[-empyre-] -empyre- in 2002- a trip down memory lane

[Renate Terese Ferro]

February 3, 2018
Hello Theresa, 
Your comment echoes what Tim Murray, our other long -term moderator here, and I have been hearing from so many of our subscribers.  The tempo of the listserv can move exceedingly too fast.  We all can acknowledge that there are times we just don’t have the time to open and read posts carefully let alone respond to them.  The bio-artist Paul Vanouse shared with me his frustration that he had intended to respond to a fascinating post and by the time he got to writing a week had passed and he felt that his comment was not timely. Alternatively, there are other times when it moves at a snail’s pace or simply remains silent.  Over the years we have become quite comfortable with the pacing that is so inherent in a listserv which is so directly related to the ebbs and flows of those who are participating.  That is also why we often take the months of August and December completely off.  

I want to add that the anxiety of some over responding to a post later in the week or month is not a problem.  Take a look at our archives and you will see that the discussion is organized according to SUBJECT, AUTHOR, THREAD, or DATE.  The THREAD organizational tool allows a reader now or later or organize posts and responses to posts that are delayed.  The only caveat being that we cut off all posts not related to the topic at the end of the month. All of our subscribers are encouraged to respond to posts at any time in the month just be sure subject line in the email is identical to the thread it is in response to.  

You wrote
I prefer Empyre as a listserve. I have gone back through previous
discussions and looked up artists, followed threads and ideas when I
had time. I've gone deeper; the list moves fast for me.

I think that everyone agrees that our archive is the jewel of our online community.  
http://lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/pipermail/empyre/
Since 2002 the University of New South Wales in Australia has generously hosted our history thanks to Melinda Rackham.  Tim Murray and I are also suggesting to our Editorial Board that in the coming year we archive the site at Cornell University as well within the Rose Goldsen Archive of New Media Art.  –empyre- soft-skin space reflects the emergence of technology and how artists and writers use and think through technology.  One of the things our Editorial Board will also be working on is a KEYWORDING system that searches the entire eighteen years of discussion topics and is not just monthly.  

You mentioned FACEBOOK.  To subscribers not following us on Facebook here is the link.  While it is public you must request to actually post directly.  
https://www.facebook.com/groups/empyrelistserv

And on Twitter
https://twitter.com/empyrelistserv

Just a reminder that although  snip its of posts and photos are launched through Facebook and Twitter, the full discussion and its archive can only be accessed by becoming a subscriber through our website.  

Thanks Teresa for responding about how slowness even works today. 
I am about to post a bit about the nuts and bolts of Melinda’s early coding of –empyre-soft-skinned space in a few minutes. 
Renate



Renate Ferro
Visiting Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Art
Tjaden Hall 306
rferro at cornell.edu

On 2/3/18, 11:39 AM, "empyre-bounces at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au on behalf of Theresa Ramseyer" <empyre-bounces at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au on behalf of tlr280mp at gmail.com> wrote:

    ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------
    Evening,
    
    My computer-internet connection is still dial-up. It is unusable for
    the moment, for various reasons. My phone is now my main connection,
    but I can't get everything. Instagram, for example, is always a blank
    page. Many times I'll click on a link and get nowhere.
    
    
    I prefer Empyre as a listserve. I have gone back through previous
    discussions and looked up artists, followed threads and ideas when I
    had time. I've gone deeper; the list moves fast for me.
    
    
    It's much easier to find a post on gmail or yahoo than to dig through Facebook.
    
    
    I know Empyre has a Facebook presence, and Facebook is easy to reach
    on my phone. But besides the searching difficulties, Facebook changes
    their algorithims so often that I keep lists of my "must read" pages
    and communities. It's annoying, to say the least.
    
    Theresa Ramseyer
    _______________________________________________
    empyre forum
    empyre at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
    http://empyre.library.cornell.edu