Infosys v1n001 (January 5, 1994) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/infosys/infs-v1n001 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IIIII N N FFFFF OOO SSSSS Y Y SSSSS * * I NN N F O O S Y Y S * * I N N N FFF O O SSSSS Y SSSSS * * I N NN F O O S Y S * * IIIII N N F OOO SSSSS Y SSSSS * * * * INFOSYS: The Electronic Newsletter for Information Systems * * Volume 1, Number 1 January 5, 1994 * * * * Editor: Dennis W. Viehland, Massey University, New Zealand * * Listowner: Greg Welsh, American University, Washington DC * * * * Current Subscribers = 1,996 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE - Welcome to INFOSYS * * NEWS - From EDUPAGE (December 16, 21, 28, 30, 1993) * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Rights & Responsibilities for Electronic Learners * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Information Technology and Disabilities (EJournal) * * CONFERENCE - USENIX Winter 1994 Technical Conference * * CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS * * HEARD ON THE NET - What to Teach in the Introductory IS Course * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 0001* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE - Welcome to INFOSYS * * Dennis Viehland, Massey University (d.viehland@massey.ac.nz) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Several years ago, at the beginning of a career change, I looked for electronic discussion groups on the Internet where the Information Systems community "met" to talk about issues of mutual concern. To my surprise the groups that I found were few in number and very specialised. Since that time I have seen a number of new groups start, but none emerged to meet the broad interests of IS professionals around the world. At the 1992 ICIS conference I was challenged to start a new listserv that would meet this need. With this issue I am pleased to announce the realisation of that goal -- INFOSYS, the electronic newsletter for the Information Systems community on the Internet. I edit INFOSYS, but I rely on INFOSYS subscribers to contribute the articles that make up each issue. I also want to acknowledge the contributions made by Greg Welsh (Listowner and Associate Editor), Bonnie Kaplan, and Peter Weiss in bringing INFOSYS "on-line". Since the initial announcement a backlog of articles has accumulated. To clear this backlog a second issue of INFOSYS will follow immediately. A third and possibly fourth issue will arrive early next week. Hopefully after this backlog is cleared a biweekly publication schedule will resume. Finally, please note that some articles in these first few issues are repeated from December's test issue. I welcome comments from subscribers about the content, format, and development of INFOSYS. Let's work together to discover new ways that the Internet can support Information Systems. \EOA 0002* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - From EDUPAGE (December 16, 21, 28, 30, 1993) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LESSONS OF GROUPWARE. With corporate computing on the rise, users should consider the following lessons before implementing groupware: 1) A company with a rigid hierarchical management structure is not set up to make the best use of the technology; 2) Top-level support is essential; 3) Start with a concrete business problem to tackle. Groupware works best when directed toward specific issues. (Fortune 12/27/93) OBIT. Apple Computer quietly stopped selling the Apple II last month. Introduced in 1977, it preceded IBM PCs by four years. With more than 5 million sold, the Apple II remains "one of the most important high-tech inventions of all time." (Wall Street Journal 12/16/93 B1) WANTED: MASTER'S IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. A Northwestern University survey of 264 mid- to large-size companies indicates college grads with a master's degree in computer science will be among the luckiest job-seekers in 1994 -- demand will rise by approximately 22%. (Tampa Tribune 12/17/93 B&F8) UH-OH. Virtual-reality guru Jaron Lanier says that New York is a model for future electronically interactive communities. "New York is the place where you're confronted with thousands of people at once on a constant basis. I think what will happen in the end is that the rest of the country will start to inhabit virtual New York." (The New Yorker 12/27/93 p.60) WHEN TO DO RESEARCH. "In the commercial world you have this problem that the amount of research you can do in a company is based on how well your current business is doing, whereas there actually should be an inverse relationship; when things are going worse you should do more research." (Apple computer scientist Alan Kay, Wired, Jan. '94, p. 148) OUTLOOK GOOD. In its "U.S. Industrial Outlook 1994" the Commerce Department identified information technology as 1994's most important growth area, estimating that satellite commerce will