From Research to Application - the second Nordic Forum, 11-12.5.2000, Espoo, Finland Electronic communication and knowledge systems Jarmo Saarikko Skogsforskningsinstitutet, Unionsgatan 40A, FIN-00170 HELSINGFORS,Finland [email_address]

World Wide web WWWW has affected the ways we work Information access and exchange From the global level to the local The full impact on the way we work and on society is still unknown

WWWW has affected the ways we work

Information access and exchange

From the global level to the local

The full impact on the way we work and on society is still unknown

Advantages Permanence of 24-hours per day Immediacy of information discovery Content diversity Accessibility from almost anywhere De-centralised approaches allowing content owners to maintain full rights Value for money with low-cost solutions

Permanence of 24-hours per day

Immediacy of information discovery

Content diversity

Accessibility from almost anywhere

De-centralised approaches allowing content owners to maintain full rights

Value for money with low-cost solutions

General search engines No more able to cover the whole net The next generation of search tools will contain more specialised and targeted services, More and more services will be provided to registered clients User interfaces can be modified according to personal requirements

No more able to cover the whole net

The next generation of search tools will contain more specialised and targeted services,

More and more services will be provided to registered clients

User interfaces can be modified according to personal requirements

Competition for users one user usually cannot effectively use but a few different services most services on the internet have been free, their funding is often based on advertising Research information in forestry is often non-competetive However, if the target audience is the general public the information producer enters the same competitive field as described above

one user usually cannot effectively use but a few different services

most services on the internet have been free, their funding is often based on advertising

Research information in forestry is often non-competetive

However, if the target audience is the general public the information producer enters the same competitive field as described above

New kinds of services Simple provision of announcements and communications is not enough Net users demand ways to give feed-back, chat-rooms, customisation

Simple provision of announcements and communications is not enough

Net users demand ways to give feed-back, chat-rooms, customisation

How does anyone know you are there? All traditional means of marketing have to be used This is very costly Something has to be new or updated all the time otherwise the users do not come back How to know that something new is available? A community of registered users makes this goal easier to accomplish.

All traditional means of marketing have to be used

This is very costly

Something has to be new or updated all the time otherwise the users do not come back

How to know that something new is available?

A community of registered users makes this goal easier to accomplish.

One-way communication: Web-pages PRO Clean type-setting Easy to produce and publish Size is not a limitation CON Difficult to announce new pages - links on homepage or on a 'what's new list' Long delay until new pages are found by search engines Web-pages need to have a user-friendly design

PRO

Clean type-setting

Easy to produce and publish

Size is not a limitation

CON

Difficult to announce new pages - links on homepage or on a 'what's new list'

Long delay until new pages are found by search engines

Web-pages need to have a user-friendly design

One-way: e-mail PRO Rather easy to install Use mailing list software Automatic subscription Listserv, Majordomo etc. Distribution to dedicated subscribers Cheaper than traditional means - larger distribution possible CON List has to be moderated Simple text-only Yet another format to be distributed Images cannot be used (html email is still unwanted)

PRO

Rather easy to install

Use mailing list software

Automatic subscription

Listserv, Majordomo etc.

Distribution to dedicated subscribers

Cheaper than traditional means - larger distribution possible

CON

List has to be moderated

Simple text-only

Yet another format to be distributed

Images cannot be used

(html email is still unwanted)

Interactive communication: mailing lists PRO Interactivity Clients may discuss with each other May lead to a community Questions and answers are mutually beneficial Discussons can be viewed on a web-site Distirbution is global CON List may be dominated by a few active talkers Negative feedback cannot be blocked unless the list is moderated List should be moderated more work Attachments may spread viruses (esp. Microsoft)

PRO

Interactivity

Clients may discuss with each other

May lead to a community

Questions and answers are mutually beneficial

Discussons can be viewed on a web-site

Distirbution is global

CON

List may be dominated by a few active talkers

Negative feedback cannot be blocked

unless the list is moderated

List should be moderated

more work

Attachments may spread viruses (esp. Microsoft)

