Topic: Dear ANSI C++ Committee
Author: jim.fleming@bytes.com (Jim Fleming)
Date: 1995/06/05 Raw View
In article <D9pBH0.KA6@research.att.com>, ark@research.att.com says...
>
>In article <danryokuD9o6Jo.Hxz@netcom.com> an188835@anon.penet.fi writes:
>
>> I'm just begining C++ programing and the book I'm using suggested I know
>> a little about bit patterns, binary arithmetic, and hexadecimals. The
>> book didn't go into detail about these topics. If you are familiar with
>> these topics and know how they deal with data inputed into the computer
>> please mail me with a reply. Thanks!!
>
>This has nothing to do with C++ standardization.
>Please use a different newsgroup.
>--
> --Andrew Koenig
> ark@research.att.com
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Maybe if the ANSI committee posted their correspondance to this newsgroup
then people would get the idea of what it is for...
Is there any "news" from the ANSI C++ committee...???
How is the public comment period going...???
How many official comments have been submitted...???
Who are the members of the ANSI C++ commitee...???
When is the next ANSI meeting...???
Where is the next ANSI meeting going to be held...???
When is the next ISO meeting...???
Where is the next ISO meeting going to be held...???
How many working groups are there...???
Who is on charge of those working groups...???
What are they working on...???
Are there any ANSI activities at Object Expo in New York...???
--
Jim Fleming /|\ Unir Corporation Unir Technology, Inc.
jrf@tiger.bytes.com / | \ One Naperville Plaza 184 Shuman Blvd. #100
%Techno Cat I / | \ Naperville, IL 60563 Naperville, IL 60563
East End, Tortola |____|___\ 1-708-505-5801 1-800-222-UNIR(8647)
British Virgin Islands__|______ 1-708-305-3277 (FAX) 1-708-305-0600
\__/-------\__/ http:199.3.34.13 telnet: port 5555
Smooth Sailing on Cruising C+@amarans ftp: 199.3.34.12 <-----stargate----+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\____to the end of the OuterNet_|
Author: jim.fleming@bytes.com (Jim Fleming)
Date: 1995/05/18 Raw View
Dear Members of the ANSI C++ Committee:
Attached is some information that may help to explain how the Internet
can be used to expedite your process....JF
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
In article <3p5l5j$jfg@age.cs.columbia.edu>, hauben@news.cs.columbia.edu
says...
>
>
> The Net and the Future of Politics:
> The Ascendency of the Commons
>
> By Michael Hauben <hauben@columbia.edu>
> Part One of Three Parts
>
> "What democracy requires is public debate, and not
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> information. Of course, it needs information, too, but the
> kind of information it needs can be generated only by
> vigorous popular debate. We do not know what we need to know
> until we ask the right questions, and we can identify the
> right questions only by subjecting our own ideas about the
> world to the test of public controversy. . . ."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> (Christopher Lasch, "Journalism, Publicity, and the
> Lost Art of Argument,"in Media Studies Journal
> Winter 1995 Vol 9 No 1, pg. 81)
>
>
> "Throughout American history, the town meeting has been the
> premier, and often the only, example of 'direct democracy.'...The
> issue of whether the town meeting can be redesigned to empower
> ordinary citizens, as it was intended to do, is of vital concern
for
> the future."
