---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 7, 2012 at 12:20 AM
Subject: Re: Barrett here, getting in touch
To: Stephen Veith <sveith@verizon.net>
Stephen-
After a couple more unexpected pieces of work, I've finally begun
writing up the materials on the "pursuant system," as I'm calling
it
for now, and will be sending you those as I finish them. The
introduction I've pasted below doesn't get into explaining
exactly
how
it works, but instead provides an overview, directed both at
online
activists and non-activists, of what fundamental problems the
schematic will solve and what other value it should be expected
to
offer to whom. Specifics on the design itself will require me to
finish up some charts along with appropriate text so will take a
few
days still; I'll also be sending along sections dealing in
greater
detail with the negative aspects of the existing activist
environment
that the system is designed to minimize, and likely one or two
more
on
related topics. Expect it all within the next week or so, and do
let
me know if you have any initial questions about any of it. Still
very
excited about pursuing this and look forward to our next
discussion.
Introduction to the Pursuant System
Effective, information-oriented online activism of the sort
sometimes
engaged in by participants/informal groupings of Anonymous, as
well
as
by Telecomix and an increasing variety of other entities, has
from
its
beginning been organized and carried out most consistently within
the
medium of internet relay chat (IRC), a format, and thus
centralized
within a series of IRC networks that necessarily take on a
variety
of
individual characters relative to the others. Other mediums -
forums,
video conferencing sites, Skype, Twitter, collaborative pads -
are
also used, either in conjunction with IRC or to its exclusion,
but
the
format of separate chat servers in which activists work within
the
confines of one or more channels dedicated to varying purposes
has
been by far more central to the work and interactions of the most
active participants since online activism came into its own in
2008.
Between its historical status as the venue of choice for the
technically-inclined and its relative usability in terms of
information sharing, collaborative work, and socializing, IRCs
dominance among online activists is unlikely to be seriously
challenged within the next five years - especially since little
overt
attention has been given to the fact that IRC is almost certainly
not
anything close to the optimal possible medium for the specific
necessities of collaboration that have of late been shown to
arise
among online activists.
Any reasonably close observer of the last few years of online
activism
should be able to identify severe inefficiencies stemming from
the
peculiarities of a medium that, while certainly advantageous in
some
respects, was certainly not designed with online activism in
mind.
Many observers have indeed done so, and some large portion of
participants will have undoubtedly noticed one or another of
these
problems - and would understandably consider any alternative
provided
either as a replacement or supplement. The more committed among
them
would recognize that net-facilitated activism has proven its own
potential even in its infancy, and is thus too important a civic
remedy to be carried out without a good degree of regard for the
fundamentals by which it is incubated and carried out.
The purpose of the pursuant system is to provide an alternative
medium
that, unlike IRC or any other now in use, is designed
specifically
for
the use of online activists, as determined by the specific
dynamics
that provide for operational effectiveness, and with a view to
minimizing several of the factors inherent to IRC that
consistently
reduce such effectiveness. It is not intended to entirely replace
any
other medium in use by activists, but instead to provide a degree
of
organizational functionality that currently does not exist, and
which
would prove useful and desirable to the vast majority of online
activists while also encouraging some number of non-activists to
consider getting involved for the first time. Aside from all of
that,
one of the two instances in which the pursuant system is to be
released will facilitate collaboration between groups - termed
pursuants within the system - at a level of overall ease and
collective functionality beyond what now exists within
net-facilitated
activism and a number of more traditional enterprises as well.
The pursuant system is driven by a conceptually simple but
multifaceted and highly customizable schematic, itself originally
designed in 2010 with input from early participants of Project
PM,
and
then fundamentally expanded on in collaboration with information
activist David House in late 2012 in light of the developing
character
and perceived future potential of online activism as made
apparent
over several years and countless operations and incidents. In
addition
to the functionality presented here, other tools and aspects are
likely to be added over development, and still others could be
implemented by individual users after release.
On Fri, Aug 3, 2012 at 10:57 AM, Barrett Brown
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
No problem, I had to finish up some work this week myself.
Also,
the
echelon2.org wiki is currently down due to servers being
rearranged,
but it should be back up later today or tomorrow at the latest.
Let
me
know when you're ready to touch base again, and no hurry, as I
need
to
figure out a couple of things and look through your site and
all
that.
On Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 6:08 PM, Stephen Veith
<sveith@verizon.net>
wrote:
Hi Barrett,
Thanks so much for taking the time to compile all this.
Thanks
also
for
spending an hour with me on the phone on Tuesday. It was
great
having
the
opportunity to get to know you better.
