Re: <nettime> People offline

[Dan Wang <danwang@mindspring.com>]

And what do you mean by "offline"? As in, totally without internet presence?
No e-mail? Or just without a website? What about a group that exists but
hasn't updated or in any meaningful way used their site for more than five
years?

For several years I was on the LETPRESS list (for letterpress printers) and
pretty regularly someone would post a for-sale list belonging to a printer
friend of theirs who was without access. Sometimes these would be old school
printers who have an aversion to e-media. So the LETPRESS list exists only
in cyberspace, but includes a small but notable offline element...or would
this be a case of an online regime absorbing offline elements within reach,
and thereby further marginalizing those folks who are completely without
even indirect e-connections?

Reading your call for suggestions, the first crew I thought of was the old
Fifth Estate collective out of Detroit. I knew that they were as a newspaper
totally offline for the longest time (even though some individual members
have a web presence). But then I double checked, and wow, even they have a
rudimentary site up. My guess it's the doings of the new Tennessee editorial
group, who are mostly gen xrs.

dsw

> In 2004 I am going to be collecting stories and writing about people
> and groups that are not online. Some can't afford it; many aren't sure
> what benefits it brings, and some don't have connectivity.  Others have
> tried it and dropped off. A few are just opposed to it for various
> reasons.
 <...>

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