>
> (Jeffrey B. Abramson, "Electronic Town Meetings: Proposals
> for Democracy's Future," Aspen Institute Communications and
> Society Program)
>
> I. Introduction
>
> Democracy, or rule by the people, is inherently a popular form
>of government. Writers throughout the ages have thought about
>democracy, and understood the limitations imposed by various
>factors. Today, computer communications networks, such as the
>Internet, are technical innovations which make moving towards a true
>participatory democracy seem more realistic.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> James Mill, a political theorist from the early nineteenth
>century, wrote about democracy in his 1825 essay on "Government" for
>a Supplement for the Encyclopedia Britannica. Mill argues that
>democracy is the only governmental form that is fair to the society as
>a whole. He does not trust representative government, as seen when he
>wrote:
>
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
> "Whenever the powers of Government are placed in any hands
> other than those of the community, whether those of one man, of a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> few, or of several, those principles of human nature which imply
> that Government is at all necessary, imply that those persons
> will make use of them to defeat the very end for which Government
> exists." (pg. 8)
>
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
>Democracy is a desirable form of government, but Mill found it to be
>impossible to maintain. Mill lists two practical obstacles in his
>essay. First, he finds it impossible for the whole people to assemble
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>to perform the duties of government. Citizens would have to leave
>their normal jobs on a regular basis to help govern the
>community. Second, Mill argues that an assembled body of differing
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>interests would find it impossible to come to any agreements. Mill
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>speaks to this point in his essay:
>
> "In an assembly, every thing must be done by speaking and
> assenting. But where the assembly is numerous, so many persons
desire
> to speak, and feelings, by mutual inflammation, become so violent,
> that calm and effectual deliberation is impossible." (pg. 6)
>
> In lieu of participatory democracies, republics have
>arisen as the actual form of government. Mill recognizes that an
>elected body of representatives serve to facilitate the role of
>governing society in the interests of the body politic. However, that
>representative body needs to be overseen so as to not abuse its
>powers. Mill writes:
>
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
> "That whether Government is entrusted to one or a few, they have
not
> only motives opposite to those ends, but motives which will carry
> them, if unchecked, to inflict the greatest evils...." (pg. 13)
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^(i.e. C++)
>
> A more recent scholar, the late Professor Christopher Lasch of
>University of Rochester, also has qualms with representative
>government. In his essay, "Journalism, Publicity, and the Lost Art of
>Argument" (1), Lasch argues that any form of democracy requires
>discourse and debate to properly function. His article is critical of
>modern journalism failing in its role as a public forum to help raise
>the needed questions of our society. Lasch recommends the recreation
>of direct democracy when he writes:
>
> "Instead of dismissing direct democracy as irrelevant to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> modern conditions, we need to recreate it on a large scale.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> And from this point of view, the press serves as the
> equivalent of the town meeting." (pg. 89)
>
>But the traditional town meeting had its limitations. Everyone should
>be allowed to speak, as long as they share a genuine common interest
>in the well-being of the whole community, rather than in any
>particular part. (2)
>
> The twenty-six year development of the Internet and the
>sixteen year development of Usenet News is an investment in a strong
>force towards making direct democracy a reality. Mill's observations
>of the obstacles preventing the implementation of direct democracy
>have a chance of being overcome using these new technologies. On-line
>communication forums also make possible Lasch's desire to see the
>discussion necessary to identify today's fundamental questions. Mill
>could not foresee the successful assembly of the body politic in person
>at one time. The Net (3) allows for a meeting which takes place on
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>people's own time, rather than in real time. Usenet newsgroups are
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>discussion forums where questions are raised, and people can leave
>comments when and how they wish, rather than in a particular time and
>place. As a computer discussion forum, individuals can connect from
>their own computers, or publicly accessible computers from across the
>nation to participate in a particular debate. The effect is a
>discussion taking place in one concrete time and place, while the
>discussants can be dispersed. Current Usenet newsgroups and mailing
>lists prove that citizens can both do their daily jobs and participate
>in discussions that interest them on their own time.
>
> Mill's second observation was that people would not be able to
>communicate peacefully after being successfully assembled. Online
>discussions do not have the same characteristics as in-person
>meetings. As people connect to the discussion forum when they wish,
>and when they have time, they can be thoughtful as to their responses
>to the discussion. Whereas in a regular meeting, participants have to
>think quicker to make responses. In addition, on-line discussions
>allow everyone to have a say, whereas finite length meetings only
>allow a certain number of people to have their say. Online meetings
>allow for everyone to contribute their thoughts in a message, which is
>then accessible to whomever else is reading and participating in the
>discussion.
