From: simulux@MIT.EDU (mark bain)
Subject: Results of the exercise

Henry,

Here are some notes regarding the collaborative web browse experiment.

I was intrigued by the fact that you had us do this exercise, especially in
groups of three.  It is a subject that I have considered often in the past
whenever I have found myself cruising the web with another person.  It
reminds me a lot of the experience one gets when watching television in a
group with only one in control of the remote, ie. an exercise in
frustration of intention.

Because of the polyvalent aspect of the web, we find ourselves in frequent
multiple choice situations.  Thus each link becomes chance for argument or
compromise whenever there is more than one making suggestions and/or
choices.
Unless the assistant/agent is able to accurately profile the user and guess
possible intention, I find the exercise gets bogged down in an area of in
between or misdirection.

Also there is the question of the paid off or commercial agents; the
formation of capitalized blinders that are trained to look for the "money"
and popular sites.  You see this whenever you use the more commercial
search engines or advert. blinker links.

I find the best experiences that I have had on the web are at times when I
have very little specific intention.  Here the term browse is handy.  Other
possible metaphors could be attached by using Bauldriard's idea of the
flanier or the Situationists concept of the derive.

Mark Bain