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Words and phrases...

"Procrustean design" - cutting off feet to make the body fit the coffin.

"I decided I've entered P-ville and not worry about what we would do today."

"Steve, you just learned what Gallileo learned: the universe doesn't revolve around you."

Suggested topics:

History of SHAPE

Impostors board

Feedback to Jerry on SHAPE topics, etc... backlog. Nap Bead game - iterative development Frank Lloyd Wright sights / sites Test First Pair Programming Walks Practice / Design simulations Readers of Shape Hustling Shape books Why you joined SHAPE, what you get out of it? Phillips Centurion Project - unscrupulous consultants - Coercive "change management" seminar. Types of cults List of what makes a cult.

Going to an EST seminar - Jerry and Dani. He had to fill out a form that had the question "Why do you want to go?" His answer ("Because my friends said I should go.") was not considered adequate, so he didn't go.

SHAPE history:

History of technology and social effects. Email... how would it affect communication, and communities? Intentional Communities. Jerry's guiding phrase "it (society) doesn't have to be this way". Jerry encouraged Dani (?) to go into anthropology. Theory that computers could make possible different kinds of communities. Railroads created standard time zones. Long before SHAPE there was CompuServe and its Forums. Jerry was asked to facilitate a forum. He met Sue Peterson and Steve Smith and others online. Jerry ran two forums for a few years and learned and got some ideas about what was wrong with them. Did not enjoy flamers. There was a tool that could lock people out. There was a stalker harassing women on the forums he wrote: "If I had something to say you better listen to it." Sue write "Don't I have a choice?" He wrote: "You WILL listen to it." He posted private email to the women, and tells stories about in public forums about rape being what a women needed. The fact that he lived in Australia comforted some. Another bad guy might have been 12 and 13 years old. Fabian Pascal had no social filters, though capable of writing a good book on databases. As moderator, Jerry sent email to Fabian (and his cohorts) to convince him that he was making a fool of himself and Fabian moved to another forum. This convinced Jerry that we need boundaries in computer forums -- like being able to keep unwanted intruders out of your home.

Intentional communities showed that you need control over entrance (and exit?) of the communities. Demonstrated in 60's when people took advantage of free food, drugs, etc.

1. People would not pay $5 a month to abuse people. ($60/year)
2. All email would go through a moderator.

Sometimes Jerry suggests that someone's (rants) are too long -- they don't get responses. He has not had to censor anyone. He does correct the Canadian's spelling -- and others' spelling or grammar errors. Sometimes Re-paragraphing long paragraphs... no complaints yet.

Amana (kitchen appliances) and Oneida (silverware) were once intentional communities. Their towns can still be visited and studied.

"How despotic do you have to be to run a successful forum?"

Lots of free forums are still rambling and dealing with people's infantile needs.

"My ability to experience is magnified 100 times when people write about it."

1984 - SEM - (CompuServe) Eileen Strider originated that she felt like an impostor with a title -- pretending to a corporate executive. Dani had also mentioned that feeling years before. A book was published "The Impostor Syndrome". Eileen created a private forum on CompuServe - entrance to forum by invitation only. The name Impostors Forum resonated with many and was chosen. But there was no good way to get new people into it -- it was parasitic on other forums. Jerry didn't like having to choose those who would be "anointed".

Lurkers:At first, Jerry was very bothered by people who joined SHAPE who didn't post, just being a reader. Faciliators say things like "Frank, you haven't said anything yet" which makes the assumption that people can't speak for themselves. Jerry realized that people were not asking for their money back. They were adults. Then he worried that some people were not renewing... "they didn't love us". (Lois tries to remind people to renew, but don't worry too much about it.)

Jerry got addicted to Impostor Forum / SHAPE -- looking forward to what the people say every day.

Biography of John Stuart Mill: He wrote he wasn't that smart, but he could get things done by associating with the smartest people he could find.

This kind of forum is making history, and bring us together face to face also is making history.

Jerry's little responses let the writer (and readers) know that someone is "listening" (like face-to-face nodding of heads).

Ken's book reviews are on SHAPE articles pages. AYE wiki allowed people to dialog about the books. A Thread went on and on....

Curator-ship -- pointing people to good stuff -- wisdom, artworks. Jerry says -- point people away from stuff.

"Anti book review" -- stuff you would waste your time on.

Satir -- "pointing people away from stuff is entangling yourself with themselves"

Stiles Roberts took digital photos of all at SHAPE day, the shots may emerge somewhere soon. Stay tuned!

--BobLee 2002.11.12