Re: Syndicate: sharing a good IDEA

[Annick Bureaud <bureaud@altern.org>]

Hi,

After Pit Schultz mail, may be I need to give some information here about
IDEA. IDEA started as a paper edition in 90. It went online in 96 and at the
beginning of 98 I decided to stop the printed version for reasons of costs
mainly.


>
>
> my question is how such personal data is organized.

The structure of the info can be understood from the online version. Basically
IDEA lists people (artists, researchers, theoreticians), institutions and
periodicals throughout the world. Then key words are attached to them so that
you can make direct search. The key words have evolved with the evolution of
the field itself. You can also make a "full text" search which then includes
the description of the activities and in a way is more open. THere is also and
of course a possibility of search through countries and local areas.

Who is listed in IDEA and how the selection is made :
- it is the players active in the whole field of art, science and technology
(and not only net art)
- I base the work on a) what I know, b) a network of "correspondents"
throughout the world who, from times to times, give me new info that I may not
know. So, of course it is never comprehensive.
- when I started IDEA it was the only directory of its kind (including stuff
with an international scope and crossing the boundaries between disciplines.
At that time you had directory of video, computer graphics and animation,
computer music, local directories in a country but nothing cross-boarders of
any kind).
- my intention was never to replace anything but to provide a useful tool to
anybody interested (for that I need more PR and info about IDEA and I don't
always have the time to do it). So, if another comprehensive directory exists
on a subject or a country, then I refer to it instead of reproducing the data.
IDEA is a selection and has always been that. But it is a selection that helps
to go deeper and further. With the online version, I will be able, in the
links section, to redirect more easily to other databases. Let say IDEA is the
general directory and other directory are more specialized (like in medecine
if you undertand my comparison from my bad english).

> (another question
> would be who pays for the work) an extended membership
> data base gives certain options for contextualizing data, and regulating
> the access between public, and semi-public (only for subscribers), this
> gives the data a certain locality.

>From the begining I have wanted to maintain the access free (when it was on
paper it was at a low cost) because for some artists it is hard to pay even a
little bit. And I want to go on like that. The problem is how I get money for
my work on it and for its costs (the server is free for me). In a way this is
my problem...The only solution I have found so far is a) grants from the
public institution. The hard copy got grants from the ministry of culture, the
online version is totally ignored by them and b) "partnership" with other
institutions worldwide in the field (like the one with Leonardo) where in
exchange I can offer a banner on the site. Except with Leonardo this has not
worked so far ...:-) ... but I am very bad in getting money...

> but it would be useless if this locality would get again a central one
> without standing in relation to other local data-bases.

I am not the "big brother" centralising everything, I just try to offer a
product/tool that can be useful (first and foremost for me :-)), so, again if
there are other databases available now I will be glad to refer to them with
links. Just such databases are just raising since the development of the
Internet, before there was nearly nothing. Basically institutions put online
their databases that they would not put on paper before. And usually it is
restricted to a group for its uses.

>
>
> so called  "balkanisation" and "babylonization" are well known effects
> of proprietary data base formats. maybe there shouldn't be no 'owner'
> of such a collection of personal data. maybe there shouldn't be a
> commercial use of it. (see what is happening with telephone books..
> vs. the spam data bases of direct marketing, there is a whole online
> business which is exploiting collections of personal/collective user
> profiles)

About "owner" : I think it is important that users know what database they are
using : ISEA, V2, mine, etc. It gives them the orientation of the data that
are in as everybody has got an axis and also because I don't think that it is
possible to have an accurate comprehensive database on the whole field.

Selling : The only files I have sold were to festivals or conferences in the
field that wanted to do a mailing to advocate on their event and usually it is
done in the way of an exchange and not of money. From the online version you
can do it even without asking me, so ...

>
>
> but with such centralisation
> it's time to begin to activly think about models which provide better
> access and navigation for outsiders (of the general public)
> as well as keeping "our" heterogenous networked environment vital.

God, centralisation will never happen. It is too huge. and the environment
will always be heterogenous.

Well, I  hope that now you have a more clear idea of what IDEA is and how it
is structure and of my aim.
Best
Annick Bureaud

--
Annick Bureaud (bureaud@altern.org)
--------------------------------------
57, rue Falguiere - 75015 Paris France
tel : 33/143 20 92 23 - fax : 33/143 22 11 24
IDEA online : http://nunc.com
OLATS : http://www.cyberworkers.com/Leonardo