Commercials on anthro-l

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message: Anita Cohen-Williams: "New Book"
• Previous message: ray scupin: "e-mail addresses"

In reference to J.D. Iverson's advocacy of the "hypertextbook" that he
publishes and sells, Richard Wilk wrote that he had asked Mr. Iverson for
a copy of his "hypertextbook," which he thought would be free, and was
billed $5.OO.

Richard Wilk continued,
>
> Selling one's own efforts on anthro-l is not always a bad thing. Many of
> us have advertised our ideas, papers, and books here. But none of us are
> in the publishing business. So I think Mr. Iverson has crossed the line.

I think there is a big difference between "publicizing" your own efforts,
i.e. trying to get people to read what you have written and to give you
some feedback, or to engage in a constructive debate, and "selling" your
own products. When we try and get people to read what we have written,
we're trying to _communicate_. (Self-aggrandizement and career
advancement are only secondary, of course ;-) )

There's a big difference between communicating and doing what Mr. Iverson
is doing, which is using a free resource in order to turn a profit.

This debate may seem nitpicky and unanthropological. But I like to think
of us as the ancestors/founding parents/creators of a new community.
Collectively making up social rules, manners, mores, and traditions in a
community seems pretty anthropological to me!

Elizabeth

• Next message: Anita Cohen-Williams: "New Book"
• Previous message: ray scupin: "e-mail addresses"