPC participants assess their integration with five contrasting communities of interest.
Examines the relative use of a variety of media by IBMPC participants. Among the more interesting findings: Computer conferencing and electronic mail are now frequently selected in preference to correspondence and telephone conversations.
Reviews the key findings of the dissertation. Discusses the nature of computer conferencing as observed on IBMPC. Documents computer conferencing's status as a mass interpersonal medium. Ties the experience of the evolution of IBMPC, as documented in chapters 11- 22, to the theory of media as process as presented in chapters 3 and 5-10.
Concludes the dissertation with speculation and a final review of the study. Probable future developments in the continuing evolution of computer conferencing are discussed. Computer conferencing's prospects are projected. The strengths and limitations of the study are assessed. The principle conclusions of the study are discussed.
A rendition (the words are the same, but the formatting differs) of the 1986 IBMPC user survey. This survey was actually administered electronically in all but a few cases. The survey asked IBMPC users about themselves, their jobs, their computer use, and their use of the IBMPC computer conferencing facility, including the value of various elements of the IBMPC conferencing experience, the benefits of conferencing, and future development priorities.
A rendition, as above, of the 1988 IBMPC user survey, which was actually administered electronically in all but a few cases. Like the 1986 survey asked IBMPC users about themselves, their jobs, their computer use, and their use of the IBMPC computer conferencing facility, including the value of various elements of the IBMPC conferencing experience and the benefits of conferening. In addition, it asked users about their media use, the communities they participate in, and the characteristics of a variety of communication media.
Reviews some demographic information describing the typical IBMPC user, including both general demographic information (age, sex, language skills), and measures of computer use (including time spent computing). These results are drawn from the 1986 and 1988 surveys of IBMPC users.
Briefly describes and operationalizes 12 observable characteristics of media, including both transmission and audience characteristics. Transmission characteristics include measures of speed, distance, persistence, and several measures of bandwidth. Applied to 52 media in creating the formal typology in chapter 8.
Brief overview descriptions of 52 media, including traditional , technologically-mediated, and computer-mediated human communication systems. These media are featured in the formal typology in chapter 8.