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InformationMagnet

See InformationRadiator

Perhaps (good) Wiki, Blogs, and forums should be classified as InformationMagnet -- they work by pulling people with desirable information that leads (some) people to seek them out. The difference between and InformationRadiator and an InformationMagnet is that an InformationMagnet preaches to the choir. People who visit them are mostly already insiders. On the other hand, an InformationRadiator attracts both insiders and outsiders.

There's nothing wrong with discussions among the insiders -- I wouldn't pass up SHAPE for the world -- but their influence is necessarily more indirect. --BobLee 2003.04.17

What do you think of as an InformationMagnet?

Maybe I'm being to literal here. Magnets are funny things. They attract certain materials; they repulse certain materials, and they dont' do anything with other materials. An information magnet attracts certain information, repulses certain information, and doesn't do anything with other types of information.

I don't know about this.

A radiator, let's consider a radiator type of heater, sends out heat to anyone who passes by. Someone or something else first sends the heat to the radiator. The radiator has a necessary input and then an output to anyone who comes near.

I can understand the InformationRadiator concept. I'm struggling with the information magnet idea.

DwaynePhillips 18 April 2003

They seem more like nucleation sites for similar memes

CharlesAdams 18 April 2003

Charles, I don't understand what you wrote here. Can you explain? JohannaRothman 2003.04.24

Johanna,

Nucleation is from the verb nucleate meaning: to form a nucleus, to act as a nucleus; or to begin to form. Meme is derived from the Greek: mimeme from mimma , something imitated, from mimeisthai , to imitate. Meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene and means an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.

Examples of nucleation sites include: a dust mote which allows a rain drop to form, the original WikiWikiWeb created by Ward Cunningham where extreme programming enthusiasts group together, and the AYE Conference where we will gather together and learn.

Examples of memes include: extreme programming; experiential learning; and I suppose, the AYE conference?!

I thought of this combination of words from being a science fiction enthusiast for thirty-eight years (memes) and from being a physics student at Harvey Mudd College (nucleation). I am not up to date on the latest fads of science fiction, but memes were all over the place in fandom for quite a while. CharlesAdams 2003.04.24

Magnets will only work at close range. A lot of computer-based information systems are like this. Unless you go to the computer and call up the program or page with the information (i.e. move yourself within range) it won't have any effect on you at all. Once you are there, as Dwayne points out, the information may attract, repulse, or do nothing for you.

StephenNorrie 2003.04.28