rise 22.6%, data processing 15.5%, electronic information 14.4%, and computer professional services 9.6%. (Wall Street Journal 12/29/93 A2) REPORT ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. The National Research Council released a report saying that information technology has greatly enhanced the service industry's performance, but that traditional economic measures of productivity do not indicate a corresponding improvement. "For the most part these productivity measures do not reflect aspects of service quality, such as speed or convenience that are affected by information technology, nor the alternative cost of what would have happened without it." Copies of the report, "Information Technology in the Service Society," are available for $29 from the National Academy Press, (800) 624-6424 or (202) 334-3313. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 12/22/93 A4) \EOA 0003* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Rights & Responsibilities for Electronic Learners * * Frank Connolly, American University (frank@american.edu) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The "Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Electronic Learners" is a model policy addressing the rights and responsibilities of individuals, schools and colleges regarding computers and electronic networks. The effort to draft this statement began as part of EDUCOM's Educational Uses of Information Technology and is now affiliated with the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE). Your comments about the Bill and suggestions for gaining consideration and discussion of it on campuses, in school districts and professional forums would be appreciated. There are several ways for you to receive an electronic copy of the Bill: --The text can be retrieved by sending the following one-line message to listserv@american.edu: GET BRREC TEXT --To retrieve the text via ftp: 1. FTP to ftp.american.edu 2. Give your id as ANONYMOUS 3. As your password use your e-mail address Once accepted to the system, 4. Change directories by entering CD AU 5. To retrieve the file type GET BRREC.TEXT --You can send an e-mail message to Frank Connolly at American University (frank@american.edu or frank@auvm) and request a copy. Please note that for FTP purposes there is a PERIOD [.] between BRREC and TEXT, while in using the listserv message it is a space between BRREC and TEXT. \EOA 0004* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENT - Information Technology and Disabilities (EJournal) * * Norm Coombs, (nrcgsh@ritvax) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * _Information Technology and Disabilities_ (ISSN 1073-5127) is a new, quarterly electronic journal devoted to all aspects of computer use by persons with disabilities. It is intended to fill a void in the professional literature by bringing together articles by educators (K through College), librarians, human resources and rehabilitation professionals, as well as campus computing and other professionals concerned with the effective use of technology by people with all kinds of disabilities. The first issue of _Information Technology and Disabilities_ will appear on January 15, 1994. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Individual subscriptions are free of charge, and two subscription options are available: 1. To receive each ENTIRE ISSUE (75-150 pages) automatically: send an e-mail message to listserv@sjuvm.stjohns.edu. Leave the subject line blank and include the following one-line message: subscribe itd-jnl yourfirstname yourlastname (eg, subscribe itd-jnl John Smith) 2. The journal will be made available at the St. John's University gopher. To receive each issue's TABLE OF CONTENTS automatically: send an e-mail message to listserv@sjuvm.stjohns.edu. Leave the subject line blank and include the following one-line message: subscribe itd-toc yourfirstname yourlastname (eg, subscribe itd-toc Jane Doe) The Table of Contents will provide abstracts of articles as well as explicit instructions for using the gopher-based version of _Information Technology and Disabilities_. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES: _Information Technology and Disabilities_ is a peer-reviewed journal. Requests for authors' guidelines should be submitted to: Tom McNulty Editor-in-Chief Bobst Library, New York University 70 Washington Square South New York, N.Y. 10012 USA voice: 212/998-2519 TDD (leave message): 212/998-4980 e-mail: mcnulty@acfcluster.nyu.edu or mcnulty@nyuacf (bitnet) \EOA 0005* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CONFERENCE - USENIX Winter 1994 Technical Conference * * Toni Veglia (toni@usenix.org) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * USENIX Winter 1994 Technical Conference January 17-21, 1994 San Francisco, California The USENIX Association is a UNIX user's group dedicated to the innovation and communication of UNIX research and technological