Executive Summary
Last weekend Diplomacy hobbyists from both the PBM and PBEM communities gathered face-to-face in San Diego, California and on The Net for a discussion of two important hobby issues: WORLD DIPCON V; to be held in Paris, France this coming fall; and a possible proposal for a World Diplomacy Organization.
Taking part in this historic hobby first were Diplomacy fans from the United States, Sweden, England, the Netherlands, Italy, and New Zealand; including many well known publishers and players from both the PBM and PBEM hobbies.
Several hundred messages flowed back and forth as the participants exchanged views and tested The Network's potential as a forum for future hobby meetings. A complete report follows...
WDC/WDO Internet Meeting Report
Introduction
When Mark Nelson called it "a typical gradiose (sic) Peeriblah project" I knew I was on to something Hot! But what better way to celebrate one's birthday, host a Diplomacy convention, and enjoy a beautiful summer weekend in San Diego, California; than with a few close Dippy friends (as well as some total strangers)? Especially if they happened to be scattered all over the world?
The Idea
At first it seemed like a simple idea, to gather interested Diplomacy hobbyists from around the world for an on The Net discussion of the World Diplomacy Convention (WDC) to be held this coming November/December in Paris, France; and an exchange of ideas about a potential "World Diplomacy Organization (WDO)."
Pre-Event Planning
As far as I knew nothing like this had ever been attempted in the hobby before, certainly not by me. All I had to guide me in planning the event was my past experience in hosting FTF Diplomacy event, my very limited exposure to the PBEM Diplomacy hobby, my even more limited exposure to The Net; and Mike Maston's advice on AOL.
It took me all of one afternoon, if that, to broadly outline what I wanted to do. Part of the choices were based on how I conceived the event, and part were dictated by the real and imagined capabilities of our hardware and software. As I thought about it I kept telling myself that this was just a one time expeeriment to see if an event like this would work.
I decided to limit the event to a single three day period of time, to coincide with this year's PEERICON, to be held from 28-30 July. I also decided to limit the participants to people I thought would be proactively interested in the subject matter; and who wouldn't be intimidated by the new approach I was trying. My first two emailings went to some 39 individuals drawn from the Worldwide Postal Diplomacy Championship event who I knew had an email capability; and PBM Diplomacy publishers listed in the latest ZINE REGISTER (available from Pete Gaughan if you don't have one) as having email addresses. The names were about half and half, from each list; and also, about half and half, in prior email contact with me. I designed what was probably an overly complex system for keeping the on-going discussion under control and moving. I was determined that things wouldn't get out of control or bogged down as they have at many Diplomacy conventions I can remember. Above all, I wanted to keep things moving forward.
I could tell, looking over my notes and outline, that I was trying to do too much too fast. The challenge of developing a new procedure and making substantive progress on issues of importance, and controversial issues at that, was too much. I decided to focus on getting the procedure down first, and put aside any hidden agenda I might have for this event. My role, this time, would be to guide and observe, not mobilize the troops.
Event
Once I had a plan on paper, I sent off a very rough proposal to a couple of hobbyists whose opinions I value. I was looking for someone with more experience than I to run the event. Alas, no volunteers. Still, the first feedback was sufficiently positive to keep me going. With less than two weeks to go, I had a pretty good outline of what I wanted to do. The question was, would anyone be interested?
On Friday, the 28th, in the afternoon I sent out the first announcement on the event, and immediately followed it up with the second, more detailed, set of instructions on how to participate in the event. Most of those who got the announcements had no idea they were coming. It was a random broadside, partially because time was short, and partially because I wanted to see how fast and how efficiently this email system could work.
To summarize: of the thirty-nine or so original names I sent the first two messages to: 6 were returned by servers for one reason or another; 16 did not respond; 5 sent "regrets" and 12 responded in one or more messages over the next sixty hours, during which time the event went on.
