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SEMS:
ONE FEATURE OF COLAB SCAFFOLDING
1
Work in Progress August 20, 2008 -- 2 draft perspectives of a
critical component of Larry Victor's model of reality which may enable us to
rapidly emerge a nu planetary humanity.2
jorl
- this embryonic theory of sems is probably consistent with your theory of
information reality, beyond materialism, which I must study. Some aspects in
the following came from recent insights resulting from my interactions with you
and deepwater.3
SEM
ENVELOPES4
I know that both emails and websites, when stored as
files, have data that is not normally viewed when reading the site. Even
word-processing documents have data related to the formatting, etc. stored in a
place not normally viewed when reading or writing. I know very little more about this, other
than that search engines can access this data as well as data in the
"body". I don't know what this
is called, but I will call it the envelope of the sem, or esem. The sem being
the semiotic structure of the "body" (whether it be text, graphics,
video, sound or multimedia). I expect the esem, today, is limited to text and
code.5
In the hypermedia core of the emergent virtual world,
the nodes are called a sem within an esem. The esem can be viewed as an
envelope containing the address of the sem within the whole web of the emergent
virtual world [EVW] and other data characterizing the sem among other sems.
6
Whereas a sem can be fixed (no more editing), its'
esem will be continuously changing.7
Some user data will be automatically entered into an
esem whenever the sem is accessed. This may include the path (through other
sems) by the user both before and after accessing the sem. Depending on the nature of the sem, activity
of a user with the sem may also be automatically added to the esem. Through
linkages, the path of the user could be traced back and forward as much as the
data allows.8
Depending on criteria, a user may
block data entering the esem of a sem accessed. However, a balance between
privacy and transparency must be negotiated.9
A user can request to add more data to the esem -- or
the specific tour through the EVW the user has joined may automatically request
the user to add data to the esem. For example, evaluation measures and other
questionnaire-type input from the user. A user could request being asked for
easy-to-use data entry systems for specific needs of the user.10
The overall system should be
designed to make time with the esems as familiar and automatic as
possible. Users should be able to tailor
how the request for esem data is presented and entered. Entry could be by voice, foot pedal,
brainwave, special iconic matrices, etc.
Each user would need to be trained to use this system as "second
nature". This requires a new
attitude towards learning-to-use intelligent tools: that higher levels of
performance requires training and practice - but the gains are well worth the
effort. Driving a car at high speeds in traffic is a very complex skill - most
people can learn this skill because they want to drive.
11
esems will continuously be processed by a multitude
of programs. The data, at any moment,
cannot be altered; but how that data is stored and accessed can be improved and
changed. A backup access to all changes is retained, and can be accessed by
anyone -- but the backup record cannot be modified, although parts may be
tagged to indicate subsequent modifications.12
The relevance of esems is to enable an emergent
virtual world of sems to grow with a semi-stable core - a scaffolding - with
variations accounting for individual differences and alternative perspectives.
Persons and teams can conduct e-tours and e-expeditions, the former heavy on
experiencing and providing feedback, the latter heavy on adding new sems and
alternative versions of sems. e-tours
and e-expeditions could now be offered in Wikipedia as an experiment, and
through any domains of cyberspace. The
history of Wikipedia can inform us of issues in managing a participatory
editing process.13
Today, most persons lock-into routine patterns in
cyberspace -- never learning how truly diverse it is, how potentially
REESEE. Semi passive e-tours, with
activity between watching tv and computer gaming, could become a major
attraction. Done appropriately, this could be a source of resources for
pre-STAR development.14
I believe esems are critical in making a hypermedia
creation/experiencing system that users develop quality fluency and competency,
with quality training - which can be integrated into e-tours and e-expeditions.15
I first learned of hypertext in the early 1980s via Ted Nelson, an early
cyberspace guru.16
Ted's vision was that there would be only one
"established copy" of a sem in cyberspace (although stored virtually
in many locations for security). When that sem is to be included in an doc of
assembled sems, the "established copy" is accessed and a record of
that access is added to the esem of that "established sem". This is
Larry's language, not Ted's. Ted
proposed that the authors of any sem would be acknowledged/rewarded according
to the variables associated with access.
Ted's attempt at his Project Xanadu was never successful - but still provides a
vision of an alternative to the current system we have in the WorldWideWeb.17
Not that Ted's vision should now be implemented - we
know much more. But, we must examine our
current system in terms of "paradigms" that blocks (or makes
difficult) many processes. For example: the desktop paradigm, the
building-construction paradigm for Project Design and Management Apps, the
folder/file paradigm, the email paradigm, the business paradigm for Operating
Systems, the outliner demoted and not integrated with hypertext, the printed page
paradigm, the classroom paradigm for virtual education, the line after line
after line paradigm for text-on-page, the backup paradigms, the outmoded
"intellectual property" paradigms, the "user friendly"
paradigm which blocks levels of competency development, etc. And, most
significantly, the economic market paradigm for hardware and software
development.18
Those deeply involved with intelligent technology
have always created, as best they could, what they needed. Whatever we call them: techies, hackers,
geeks, computer-freaks, etc. -- they create technologies useful for their
needs. The Internet is the exemplar of
this collaborative creativity, as with Open Source, Wikipedia, and other
outstanding ventures. However, many of
these apps are frozen in paradigms comfortable for those deeply involved with
intelligent technology (who usually have wide gaps of appreciation of how those
without their special competencies function) but quite difficult to use by the
novice.19
While on this theme, I must call attention to the
works of Neil Larson in the 1980s. Neil was a maverick in a field of mavericks.
He opposed the mouse and GUI, yet his software creations that augmented
creativity have yet to be duplicated 3-4 decades later. Larson's HOUDINI (a creator of webs of terms)
and MAXTHINK (an outliner that forced re-examination of structures) are not
available today (using our advanced technology). In 1984 Larson created an online hypertext
system (which I used) many years before his concept was employed in the early
DOS version of the WWW. Unfortunately,
Neil could not adapt to the rapid changes in computing and many of those
changes, unfortunately, wiped out a theme of importance for intelligent
technology - how to augment human creativity.20
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_web_browser21
http://www.eatonhand.com/maxthink.htm22
http://www.maxthink.org/indexflash.htm : A windows version of Maxthink is now
available. But it is a new version of Houdini, with multiple types of links
between nodes. that would be most useful.23
I expect that contemporary search engines search the
esems of existing websites, as well as the text in the sem. What we need is a
fresh look at the sem & esem framework, both in terms of diverse users and
those who know the variables involved in creating such systems. This is not a development that will have
immediate market value. After a number of generations of development, a new
cyberspace based on the sem/esem framework might eventually dominate.24
Initially, this system will require considerable
human participation, along with sophisticated automation. We must return to
enjoy repeated routine performance, as needed in the early stages of
innovation. A fetish for automation must be resisted.25
There may be a set of standard formats for sems,
which a user could select to display the sem. Sem creator recommended formats
also available. Standardization could speed processing when using familiar
formats.26
Recommended size of sem -- where all information can
be processes in one sitting with all (or most) active in short-term
memory. User time with a sem will vary
greatly, due to many factors. Some sems will require "guides" for
some users, to be determined by users processing patterns and the profile of
the user (this could be viewed as an envelope for the user).27
This feature of a nu cyberspace cannot stand alone.
There are many other features needing development, in synergy, with this
feature.
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