>
> These new communication technologies hold the germ for the
>implementation of direct democracy in a country as long as the
>necessary computer and communications infrastructure are
>installed. Future advancement towards a more responsible government is
>possible with these new technologies. While the future is discussed
>and planned for, it will also be possible to use the currently
>installed technologies to assist in the current American political
>system. Netizens (4) are watching various government institutions on
>various newsgroups and mailing lists throughout the global computer
>communications network. People's thoughts about and criticisms of
>their respective governments are being aired on the currently
>uncensored networks.
>
> These networks can revitalize the concept of a democratic
>"Town Meeting" via on-line communication and discussion. Discussions
>involve people interacting with others. Voting involves the isolated
>thoughts of an individual on an issue, and then his or her cementing
>those thoughts in a private vote. In a society where people live
>together, it is important for people to communicate to each other
>about their situations to best understand the world from the broadest
>possible viewpoint.
>
> Public and open discussions and debates are grass-roots,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>bottom-up situations which best enable people to participate in
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>democracy and raise enthusiasm and interest more so than straight
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>voting would ever do. Of course, at some point or other, votes might
>be taken, but only after time has been given to air an issue in the
>commons.
>
> II. The NTIA Virtual Conference
>
> A recent example and prototype of this public and open
>discussion was the Virtual Conference on Universal Service and Open
>Access to the Telecommunications Network in late November 1994. The
>National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a
>branch of the US Department of Commerce sponsored this e-mail
>conference and encouraged public access sites to allow broad-based
>discussion. Several public libraries across the nation provided the
>most visible public sites on the archives of the conference. This NTIA
>online conference is an example of what I am looking for in terms of
>an on-line "town meeting." This prototype of what the technology
>facilitates also demonstrated some of the problems inherent in
>non-moderated computer communication. The NTIA conference was a new
>social form made possible by the net and actually occurred as a
>prototype of one form of citizen on-line discussion. It demonstrated
>an example of citizen-government interaction through citizen debate
>over important public questions held in a public forum with the
>support of public institutions. This is a viable attempt to revitalize
>the democratic definition of government of and by the people. This
>particular two-week forum displayed the following points:
>
>1) Public debate and its release of beforehand unheard voices
>2) A new form of politics involving the people in the real questions of
society
>3) The clarification of a public question
>4) The testing of new technological means to move society forward
>
>Following is a case study of the archives of this prototype
>conference, including some analysis for the future.
>
> David J. Barram, the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department
>of Commerce, closed the National Telecommunications and Informa-
>tion Administration's (NTIA) (5) Virtual Conference on Universal and
>Service and Open Access by stating the conference was:
>
> "...a tremendous example of how our information infrastruc-
> ture can allow greater citizen participation in the develop-
> ment of government policies."
>
>To hear such a comment from a representative of the federal
>government is important. Such a statement indicates that many
>users of the Net have demonstrated to the Federal Government
>that they oppose the recent conversion of the communications-based
>Internet into the commerce-based National Information Infrastructure.
>
> The goals of the two-week conference, as stated in the
>Welcoming Statement, also by David Barram, were as follows:
>
> 1) Garner opinions and views on universal telecommunications
> service that may shape the legislative and regulatory de-
> bate.
>
> 2) Demonstrate how networking technology can broaden partic-
> ipation in the development of government policies, specifi-
> cally, universal service telecommunications policy.
>
> 3) Illustrate the potential for using the NII to create an
> electronic commons.
>
> 4) Create a network of individuals and institutions that
> will continue the dialog started by the conference, once the
> formal sponsorship is over.
>
>The Welcoming Statement also highlighted the importance placed in
>the active two-way process of communication by ending:
>
> "This conference is an experiment in a new form of dialogue
> among citizens and with their government. The conference is
> not a one-way, top down approach, it is a conversation. It
> holds the promise of reworking the compact between citizens
> and their government."