A total of approximately 160 messages were sent out (mostly in four large mass messages to all thirty-nine names, even those who didn't reply immediately continued to get the key event messages). Approximately 22 messages of substance were returned to me and, to some degree, circulated among those participating.
If you are interested, I guesstimate we used about 6 hours of on line time (at US$6 per hour) for this project. What I know now, but did not know at the time, was that we were using the wrong software to achieve our goal. The AOL "carbon copy" feature limits the number of names in any given address book to 10 or so. So, I had 4 different lists to deal with, and the lists were not connected. As a result each participant could send and receive messages only to and from those in his group, not all thirty-nine names. As a consequence, some people got very little mail. This was the biggest single snafu of the event. Had we had a better mailing list program we would have been far better off, although I might well have been over-whelmed by it all.
Most messages were short, less than a page. Only one or two were more than two pages long. Most of them were well written.
In terms of substantive content I detected a certain amount of curiousity about the event itself (Would it actually happen? Would anybody participate?) combined with more than a little positive support. Perhaps, for once, Peery had had a good idea.
The discussion of the two major subjects was, as one might expect, not as explosive as recent face-to-face or postal debates. Mostly we got a rehash of the same old views, from those who had any; a few new thoughts from people who hadn't been involved in the discussion before; a frequently expressed desire for more information about both topics; and a frequently expressed and growing frustration with the French organizers over their handling (or non-handling) of WDC V, combined with a continuing loyalty to the WDC concept.
There was practically no real discussion of the WDO topic, perhaps because it was too nebulous a concept, and partially because no one proposed any "action items" to get people's blood flowing.
With only one or two exceptions, the give-and-take and follow-through I had hoped for never happened. Considering the problem with the address books and message distribution it is no wonder.
The botton line, I guess, is that while what we had was good, there wasn't enough of it to feed the hungry masses. They all seemed to want more. Or to use a different metaphor, although critical mass was achieved, a sustained chain reaction was not, or was it the other way around?
For the record, the participants (in widely varying degrees) were: Thomas Pasko, Paul Bolduc, Andy York, Pete Gaughan, Edi Birsan, Doug Kent, and Jim Burgess from the United States; Per Westling and Roland Isaksson from Sweden; Peter Sullivan from England; Lex Pater from the Netherlands; Davide Cleopadre from Italy; and Brendan Whyte from New Zealand. TDP was well represented by Manus Hand, Mark Nelson, and Dan Shoham (in person, no less!). In addition, Ron Cameron (USA) and Francois Rivasseau (France) checked in on the phone.
Special thanx to Mike Maston and Esmeralda for their help in the Control Booth. Apologies to Mike Nagel and Tom Carlson who had to serve as eyewitnesses to history, instead of makers of it. Remember guys, "They also serve who only watch and wait."
Post Event Evaluation
Despite the obvious flaws in design and execution (only two weeks prior notice, for a few; and only a few hours notice for many; and the use of 4 different address books), the event still got a 50% response; and drew many highly favorable comments.
The potential is there. This kind of event, properly done, could be a useful tool for the hobby. People seem to be willing and able (in various degrees) to use it. The question is, what for?
Recommendations
For myself, or any one else contemplating a project like this, I have five specific recommendations:
1) Provide more advance notice of the event's dates in both hobby PBM and PBEM outlets. Three months for the PBM community and one month for the PBEM hobby should be sufficient. Remember, no one date will satisfy everybody.
2) Allow a longer time frame for the event. Sixty hours, or a long weekend, isn't enough, especially because so many PBEM and email Dippers apparently rely on their work or school email systems; and those seem to shut down on the weekends, or aren't accessible. I suggest a full week to allow both groups ample time to have their say, collect input, and revise their views.
3) Try for better interaction. It is obvious, but not to a novice at this, that one's hardware, software, mail distribution system, and service site need to be up to the job. In particular you need a speedy modem. 2400 baud isn't going to do it very well.