developments. At USENIX in San Francisco, system researchers and developers, system managers and network administrators, programmers and applications developers, technical support staff and managers, educators and their students will gather to explore questions of immediate importance to advanced computing systems management and innovation. The TECHNICAL PROGRAM (17-19 January) includes a keynote address by John Perry Barlow (Electronic Frontier Foundation), ten refereed tracks (30 papers), 11 invited talks, receptions, and vendor presentations. Technical Sessions Registration Fee Schedule: Current individual members of USENIX, EurOpen or AUUG: $345, Non-Members: $410, Students: $75. Pre-registration discount (before December 27, 1993): $50 savings on member ($295) and non-member ($360) fees. The TUTORIAL PROGRAM (January 20-21) includes 19 tutorials. Tutorial Sessions Registration Fee Schedule: Two full-day tutorials $545; One full-day tutorial $325. Pre-registration discount (before December 27, 1993): $50 savings. Full-time student discounts available. San Francisco Hilton (Headquarters): Single $120; Double $140 The King George Hotel: Single/Double $79. For a conference agenda, registration information, or information about USENIX contact: USENIX Conference Office 22672 Lambert St., Suite 613 Lake Forest, CA USA 92630 Telephone: 1-714-588-8649 FAX: 1-714-588-9706 E-mail: conference@usenix.org OR send the following one-line message to info@usenix.org: send conferences catalog You will be sent a catalog of information about upcoming USENIX Conferences. \EOA 0006* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS * * Dennis W. Viehland, INFOSYS Editor (d.viehland@massey.ac.nz) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * January 14, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline 13th IFIP World Computer Congress "Computer and Communications Evolution - The Driving Forces" August 28 - September 2, 1994 Hamburg, Germany (forthcoming in INFOSYS) January 17, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline 6th International Conference on Computing and Information May 26-28, 1994 Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario Canada Contact: icci@flame1.trentu.ca (forthcoming in INFOSYS) January 17-21, 1994 USENIX Winter 1994 Technical Conference San Francisco, California Contact: conference@usenix.org (see article 0005, INFOSYS v1 n1) January 21, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline 1994 Information Resources Management Assoc International Conference "Managing Social and Economic Change with Information Technology" May 22-25, 1994 San Antonio, Texas Contact: m1k@psuvm.psu.edu (forthcoming in INFOSYS) March 1, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline Decision Support - 2001 September 12-16, 1994 Toronto, Canada Contact: dss2001@pnfi.forestry.ca, dss2001@ccit.arizona.edu (forthcoming in INFOSYS) March 4, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline International Conference on Information Systems "Improving Productivity and Adding Value through Information Systems" December 13-16, 1994 Vancouver, British Columbia Canada Contact: shuff@novell.business.uwo.ca (forthcoming in INFOSYS) March 20, 1994 Call for Papers, submission deadline Fourth International Conference Information Systems Development "Methods & Tools, Theory & Practice" 20-22 September 1994 Bled (Slovenia) Contact: isd@fov.uni-mb.si (forthcoming in INFOSYS) June 6-10, 1994 CAiSE*94: The 6th Conference on Advanced Info Systems Engineering Utrecht, The Netherlands Contact: sjbr@cs.utwente.nl (forthcoming in INFOSYS) March 1, 1994 Call for papers, submission deadline The 18th Annual International Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC 94) 9-11 November 1994 International Convention Center, Taipei Contact: ram@cs.berkeley.edu \EOA 0007* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * HEARD ON THE NET - What to Teach in the Introductory IS Course * * Dennis W. Viehland, INFOSYS Editor (d.viehland@massey.ac.nz) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Extracted from a conversation in ICIS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu during 30 Nov - 3 Dec 1993. The Subject line was "Justifying IS/IT in Business Schools": Teaching -- indeed *concentrating* on -- systems analysis and design in the Intro class seems to me as the most appropriate in a number of ways: 1. it's giving student some tangible skill (rather than *telling* them about it). 2. it's allowing students to appreciate the difficulty of dealing with IS (rather than leaving them -- typically -- with a sense of "fluff" about IS). 