A Word From Our New Associate Editor
John W. Hoopes
I first became interested in the use of computer networks
while in graduate school at Harvard in the early 1980s. A project in Costa Rica
on which I worked with Payson Sheets (University of Colorado) was one of the
first to take a portable computer into the field--a suitcase-sized Compaq with
a screen the size of my hand. While working on my dissertation, I participated
on local "bulletin board services." Through my involvement with FidoNet (an
early network of personal computers), I began to realize the potential of the
medium for professional communication. I've been part of the online
cybercommunity for over a decade now, using laptops and desktops to stay
connected with my department and colleagues during several years' research in
Central America. I'm a regular participant on ARCH-L and AZTLAN, two listserver
discussion groups for archaeology. I'm also webmaster for a growing suite of
web sites that make course materials, scholarly articles, bibliographies, and
other useful information available to the world.
The purpose of the new column will be to keep readers abreast of new and
existing Internet resources for archaeology. The first column will focus on how
our colleagues in Latin America are using "La Red," with descriptions of
discussion groups and web sites. Future articles will discuss the growing role
of listservers for sustaining scholarly dialogue, the potential of the Internet
for archaeological publishing, the use of the Internet for teaching, thematic
reviews of web sites and online resources, and evaluations of archaeological
resources on CD-ROMs. Individuals with suggestions or contributions for the
column are encouraged to contact me at the Department of Anthropology,
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, (785) 864-4103, fax (785) 864-5224,
email hoopes@ukans.edu, web http://www.ukans.edu/~hoopes/.