<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="MS Exchange Server version 6.5.7654.12"> <TITLE>RE: [SPG_Active_Members] Your letter of 29th July</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY>  I have been following this thread with interest over the past few days.  It has been a frank and open discussion, and very helpful--- especially to me.  While Ive just finished my first year at the Museum, I still consider myself to be a newcomer in many ways and therefore continually in listening mode.  Its important for us to know what our friends and interested volunteers think about CHM--- good, bad warts and all.  Ive learned that we have many volunteer communities and hardly a shrinking violet among them! Some of the issues in this thread are relatively short-term and discrete, such as how to proceed on the forthcoming receipt of the Stoyan Lisp archive.  Paul McJones and I have been in conversation about this over the last few days, and we have a nascent plan in the works.  Paul has been exceptionally helpful guiding volunteer efforts in the software area at CHM in the past.  We plan to enlist his experience, knowledge and just do it approach once again here on a project basis.  More to come on that shortly. Some of the issues are larger and more strategic.  The nature, objectives and future of software collecting at CHM are at the top of this list.  As Len said in a post over the weekend, we are engaged in a substantial effort to collect and catalog code led by Al Kossow.  There is clearly pent-up energy among many of you, as additional experts in the field, to help us do more.  The issue of how best to deploy this kind of talent is the subject of a current conversation between me and the board.  Bernard Peuto has volunteered to help us think through our strategy, particularly in the software area.  Bernard has a lot of experience in this area and our past efforts (and the scars to show for it), and Im glad to have his help.  This thread has given us some fresh starting points. The meta-question is this:  How can we best harness the knowledge, passion and skill of subject-matter experts in computing, like you, to build the Museum into an unparalleled history-telling institution?  We have made several efforts in the past.  Some have worked, and some have not.  This is at the heart of the board discussion I mentioned above.  It is a big issue, and the board and I are unified in believing that it is worth re-thinking and resolving. Like any big opportunity worth seizing, this will take some time.  The message I wanted to send to you this morning is that we are determined to seize it.  We need a framework to focus and guide this very important work.  Thats what were discussing now.  Patience, constructive advice and a willingness not to assume the worst would be helpful contributions now from friends who are looking to support this re-direction in the long run. Meanwhile, of course, we are working on another project--- a $16 million, 25,000 square foot, state of the art permanent exhibit that will seek to tell the history of computing from the abacus to the internet.  We are building an addition to computerhistory.org which has a similar ambition.  We are within sight of the funding goal, and if we stay on track we will launch the physical and cyber versions of CHM 2.0 next fall.  As you can imagine, this is soaking up a fair amount of the Museums mindshare.  We are working hard to balance this effort with the need to make progress on the other imperatives that Ive mentioned here.  Please continue to let us know where you see us succeeding, and also falling short.  We all benefit from your help, support and friendship. Best regards -- John -----Original Message----- From: scc_active-bounces@computerhistory.org on behalf of Paul McJones Sent: Mon 8/24/2009 8:19 AM To: Richard P. Gabriel Cc: Larry Masinter; scc_active@computerhistory.org; Jon L White; Mary Owens; hgladney@gmail.com Subject: Re: [SPG_Active_Members] Your letter of 29th July >>I'll help. > > There are about 7 or 8 people in the Bay Area who would qualify as > world-class experts on Lisp and Lisp history. They are Jonl White, > Danny Bobrow, perhaps Richard Fateman, John Foderaro, John McCarthy > (who is perhaps too frail at this point to help much), and Larry > Masinter. And me. Maybe Warren Teitelman. > > Larry is very knowledgeable on the parts of Lisp history the rest of > us are pretty weak on, as is Bobrow. Larry would be a great asset to > the work. This is a fantastic list. A couple of other people who made significant early contributions occurred to me: Steve Russell and Peter Deutsch. Paul _______________________________________________ SCC_active mailing list SCC_active@computerhistory.org <A HREF="http://mail.computerhistory.org/mailman/listinfo/scc_active">http://mail.computerhistory.org/mailman/listinfo/scc_active</A> </BODY> </HTML>