3. it emphasizes IS concepts and substance (rather than erroneously equating IS with PCs and Spreadsheets, as very often is the case). --Gadi Ariav, Tel Aviv University I spend 30-40% of the intro class on [systems analysis and design].... To me, systems analysis and design is the fundamental core of our discipline -- it is what sets us apart from all others. And yes, non-MIS freshmen and sophomores can do it (not well perhaps, but they can do it). --Alan Dennis, University of Georgia I have taught systems analysis and design at both the undergraduate and MBA level. Perhaps because of that, I don't focus on systems analysis and design in the Management of Information Systems course. Instead, I focus on understanding the various roles of information in organizations, along with the introduction of many issues about organizing and controlling it. Another theme throughout the course is the rapidly changing technology and use of information. --Alan Heminger, Indiana University I agree [that] we need to teach our student how to "do IS". But I think there is more into doing IS than system analysis and design. Issues like IS implementation, IS strategic planning, IS evaluation, and IS security are part of what business majors should know about IS. --Moez Limayem, Laval University ...users do develop systems, as well as play critical roles in the development and management of systems. It is important that we prepare these non-IS professional users to be the kind of users we would like to work with. To me, this includes the kind of understanding of system development that can only come from actually developing applications. ....As users become responsible for more and more of the development and management of information assets, it is essential that they have an appreciation for the complexity and difficulty of these tasks: Only then will they know when they require the assistance of IS professionals; only then will they desire to seek that assistance when needed. --Leon Kappelman What should we teach? It strikes me that a balanced approach that includes enough technical skills (inc. systems development, database and telecom) to understand IT, and a managerial orientation to understand how IT integrates with other functional areas is in order. In teaching technical skills we have to prepare students for lifelong learning. . . . .All academic areas need to incorporate IT issues. --Andrew S. Borchers, Nova University I have no problems with teaching the analysis and design of IS in an introductory course. . . . However, I think that the real value of the course comes from trying to instil in the students an excitement and enthusiasm for the possibilities that they can have for this area of business. There is probably no area of business today, with the exception of new production techniques, where a bigger change can be made in a businesses competitive position. (Hmmm... that may be a bit strong, but what the hell.) --Alan Heminger, Indiana University (The complete conversation "Justifying IS/IT in Business Schools" also discussed IS as an organisational nervous system, views of IS by business school colleagues and deans, and an MIS 300-level syllabus. The conversation starts at the end of the ICIS-L LOG00002 file and concludes at the beginning of the ICIS-L LOG00003 file. For a complete transcript of the conversation send the following commands to listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu (do NOT send to ICIS-l): get icis-l log00002 icis-l get icis-l log00003 icis-l ICIS-L is an electronic discussion group for the International Conference on Information Systems. To join this group send the following one-line message to listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu: subscribe ICIS-L yourfirstname yourlastname The listowner is Rick Watson (rwatson@uga.cc.uga.edu).) \EOA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INFOSYS is an electronic newsletter for faculty, students, and * * practitioners in the field of Information Systems. INFOSYS * * publishes news items, requests for assistance, announcements of * * professional meetings and conferences, position notices, a * * calendar of upcoming events, comments on recent publications, * * abstracts of papers that authors are willing to share, and other * * items of interest to the Information Systems community. * * * * INFOSYS is published biweekly, more frequently if volume requires * * it. INFOSYS operates as an electronic mailing list on listserv * * software at American University in Washington, DC. The editor is * * Dennis W. Viehland (d.viehland@massey.ac.nz). * * * * To subscribe to INFOSYS send the following one-line electronic * * mail message to listserv@american.edu (Internet) or listserv@amvm * * (Bitnet): subscribe infosys yourfirstname yourlastname * * (e.g., subscribe infosys John Smith). You will receive a welcome * * letter that will tell you more about INFOSYS and listserv. * * * * Guidelines for submitting articles to INFOSYS are published in * * the Welcome message each new subscriber receives (or e-mail "GET * * infosys welcome" to listserv@american.edu). Send articles to * * infosys@american.edu or d.viehland@massey.ac.nz. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *