The O-list: a Case Study

1. The O-list: a Case Study

2. This brief case study of the O-list (an email list for origami enthusiasts) has been prepared as part of my study requirements. Anyone interested in the O-list is welcome to read on…

3. Background • The Origami community is relatively open and equitable • Being diagram based, it is open to everyone interested, regardless of language (though there are barriers such as poverty and access to paper, books, etc)I can look, understand and fold from a diagram from anywhere in the world • The list, however, is based in English, but there are members from all over the world

4. Background (cont) • British Origami Society – first western Origami group • Set up in 1967 as a portfolio society (posting diagrams and models around the UK via snail mail) – an early virtual community(I joined circa 1973) • There are now over 50 National Origami Groups including Australia

5. History • O-list began in May 23, 1988 • Basic email list, all sent to one central person to put together then send out • All members from USA tertiary institutions • Very limited list, small numbers (initially 5), and limited by technology, including how to send more than messages (ie diagrams)

6. History (cont) • First List-server January 1989, hosted by University of Texas • By end of 1998, the list was large and cumbersome, with over 400 members, and a huge amount of work for the list managers and archivist • It had become moderated after people started spamming, and emails were being used for spam • However, this slowed down “conversation” as all emails had to be sent to central point, verified, with another email and then posted

7. History (cont) • After considerable and open discussion, the O-list was moved. Kept as an email list to keep it accessible to the widest possible membership, (eg dial-up or cable TV access), and fast • To make it more ’private’ and easier to manage, the O-list was moved over to a list server, hosted by MIT in 1998. This was open to anyone who wanted to join, but had facilities to protect email addresses and content from spammers

8. History (cont) • 2006, MIT closed its list server • O-list moved over to Mailman, hosted by list manager • Anyone can join, but need to ‘register’ through Mailman • Today there are nearly 1000 registered email addresses from around the world (947 on April 15, 2008.

9. History (cont) • Most people get O-list in a daily digest form • There is a searchable archive of everything since day one, voluntarily maintained by a Dutch member • I have been a member since 1997

10. Boundaries and Norms • Any one can join the list • Stick to origami related topics – etiquette to post ’NO’ for non-origami related items • No attachments • Private conversations discouraged, especially ones that post snail mail addresses or private email addresses • Religion, politics, languages other than English and personal flaming are positively discouraged.

11. Boundaries and Norms • Care with culturally specific terminology/jokes etc • Length limit to postings • Regularly repeated topics – people gently sent to the archives – FAQ for some of these topics

12. Boundaries and Norms • The list owners can and do remove members from the list (eg flaming others, consistently going off-subject, such as political issues). Only done when several people have complained and the person been warned • The list is largely self-regulating • Other lists for more specific topics; adult only, Flickr, specific fold types/country/language lists

13. Hierarchy and Celebrities • There are celebrities, such as ’famous’ authors. Some, given the history of the list, and origami’s link to mathematics, strongly linked to the computing world. (Yes, you can do a PhD in Computational Mathematic.) • List owners rarely ‘pull rank’ • Others are famed for teaching or promoting origami • Origami is a sharing world; these ’celebrities’ share their work and rarely act the ’prima dona’ • One of older members is an incredible historian, and prepared incredibly in-depth papers on various paper-related topics, which have been collated and posted on the British Origami Society’s website

14. Community So is this a community? • We certainly have shared births, deaths and illnesses. There have even been romances that developed out of the list! We even shared the horror of September 11, with one member stuck in the Pentagon, and many of his ‘friends’ worried about him until he contacted us all through the list!

15. Community (cont) • We share ideas and help each other out all the time. (eg I’m stuck on page 3 of the diagram of X) • We ask for help for people outside the group (eg I’ve had a request to teach in Alaska next week) • Members do a huge amount of voluntary work in the community teaching origami, both for fun and as therapy • We teach each other a lot; teaching the blind, or utilising origami in mental health patients or those in goal

16. Community (cont) • We have a unique role in the Peace movement with the origami crane becoming a symbol of peace, so that members are often involved in various Peace and healing activities • The list can become very US-based, with American members tending to forget that there are other nations represented. This is true of discussions about shops, seasons, festivals etc

17. Community (cont) • Identities, (email address) posted with each message. Most people use own names, at least in ‘signature’ • There is a strong feeling of reciprocity – the more you put in, the more you get out • Newbies are protected, especially if others flame them for doing something ‘wrong’ • There can be lots of in-jokes and puns

18. Face-to-Face • I would guess that most of the members do have some access to other folders. Many of us try and attend local meetings, national or international conferences • When the big conferences are on, the list gets very quiet – indicating many members are there • When I attended the BOS conference last years, loads of ‘strangers’ greeted me as a friend purely from the list

19. Key Links • About the O-List:lists.digitalorigami.com/mailman/listinfo/origami • Archives:origami.kvi.nl • British Origami Society:www.britishorigami.info/ • Perth Origami Group:www.origami.asn.au/ • Useful origami website:www.origami.as