[LINK] IFIP Digital Library

[Roger Clarke]

At 10:13 +1000 19/8/08, Stilgherrian wrote:
>Still, I reckon that in the 21st Century getting "points" only for
>presenting work that's "written in words", as opposed to using high-
>memetic-bandwidth channels which might better convey meaning, is as
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>obsolete as demanding that PhD theses be written in Latin.

You assume that an aim of academic writing is to "better convey meaning".

There's no incentive for *that*.

There's a positive *dis*incentive, because obscure text looks more 
impressive, even to reviewers - maybe even *especially* to reviewers 
- or maybe *only* to reviewers, because on average hardly anyone else 
reads it.

(I wish I could finish this with a grin, but unfortunately I'm serious).

-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

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Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW