grad school paper about the ZBB

[Vardelm]

At the ripe old age of 47, I have gone back to grad school and just completed my first semester this past week. With a 40+ hour/week job, a 1-hour commute 1 way to work, a 1.25 hour commute from work to school 1x/week, and 2 classes, it was a rather busy fall. However, I enjoyed it immensely. I'm going to Michigan State for the media & information masters, which I usually describe as "digital media".

One of my classes this semester was "Media & Information Technologies in Organizations". Part of the content was looking at online communities, knowledge management, social media, and communities of practice. For the second paper for the class, I wrote about the ZBB and how it can be looked at from each of those angles. As such I thought I would post it here just in case anyone was interested. An in-class presentation was required as well, so a file of the slides is linked as well, although it's basically the same content.

The Zompist Bulletin Board
Viewing a discussion forum as an online community, knowledge
management, social media, and community of practice

Presentation: The ZBB as online community, etc.

The professor has expressed some interest in working with me to develop this a little more and perhaps publish at the SSRN (Social Science Research Network), and I may actually take up that offer.

It was a fun paper to write, and maybe some of you will find it at least moderately interesting.

[Curlyjimsam]

Very interesting.

Your occasional comments on the history of the board made me think that it would be nice if someone could put together a full history sometime, possibly (if they were feeling particularly ambitious) in the context of a history of the internet conlanging community as a whole.

[Raphael]

@Vardelm: Nice and interesting paper!

Your occasional comments on the history of the board made me think that it would be nice if someone could put together a full history sometime, possibly (if they were feeling particularly ambitious) in the context of a history of the internet conlanging community as a whole.

I have my doubts about that. I worry that it might re-open old wounds, or tempt people to re-litigate old arguments.

[alice]

@Vardelm: Nice and interesting paper!

Your occasional comments on the history of the board made me think that it would be nice if someone could put together a full history sometime, possibly (if they were feeling particularly ambitious) in the context of a history of the internet conlanging community as a whole.

I have my doubts about that. I worry that it might re-open old wounds, or tempt people to re-litigate old arguments.

Plus, there are certain individuals from the past whom I'm sure we'd prefer to forget, not least that annoying expletive who kept changing usernames and avatars every few days...

[Vardelm]

Thanks! I am actually a bit surprised (and thrilled!) that at least a few people found it a worthwhile read.

...a history of the internet conlanging community as a whole.

While that is a tempting thought, I think Alice & Raphael are right that it's probably best left alone. I included a section on the issues we had here several years ago because it was a great example of having to regulate behavior in online communities, which was a main topic of one of the articles I was citing. I tried to keep that description to a minimum, though, since I don't think that episode should define the ZBB. In any event, I think the ZBB is in a better place now with that in the past.