In this post and its thread of comments, I invite discussion about the nature of the “palimpsest” as a cognitive artifact as well as the relationship between annotation traditions and the media and technology that support them: from cave walls and manuscripts to wikis, blogs, and discussion boards on the read-write Web.
Comments can be drawn from the respective topic headings in my Palimpsest online article (where Idea Post links lead you here) or introduced as general comments about this topic area.
Thanks for sharing your ideas about this topic,
Doc
Hi, Doc here with a comment to get things started.
I would like to know your thoughts about what would be the best Web-based software application to support the commentary on the Palimpsest article and/or its ideas about annotation in general.
Do you like the use of blog posting, or would you prefer a wiki, discussion board, or some other type of software to support discussion of this kind?
In reply to the main post, I also welcome your thoughts about the article, its topics, and any ideas you have about an “electronic palimpsest†in the tradition of ancient manuscripts (but where everyone gets to read and write about it and you don’t have to knock on a castle door). 😉
Thanks for sharing,
Doc
To comment on the use of a blog, wiki, or discussion board, I’d prefer to use a blog or discussion board as the records of what is written cannot be as easily modified as a wiki.
The wiki seems to transient if you’re looking to actually record a discussion. The use of a moderator or approver to control edits to the wiki page would be needed.
Hi Dave,
At this point I tend to agree with you on the use of a blog or discussion board instead of a wiki in terms of preserving commentary to the Palimpsest article.
The added advantage of a blog may be its familiarity to many users as well as its syndicating nature that can send feeds for entries or comments throughout the “blogoshpere†as a way to widen participation.
However, to support commentary to the Palimpsest article as a true palimpsest, a wiki would allow for the “rubbed over†property of a palimpsest (that allows subsequent annotators to re-work existing commentary – or the original article).
What I may consider is an additional commentary space based on a wiki and see how the blog and wiki develop separately in terms of acceptance and use. I wonder what anyone thinks about that proposal?
Many thanks for your helpful reply,
Doc
I think sending a clever e-mail around would get great response. I have seen e-mails that prompt the user to place a candle, learn about a new health risk or help, and other issues. These e-mails get around.
Of course, I’m new to blogs, but using this one makes me more enthusiastic about the venue in general.
Cindy
That was very interesting and fun. I enjoyed the limited amount of time I spent on the site (only cause it’s late and I have things to do).
Again, as a parent and possibly older than some of the class, I see this as a further problem for getting our kids off of the couch or the computer chair and outside doing something. I think that it is very great for learning but now that I am in the health “industry” (not just tatoo removals), it saddens me to see so many obese people. The more cool and interesting things that they can do on their rear ends, the bigger those rears will get.
Maybe you could design something fun that could work on a treadmill or stationary bike. Better than the stuff they have now – as in learning and not just TV or some bike path you pretend to follow.
That would make me very happy.