Given the recent postings, particularly that of Mario Rups
([log in to unmask]), I think I need to say a few words.
 
Rod Montgomery is a six-week Intern working with me this summer.
One of his projects was to help *ME* compile a list of museum staff
and related people and their email addresses (the objectives of
this project have been explained in several e-mail messages over
the past month or so).
 
It surprises me how a fairly simple project designed ONLY to help
the community can be instantly seen as the beginning of the evil
empire.  The purpose of the Directory is to improve communications
among museum professionals and to get more museum people using the
net.  Many people have written to us about the proposed Directory.
To be honest there are one or two people who think it is a total
waste of time; while there must be another fifty people who express
strong support for it, "greatly needed", etc.
 
One of the questions I get all the time at the meeting that I
attend:  "Is who is on the net?"  "How do I find some ones
address?"  One of the great weaknesses on the net (at this time),
is that there is no directory; and the X.500 directory service is
still somewhere in the future.
 
We have sent a message to many lists requesting members to send
information for the Directory.  And many people have responded; we
have perhaps a thousand names at this time.  However, as with any
general survey request, the response is usually quite low, say 10%
or less.
 
Every person who subscribes to museum-l (and many other lists as
well) are informed when they subscribe about the REVIEW command and
how to use the CONCEAL command.  In planning this project, as a way
to increase coverage, I had planned to collect names with the
REVIEW command from several lists.  In reviewing the project plan
with several people, the appropriateness of using the REVIEW
command was raise as an issue.
 
Some people were very concerned about this for a wide variety of
reason.  So, we wrote up the "ethical issues" raised by using the
REVIEW command to collect name and posted it to Ethics-L and
Cyberia-L (and it has been reposted to the comp-privacy USENET
discussion), asking for guidance.  The response has varied as you
might expect.  Some people see no problem, because the names are
"public" anyway.  While others don't want anyone to do anything.
 
The most command thread to the comments was that the members of a
list should be informed as to what we planned to do, and given the
option to participate or NOT to participate in the Directory
project.  But, still because of concern that some people might have
to this we drop the idea of using the REVIEW command on ALL lists
except the MUSEUM-L list.  I included the museum-l list, because of
its focus -- is the most relevant discussion list to the Directory
project.
 
I have tried to show sensitivity on this subject; perhaps not
enough.  I'm sorry if this has offended anyone on the list.  I
think that we have been honest and told the list in advance what we
would like to do.  We have research how to conceal your name, for
you, if you wish to conceal your name.  I can only say that you do
not have to be in the directory, if you do not wish to.
 
I would be happy to try an address any issues a list member has
about this project.  You may write to me directly at the email
address below.
 
yours, David Bridge
[log in to unmask]