Introductions?

[Jane Moore]

I have also posted this question at the old Yahoo group.

I've been a member of palanth-l for ages, but only very rarely post. It's been suggested in the Forum Policy and Agreement section that new members write a brief introduction. I guess frequent posters could just preface their first post on that forum with an introduction, which would go into whichever section related to their post - but in which section should infrequent posters like myself post an introduction? Perhaps there should be a "Members" section for introductory posts.

Sorry to ask such an inane question!

Jane

[Greg]

Jane:

I think people perhaps could feel free to post here in the Introductions section you (or somebody) just created.  

I also want to strongly second the statement in the policy that encourages members to identify themselves with an actual name.  

At this time it is a simple matter to sort out members who are professionals from those who are not on the basis of name use vs. “handle” use.  I’m afraid that this may eventually lead to the emergence of a classism of sorts (the  gnomics  vs. the  pseudo’s???!!!).  It is easy to set up a signature file that is posted with your comments that can include the member’s name.

Also, it is possible for members with cryptic pseudonyms or handles as part of their email to use the profile function to add a real name for display on the membership list.  

I understand that some people may wish to remain anonymous.  If anonymity is to protect oneself from unidentified random seekers of people on the web, that is one’s choice, but it is worth mentioning that each of us is one of several hundred million that use the web, and chances are a real bad guy can find you in the phone book or in some other way without using the web at all!  The sheep in the large herd does not fail to say “baaaa”  And the herder does not fail to find his mutton......  

In the mean time, think of it this way:  Imagine walking into a room, perhaps a lounge at an Anthro department after a talk, or some public space at a conference … everyone is wearing name tags including you, but 9 out of 10 name tags are cute catch phrases like “BoiseiWoisie” or “Neanderguy.”  

Now imagine trying to have a serious conversation!

Sincerely,

The Crazy Troweler….

[Jane Moore]

Thanks for the reply, Greg. In the interests of academic cameraderie I'll go first:

My name's Jane Moore, I'm finishing my PhD at University College London (jointly between the departments of Anatomy and Biology), looking at patterns of molecular and morphological variation in ancient and modern Sudan. I study Holocene populations, but like to read this forum to keep abreast of current events in palaeoanthropology.

[Isabelle]

To continue with introductions, my name is Isabelle Vella Gregory and I just obtained a BA (Hons) in archaeology from the University of Malta. I'd like to start a Masters degree, but at the moment I'm still undecided whether to do it here in Malta or elsewhere (basically, I'm sorting out that annoying question of finance). Mostly, I just lurk around here and learn:)

[lagarvelho]

Isabelle, Jane, Greg, et al:

I suppose, since I'm here, I should continue the "Introductions".  But I should warn you I am writing a science fiction novel centering around Neandertals, which is one reason I'm here, and so I'm not an "academic".  However, I *do* have an anthropology background of sorts, and I liked to use the palanth-l forum to learn more.  I occasionally post, and sometimes, if I find interesting articles, academic or otherwise, on the Web, I post links to them.  Also, to the possible discomfort of some on this list, I have opinions about some things, but I *do* try to be polite about expressing them.  Mostly I'll be listening and learning here.  

Just one more thing.  My "handle" is "lagarvelho", just becase this site asked me for one, and I guess I was sheepish enough to follow directions.  But I tend to sign myself as Anne Gilbert or more usually Anne G(just to keep confusion at a minimum).
Anne G

[Dale Hoogeveen]

Dale Hoogeveen:

I am also a non-academic. formerly a truckdriver, a warehouseman, a nurseryman (perennials) and have done a number of other things including low-level mainframe and PC support and currently am a night computer operator in Minneapolis.

I also have come over from palanth-l.

My current employer has not yet FORBIDDEN internet access to this site, as they have for yahoogroups; <grin>  so most of my posts (if there are any) will likely have late night time stamps.

Private Email contact is welcome.  Flames will, however, be extinguished.

Also go by Dutch.

Peace

Dutch

[Rachel Brekhus]

Hi all,

I'm a librarian at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and one of my areas of responsibility is the anthropology collection.  Mostly, I'll just be lurking but may occasionally post a question about the functionality of the site (will soon post a question about a test search I just tried, for instance).  I like to lurk places like this in order to:

-notice when people are talking about books, journals, publishers

-see how this alternative means of article publication is working out; I'm strongly interested in how academics' relationships with the for-profit publishers (Elsevier, Kluwer, Wiley et al) are changing as new venues for publication are being created, and how libraries, library consortia and library-friendly projects like JSTOR can work with these new fora in terms of adding catalog records, entering archiving agreements, etc.

-think of ways fora such as palanth.com can be helpful to students doing research -- hence my interest in the search functionality.-

Unfortunately, I no longer remember which anthropologist here on campus told me about palanth-l a year or more ago, but I am very grateful that he did.

Cheers,
Rachel B.

p.s.  Having elected to use my real name as user I.D., I hope I'm not breaking up the professional/nonprofessional division too badly.  I will be sure to make reference to my librarian status when posting.

[Greg]

Rachel, welcome to the list.

About the new format for journals:  I predict that in ten years or sooner, the "for profit" companies will be begging for permission to use manuscripts from the e-journals, to use them in readers, etc., to sell in classes.

I predict that Palanth will be a model for future e-journals, probably also the new Paleoanthropology society journal, and that certain recent journals such as BioGen (or GenBio, or whatever it is) will not form that model.  The new ejournals with frequent ads, popups, and other nonsense will die off and the web will support professionally run journals.

For profit print journals will virtually die off and the reason will be due to the greed of the publishers.  As a librarian you know exactly what I'm talking about.

How can libraries fit in, besides using parts of the available budgets to subscribe?  One way is to convince your institutions to provide on line electronic archival space and in some cases servers space for specialized peer reviewed journals done by your institutional colleagues.  

Cheers,

GTL

[jharder]

My name is Jerry Harder. I was a member of the Palanth-l list for a number of years. I was trained as a historian, but earn my living as a telecommunications consultant and adjunct professor at the Owen Graduate School of Management of Vanderbilt University. My status is purely one of  an amateur. My special area of interest is in Western Hemisphere paleoanthropology.

[Tim Ormsby]

Hi everyone,

My name is Tim Ormsby and I'm currently undertaking my 2nd year of my Bachelor of Archaeology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. I guess I am interested in pretty much all aspects of archaeology and anthropology but the area I am specialising in is the archaeology of Indigenous peoples. Next year I am going to be studying at the University of New Mexico for a semester to expand my studies.

[Jacques Cinq-Mars]

My name is Jerry Harder. I was a member of the Palanth-l list for a number of years. I was trained as a historian, but earn my living as a telecommunications consultant and adjunct professor at the Owen Graduate School of Management of Vanderbilt University. My status is purely one of  an amateur. My special area of interest is in Western Hemisphere paleoanthropology.

Welcome Jerry Harder,

Your area of interest is definitely something that the Forum and the Journal have been designed to deal with, and I certainly hope that you will enjoy participating in our discussions.

Jacques Cinq-Mars

[Jacques Cinq-Mars]

Hi everyone,

My name is Tim Ormsby and I'm currently undertaking my 2nd year of my Bachelor of Archaeology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. I guess I am interested in pretty much all aspects of archaeology and anthropology but the area I am specialising in is the archaeology of Indigenous peoples. Next year I am going to be studying at the University of New Mexico for a semester to expand my studies.

Welcome to the PALANTH-Forum, Tim Ormsby. I certainly hope that you will participate in and profit from some of our discussions.

Enjoy.

Jacques Cinq-Mars