What will we see in the near future? In our Prognostications section, Laura Gurak does some cybercasting and argues that the future is what we, not technology, make it. Taking a shorter-term view, John December makes a series of predictions about changes he forsees in technology, scholarship, and society in 1995. And finally, Steve Cisler has a few well-timed warnings about a specific future, that of community networking.
On the academic front, writing instructors Bill Hart-Davidson and Tari Fanderclai take aim at examining CMC in the university, or more specifically, in the composition classroom. Hart-Davidson calls for a new brand of literacy, while Fanderclai argues for a new and innovative classroom fostered by MUD technology. Look for both these views in The CMC Writer's Bloc: A View From the Academy.
But it's not all schoolwork... in Takin' Care of Business, Thomas I.M. Ho examines ways the World Wide Web is affecting everyday business operations, while Greg Siering prognosticates about how MUDspace will be useful as more than just a place to play.
And speaking of play, in It's All Fun and Games...?, Peter Jerram asks what computers have done--and will continue to do-- for us at home. Is entertainment all there is? Meanwhile the team of Becky Rickly and Eric Crump collaborate to play with new ideas regarding CMC and academia.
Finally, in the Last Link space that has traditionally closed our magazine, we step outside of our co-editor roles briefly to swap some letters about the current brouhaha regarding metaphors for cyberspace. And as long as we're mentioning letters, we'd like to remind our readership--please feel free to write to us regarding this special issue or any other ideas you have regarding CMC and the magazine. Address all correspondence to John December at: john@december.com at any time.
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