Interactive: Newsgroups PRO New messages appear automatically to readers Many groups are archived on the web http://www.deja.com/ CON Requires a news-server Private newsgroups are more difficult to propagate Public groups are often spam-prone Group should be moderated Messages disappear rather quickly

PRO

New messages appear automatically to readers

Many groups are archived on the web

http://www.deja.com/

CON

Requires a news-server

Private newsgroups are more difficult to propagate

Public groups are often spam-prone

Group should be moderated

Messages disappear rather quickly

Interactive: Hypernews PRO Use with a web-browser Allows anonymous use No email necessary Sometimes e-mail notification Usually no moderation Hierarchical groups http://www.hypernews.org/ CON Following discussions means constant checking at the web-service Message deletion difficult?

PRO

Use with a web-browser

Allows anonymous use

No email necessary

Sometimes e-mail notification

Usually no moderation

Hierarchical groups

http://www.hypernews.org/

CON

Following discussions means constant checking at the web-service

Message deletion difficult?

Interactive: IRC PRO Global Widely known Easy to use Instant Private channels Good for private long distance discussions Many servers Internet Relay Chat CON Usually considered as a playground for school children Documentation of discussions is problematic Specific IRC software required

PRO

Global

Widely known

Easy to use

Instant

Private channels

Good for private long distance discussions

Many servers

Internet Relay Chat

CON

Usually considered as a playground for school children

Documentation of discussions is problematic

Specific IRC software required

Interactive: chat-rooms PRO Usually cgi-based or with java-applications Interactive and instant May be used for on-line Questions and Answers with a named specialist or on a TV-show CON People need rules for their behaviour in rooms Large groups may be difficult for newcomers Usually not linked to other chat services Private groups not available Funded by ads May be addictive

PRO

Usually cgi-based or with java-applications

Interactive and instant

May be used for on-line Questions and Answers with a named specialist or on a TV-show

CON

People need rules for their behaviour in rooms

Large groups may be difficult for newcomers

Usually not linked to other chat services

Private groups not available

Funded by ads

May be addictive

Chat with a specialist on yahoo www.yahoo.com 10.5.2000

www.yahoo.com

10.5.2000

Electronic Communities PRO Often with a pack of free services Web-based e-mail Calendar Chat-rooms Document archives Usually founded around a topic or for a customer group e.g. www.animalscience.com CON Identity of participants not always known or certain Large system to install Longevity of free services is uncertain

PRO

Often with a pack of free services

Web-based e-mail

Calendar

Chat-rooms

Document archives

Usually founded around a topic or for a customer group

e.g. www.animalscience.com

CON

Identity of participants not always known or certain

Large system to install

Longevity of free services is uncertain

Examples of free communities You may start your own groups in these. Some systems allow private groups which can be used by invitation only. Yahoo http://www.yahoo.com/ E-groups http://www.egroups.org/ Intranets http://www.intranets.com/

You may start your own groups in these. Some systems allow private groups which can be used by invitation only.

Yahoo http://www.yahoo.com/

E-groups http://www.egroups.org/

Intranets http://www.intranets.com/

www.eGroups.com Group view by a registered users

Group

view by a

registered

users

www.eGroups.com Egroup view of a non-registerd user

Egroup view of a non-registerd user

Egroup view by a registered user

Egroup view by a registered user

Intranet view by a registered user at intranets.com

Intranet view by a registered user at intranets.com

Knowledge systems: standalone Currently CD-ROMs Usually a system includes full-text databases with some intelligence handling the requests or results Hyperlinks, interactive images and maps Concurrent search with various criteria The results found may be combined or extracted to be used in reports and papers e.g. CABI Forestry Compendium CD http://tree.cabweb.org/efctext.htm

Currently CD-ROMs

Usually a system includes full-text databases with some intelligence handling the requests or results

