John Muir Conservation Centre on the Internet (JMCCI) - Update #2
Contents
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1 Introduction
2 JMCCI Mailing List
3 JMCCI Web Server
4 Dunbar's John Muir Association
1 Introduction
--------------
This is the second in a fairly {ir}regular series of follow-ups to an
original posting I made in late March/early April. The first posting
outlined tentative proposals for the establishment of a John Muir
Centre (JMC) in his birthplace of Dunbar, Scotland.
The general aims of the JMC project are to:
* promote a greater appreciation of John Muir as the Scottish pioneer
of nature conservation;
* spread the global conservation philosophy of John Muir's love of wild
land to a local, national and international audience;
* establish a physical centre in Muir's birthplace of Dunbar to further
the above aims.
My contribution to the project was to investigate/incorporate an
Internet presence in any development at this type so that John Muir's
conservation message could be made available on a global basis. I
actively encouraged everyone who saw the original posting to send me
an e-mail message of (at least) 'I saw the posting' nature to provide
concrete evidence of the potential of this form of communication
medium.
As a result, over 300 messages of support have been received so far and
several developments have subsequently taken place on the Internet
aspects of the project.
Firstly, a mailing list has been set up to keep everyone with an
interest in this concept abreast of developments. There are currently
over 220 subscribers to this list.
Secondly, a 'proof of concept' Web service has been set up to promote
the John Muir Centre and to demonstrate the potential of this
technology.
Further details of the background to this proposal, including copies of
the originals postings, etc., can be accessed via the mailing list and
the Web service, details of which are given below.
2 JMCCI Mailing List
--------------------
A mailing list, jmcci-pilot, has been set up at <mailbase.ac.uk>.
Non-subscribers can access the background files to the project and
archives of the mailings. However, I would encourage and welcome
everyone with an interest in John Muir and/or conservation to
subscribe to the list. The more people that join the better since
this is the prime way to demonstrate the potential of the Internet to
the sceptics. Here are brief details:
Remit:
A forum for researchers/practitioners of environmental/conservation
policy to contribute to the planning/collation of resources and
establishing a (virtual) conservation centre in the name of John
Muir. Internet is to be used as a core technology for access to such
resources on a global scale.
To join:
Send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the following body:
join jmcci-pilot <firstname(s)> <lastname>
stop
To retrieve an index:
Send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the following body:
index jmcci-pilot
stop
To retrieve a file (for example, the introduction):
Send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the following body:
send jmcci-pilot introduction
stop
3 JMCCI Web Server
------------------
Those of you lucky enough to have a full Internet connection and a
suitable Web browser, such as Mosaic, might like to know that the
prototype John Muir Centre Web service is now operational. Don't
expect anything too fancy as so far it's had about a day of
development effort by me - and please bear in mind that this is my
first WWW 'publication' ;-).
If you do 'visit' this virtual Centre please let me know.
The URL is: http://www.cs.strath.ac.uk/Contrib/JMC/
Enjoy!
4 Dunbar's John Muir Association
--------------------------------
[The following is extracted from the first Newsletter of DJMA]
This Association, membership of which would be open to all, would:
* have its roots firmly in Dunbar - Muir's birthplace, but invite
membership and support from Scotland and from all over the world;
* stimulate a greater awareness of Muir's outstanding role as
the Scottish "Father of Conservation" and help to spread his
philosophy, here and abroad;
* set up a Trust or Company to establish the John Muir Centre in Dunbar
as a venue with national and international environmental prestige, a
major tourism attraction bringing economic regeneration and
international recognition to the town and East Lothian.
Eight representatives elected from the local community form, together
with five local members of the John Muir Trust, a Working Party to
complete the proposals for a Feasibility Study for the Centre and to
prepare a Constitution for the new Association.
This Working Group has, of July 1994, met three times and sub-groups
have worked on various aspects of the project, investigating statutory
and legal concerns, drafting a constitution, proposing publicity
material and methods and making contacts with potential interested
individuals and bodies. In addition, progress has been made on the
proposals for the feasibility study for the Centre.
The preparatory work will be completed so that an inaugural meeting can
be held on 27 July to register Founder Members, adopt the Constitution
and elect members of a Council which would later elect its
Office-Bearers. The Association, for which charitable status is being
sought, would then take responsibility for the John Muir Centre
Project and eventually set up a Trust to manage it.
--
Duncan Smeed E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Department of Computer Science Tel: (+44) 41 552 4400 x3587
Strathclyde University Fax: (+44) 41 552 5330
26 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XH, Scotland, UK
"Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gains the
blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short
life, stormy or calm, he is rich forever", John Muir
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