4) Refine procedures. Ideally they should be both standardized and flexible. If I have learned anything from this project it is that the PBEM and email Diplomacy hobbies (I distinguish between the two because some email users don't play PBEM Diplomacy.) are fragmented by divisions caused by different hardware, software, and (gasp!) time zones. The Simultaneous Real Time of the Cyberworld runs head on into the Real Time Real World of Eat, Sleep, and Work. No one procedure is going to cover the whole group.
5) Tighten up your agenda; and allow participants to extend and revise their remarks later. A strict agenda will keep the discussion focused and moving. But also be sure to allow time at the beginning and end of the event for participants to wind down and engage in casual chat. Give the contributors a chance to edit their own remarks before you publish anything on or off line. AND KEEP A HARD COPY OF EVERYTHING!
Observations
For years I've listened to Mike (N6OPH) on the radio talking to other amateur radio operators all over the world. The first thing you hear, always, is "Hello! Hello? Can anybody hear my radio?" It wasn't any different on The Net. Just a different kind of static.
As a Net Novice to both it was interesting to see the differences between the PBEM and email Diplomacy hobbies. I'd always assumed they were the same. They are not.
It's more a "spider web" than a real "net." They may call it "snail mail" but 99.95% of it eventually does get through if it is properly addressed. Email loses 15% right off the top. And don't forget about all those "delays." They are real and they are frustrating and they don't go away.
PBEM and email Diplomacy aren't as scary as the PBMers say; nor as great as the PBEMers say.
It was interesting to watch the interaction between the US and overseas Dippers, and between the PBM and PBEMers. I just can't decide who the real foreigners are.
Conclusion
I'm sure other Diplomacy hobbyists, from the PBEM or email groups if not the PBM crowd, could have done this project better than I did (and will now proceed to tell me so and how...). Alas, nobody else seems to have had the idea, or wanted to try. Now, perhaps, others will. If not, I may give it another go myself. Why not?
Which brings us to my last thought. Where do we go from here?
Perhaps another one time, date specific, given subject with limited participation event?
Or perhaps something more, an on-going, open-ended, wide-open discussion group for all hobbyists; or at least those willing to venture a first tango in Cyberspace.
Whichever, wherever, and whenever: if you'd like to participate in the next WDC / WDO INTERNET MEETING drop me a message at PEERIBLAH on AOL, or [email protected], or send a real piece of mail to me at 6103 Malcolm Dr., San Diego, CA 92115, USA. Sooner or later it's bound to happen, and I have a feeling it is going to be sooner rather than later.
Greetings!
I have just finished sending out the report on the first WDC/WDO Internet Meeting to all who participated. In addition, I have carefully reviewed your feedback since last weekend. Finally, I have given considerable thought to the desirability of holding another WDC/WDO Internet Meeting.
In the balance, I have decided to give it another go.
Taking into account what the report says, I have or will make the following changes:
1) The next meeting will be held from Saturday 0800 (my time), 28 October to Sunday 2000 (my time), 5 November. That should give everyone plenty of time to participate regardless of their computer/network access schedule, or personal affairs.
2) One mailing list will be used so everyone interconnects. All who pre-register to participate will get a list of participants before the first session starts.
3) The agenda will not change (e.g. WDC and WDO, and Other). Anyone is welcome to submit a pre-event position paper on either topic for distribution. The results of the meeting will be sent to the WDC attendees in Paris. If...
4) The same discussion format will apply.
5) Now that you all have plenty of warning about what's going on, I urge you to publicize this meeting in your various PBM and PBEM publications. I will accept written, mailed statements sent to me, Larry Peery, 6103 Malcolm Dr., San Diego, CA 92115, USA so long as I receive them before 28 October. Again, only these topics should be addressed.
6) The whole point to doing this is to allow those hobbyists who are interested in these two subjects but who will not be able to attend the WDC in Paris to express their views and, equally important, have them presented in Paris.
OK, the dot is in your space.
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