Hyperlinks, interactive images and maps

Concurrent search with various criteria

The results found may be combined or extracted to be used in reports and papers

e.g. CABI Forestry Compendium CD

http://tree.cabweb.org/efctext.htm

CABI Forestry compendium Source: http://tree.cabweb.org/comp_demo/page2.htm

Source: http://tree.cabweb.org/comp_demo/page2.htm

Knowledge systems: Networked Portals Forest Finland, Skogsverige, Skogen is Skolan These are developing from link collections into knowledge systems and/or e-communities Topical services E.g. SIREX and Skogsskada services for forest pest diagnosis and handbook Often registration is required Extranets Access to internal systems for registered clients or subscribers Traditional: On-line databases, Library OPACs

Portals

Forest Finland, Skogsverige, Skogen is Skolan

These are developing from link collections into knowledge systems and/or e-communities

Topical services

E.g. SIREX and Skogsskada services for forest pest diagnosis and handbook

Often registration is required

Extranets

Access to internal systems for registered clients or subscribers

Traditional: On-line databases, Library OPACs

Knowledge discovery TROPIS - The Tree Growth and Permanent Plot Information System by CIFOR seeks to help forest scientists make better use of existing tree growth information by newsletters, searchable index and database - newsletter, link, people database, permanent study plots GIAN - Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network GIAN aims to establish linkages between grassroots innovators, entrepreneurs and investors to scale up - newsletter, discussion, research papers UNDP Evaluation Knowledge System (EKSYST) assists in generating, storing and sharing available information gained through evaluations of projects

TROPIS - The Tree Growth and Permanent Plot Information System by CIFOR

seeks to help forest scientists make better use of existing tree growth information by newsletters, searchable index and database - newsletter, link, people database, permanent study plots

GIAN - Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network

GIAN aims to establish linkages between grassroots innovators, entrepreneurs and investors to scale up - newsletter, discussion, research papers

UNDP Evaluation Knowledge System (EKSYST)

assists in generating, storing and sharing available information gained through evaluations of projects

Links PORTALS Forest Finland Skogssverige Skogen I Skolan DATABASES Metinfo Sirex Skogsskada TROPIS UNDP EKSYST INFORMATION DELIVERY GIAN - innovation network Biodiversity events http://www.forest.fi/ http://www.skogssverige.se/ http://www.skogeniskolan.se/ http://www.metla.fi/metinfo/ http://www.metla.fi/sirex/ http://www-skogsskada.slu.se/ http://www.cgiar.org/cifor/research/tropis.html http://www.ifad.org/ifadeval/public_html/eksyst/toc/index.html http://csf.colorado.edu/sristi/gian.html http://www.biodiv.org/conv/Bio-Calendar2000.html

PORTALS

Forest Finland

Skogssverige

Skogen I Skolan

DATABASES

Metinfo

Sirex

Skogsskada

TROPIS

UNDP EKSYST

INFORMATION DELIVERY

GIAN - innovation network

Biodiversity events

http://www.forest.fi/

http://www.skogssverige.se/

http://www.skogeniskolan.se/

http://www.metla.fi/metinfo/

http://www.metla.fi/sirex/

http://www-skogsskada.slu.se/

http://www.cgiar.org/cifor/research/tropis.html

http://www.ifad.org/ifadeval/public_html/eksyst/toc/index.html

http://csf.colorado.edu/sristi/gian.html

http://www.biodiv.org/conv/Bio-Calendar2000.html

Problems for discussion How to choose a proper tool for electronic communication? One-way or interactive? Announcing new research results or finding new research problems needing answers? Target groups for tools? Regular ‘traditional’ or irregular ‘new’ clients? Knowledge system vs. Expert system Is there a difference? Database vs. a static system? When a knowledge system should be developed? Parameters and/or problems given by the client

How to choose a proper tool for electronic communication?

One-way or interactive?

Announcing new research results or finding new research problems needing answers?

Target groups for tools?

Regular ‘traditional’ or irregular ‘new’ clients?

Knowledge system vs. Expert system

Is there a difference?

Database vs. a static system?

When a knowledge system should be developed?

Parameters and/or problems given by the client