Sarah Miller
Among the concerns about electronic networking is whether the WISENET Journal will continue. The WISENET Journal is seen as a quality publication that should be maintained, whatever other changes occur in WISENET. In December 1995, the Sydney WISENET Group requested that the WISENET Journal should not be freely available on the Internet for at least 12 months after publication. They suggested that parts of the Journal and/or the Table of Contents could be used as "advertising on the Internet" for WISENET.
The World Wide Web is what some people think of as the Internet, probably because all facets of the Internet can be reached from a Web page with the right software. I like to think of the Web as a library of reference and advertising information.
WISENET's Web page is located on a computer at the University of Technology, Sydney. Its address is http://www.maths.uts.edu.au/staff/eric/wisenet/ wisenet.htm
This is a temporary site and we are currently negotiating with CSIRO to have them host WISENET on the Web.
Web editor's note: the WISENET Web site moved in late 1998 to a computer at the University of Sydney. Its address now is: http://www.usyd.edu.au/wisenet/
Mailing lists are e-mail networks that allow communication within the group of people subscribed to the list. Software is required to control the administrative functions of the mailing list, so a home is required for the list. (Most e-mail users can set up some type of group list which allows them to send a single message to a number of people.)
One of the key issues that WISENET needs to resolve is who could subscribe to our mailing list. Is it only for financial WISENET members? Can people or groups with interests similar to WISENET join? The other key issues are: What does WISENET want a mailing list for? Is it to be a bulletin board where only the owner sends out messages? Or is it to be a discussion list where any subscriber can send messages to all other subscribers? The answers to these issues may affect where a mailing list can be based.
With respect to who could join a WISENET mailing list, we would like to expand to have a stronger voice in the national political arena. WISENET is trying to position itself as an umbrella organisation for other women in science groups. While it would be great if these other women decided to join WISENET, this can not be assumed. It would be convenient if WISENET could keep in touch with these groups via an e-mail network, making a mailing list open to non-financial WISENET members.
My experience has been that the volume of traffic makes a big difference to the success of an e-mail network. The users fall into two categories with very different outlooks: those who have their own connections to the Internet and pay real money for the privilege, and those connected through a workplace system, who have no direct costs. For people who pay real money for using the Internet, lots of unwanted messages take space to be stored before they are read and take time to be read. Both space and time can be a waste of money.
Electronic conferencing is possible with Usenet, a system of Internet newsgroups. This is where the "chatting" takes place. To log on, your host computer must be a Usenet newsreader and you need to have the right software on your personal computer.
Electronic conferencing may be a unique way of getting together. It is often difficult for WISENET members to get together because they live in remote locations, they can't get away from work early enough, or they have committments at home. It may be possible for members to log onto a Usenet list at a prearranged time and have a set discussion topic or just chat.
The WISENET Web site will be moved to a permanent home as soon as possible.
The issues about the mailing lists will be put to WISENET's Electronic Networking Committee. At present, electronic conferencing has not progressed beyond the "good idea" stage.
You can help the Electronic Networking Committee and the Central Link team by sending in your e-mail address. There is space for it on the renewal form!
And do let us know what you think about the issues raised in this article, whether or not you have access to e-mail.