>
> Open discussion is powerful. Such exchange is much more
>convincing then any propaganda. The forums on "availability and
>affordability" and " Redefining Universal Service and Open Access"
>demonstrated that the solution of the "free market" is not a
>correct solution. Otherwise unheard voices sounded loud and clear;
>there is a strong need for the government to assure that on-line
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>access is equally available to rural, disabled or poor citizens and
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>to everyone else. The government must step in to cover non-
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>profitable situations that the "free market" would not touch. Non-
>governmental and non-profit organizations along with community
>representatives, college students, normal everyday people and others
>made this clear in their contributions to the discussion. The NTIA
>Virtual Conference was not advertised broadly enough, but the
>organizers did establish 80 public access points across the nation
>in places like public libraries and community centers. This helped
>to include the opinions of people in the discussion who might not have
>been heard otherwise.
>
>A. Importance of Internet to our society.
>-----------------------------------------
>
> The Internet and Usenet News represent important developments
>in technology which will have a profound effect on human society and
>intellectual development. We are in an early stage of the development
>and distribution of these technologies, and it is important to look
>towards the future. Some areas of human society which these new
>communications technologies are likely to further develop include
>government, human communication and community formation. Democracy is
>government by the people, and both Usenet News and mailing lists allow
>everyone to speak their voice without fear of not getting a chance to
>speak. Individuals can still be uncooperative, but these new
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>communications technologies make it possible to have one's voice
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>presented equally. These technologies could be integrated with other
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>on-line information and communication technologies to work towards a
>true participatory democracy. This promise excited several of the
>participants.
>
> Many participants in the NTIA virtual conference recognized
>the value inherent in these new communication technologies and
>discussed the need for universal access to the technology. The
>Internet was identified to be a "public good," worthy and necessary to
>be accessible throughout the American population. This led to the
>understanding that it was important to make access equal across all
>stations of society. It was deemed important that citizens living in
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>rural areas, people with various handicaps, or of low-income have
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>equal opportunity with everyone else to access and utilize the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Internet. These particular cases were described and explored as being
^^^^^^^^
>marginal, and with particular circumstances that would prove
>unprofitable for businesses to provide equal access for equal
>payment. Businesses make profits off of the mass production of like
>goods or services. Parts of society which cannot use the common
>product wind up paying extra. This was seem as discriminatory by
>various participants. The details described included the high prices
>involved with long distance phone rates which most rural inhabitants
>need to pay to access most other people. These rates would have to be
>paid to connect to the most likely closest Internet access phone
>number. Rural access would be costly, as would access from territories
>such as the Virgin Islands. People with handicaps would need to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^....:)
>purchase expensive input/output devices in order to facilitate their
>individual disadvantage. Access is expensive, but so are
>computers and training. Participants felt it important to make access
>to Internet accounts and computers easily available.
>
> The number of subscribers averaged about 400 people per
>conference. The conferences sponsored a debate on the issues, and
>people of different ideas talked. However, there was a clear cry by
>participants that the US government should stay involved with the US
>backbone of the Internet to best provide equal access and service to
>individuals throughout US society. One of the arguments behind
>this understanding was that it was important for the Internet as a
>medium to function to have representatives of all walks of life and
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Bottom Lines @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
>bodies of knowledge represented and available as a resource. The
^^^
>question was raised by one participant whether we as a society could
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>afford being split into two distinct societies - those online and
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>those not.
^^^^^^^^^
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Bottom Lines @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
[snip a ton of other interesting material...]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Michael Hauben Columbia College'95 Editor of Amateur Computerist
Newsletter
> by day hauben@cs.columbia.edu by night
> <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/">Netizen's Cyberstop</A>
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
...another Bottom Line...
Dear ANSI...get yourself online and out of the paper and pencil age...:)
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
--
Jim Fleming /|\ Unir Corporation Unir Technology, Inc.
jrf@tiger.bytes.com / | \ One Naperville Plaza 184 Shuman Blvd. #100
%Techno Cat I / | \ Naperville, IL 60563 Naperville, IL 60563
East End, Tortola |____|___\ 1-708-505-5801 1-800-222-UNIR(8647)
British Virgin Islands__|______ 1-708-305-3277 (FAX) 1-708-305-0600
\__/-------\__/ http:199.3.34.13 telnet: port 5555
Smooth Sailing on Cruising C+@amarans ftp: 199.3.34.12 <-----stargate----+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\____to the end of the OuterNet_|