My apologies that I haven't been able to dig into any of this
yet.
Between
family obligations and my day job I have been submerged.
Please trust that I will go through everything this weekend.
Please
also
check out Center for IT Leadership www.cfitl.com when you get
a
chance.
It's been awhile and I am still trying to recall the login for
the
CMS.
I
will send you that as soon as I find it.
I will come back to you, my friend. Many thanks again.
Best,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Barrett Brown [mailto:barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:05 PM
To: Stephen Veith
Subject: Re: Barrett here, getting in touch
Stephen-
Again, it was wonderful to talk to you about all this
yesterday.
Here's the wiki Project PM started last year:
http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Main_Page
See the entries on Romas/COIN
(http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Romas/COIN), Endgame Systems
(http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Endgame_Systems), and Qorvis
(http://wiki.echelon2.org/wiki/Qorvis) in particular. As I
mentioned,
we
also do a lot of direct and behind-the-scenes media work on
the
issue,
sometimes with the result that other journalists do digging
off
of a
tip and
uncover something new. I'll talk you through a bit more about
that
next
time
we talk on phone.
Here are my Guardian op-eds, most of which cover the issues we
touched
on
yesterday: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/barrett-brown
Here's a piece I wrote in early January 2011 for al-Jazeera,
under
the
name
"Anonymous," on the topic of what would become the Arab
Spring:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/02/201121321487750509.html
Here's the bi-monthly column I wrote on the internet for
Skeptical
Inquirer
throughout 2010, as I was putting together Project PM:
http://www.csicop.org/author/barrettbrown
I'll start completing and sending in the more specific
materials
you've
asked for later this week. Please send me the link to your
site
when
you
have a moment and I'll take a look.
On Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 5:21 AM, Barrett Brown
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
Stephen-
Did you try to call me yesterday from an 850 number? If so,
I'm
afraid
I'm just seeing it now on my calls missed. Either way, I'll
be
around
this morning if you'd like to call at any point.
On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 4:32 PM, Barrett Brown
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
Anytime after noon on Monday should work.
On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 3:59 PM, Stephen Veith
<sveith@verizon.net>
wrote:
HI Barrett,
Thanks for your note. How do you look on Monday?
Have a great weekend.
Best,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Barrett Brown [mailto:barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2012 3:38 PM
To: Stephen Veith
Subject: Re: Barrett here, getting in touch
Sorry, didn't catch this in time. I'm around all day today
if
you'd
like to call at any point.
On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Stephen Veith
<sveith@verizon.net>
wrote:
Hey Barrett
Good to hear from you. No worries as I have had an insane
week.
How do you look for tomorrow morning say around 9am your
time?
Thank you.
Best
Steve
Sent from my iPhone - Please excuse typos
On Jul 26, 2012, at 4:07 PM, Barrett Brown
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
Stephen-
Sorry, I somehow overlooked this in my inbox until just
now.
Let
me know if you'd like to speak today or tomorrow at any
time
that's good for you.
On Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 6:22 PM, Stephen Veith
<sveith@verizon.net>
wrote:
Hi Barrett,
How is Monday afternoon? I am pretty open then.
Thanks!
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Veith, Stephen G [mailto:sveith@namginc.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 3:16 PM
To: sveith@verizon.net
Subject: FW: Barrett here, getting in touch
Stephen Veith | Senior Digital Sales Executive North
American
Media Group, Inc www.northamericanmediagroup.com t -
646.862.3919
| e - sveith@namginc.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Barrett Brown [mailto:barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 3:01 PM
To: Veith, Stephen G
Subject: Re: Barrett here, getting in touch
Next week would be fine; let me know when you have a
day/time
in
mind, I should be pretty flexible.
On Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 10:11 AM, Veith, Stephen G
<sveith@namginc.com>
wrote:
Hey Barrett,
Sorry to have missed you. Maybe as you suggested, a
phone
conference
might work. How do you look next week for about 30
minutes
or
so?
Thank you.
Best,
Steve
Stephen Veith | Senior Digital Sales Executive North
American
Media Group, Inc www.northamericanmediagroup.com t -
646.862.3919 | e - sveith@namginc.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Barrett Brown [mailto:barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 3:39 PM
To: Veith, Stephen G
Subject: Re: Barrett here, getting in touch
Stephen-
Let me know if you still want to meet in next few hours
before
you're heading out; I'll be on my cell.
On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 11:52 AM, Barrett Brown
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
Stephen-
That actually works fine, as I get back Tuesday
evening
and
Wednesday
afternoon is clear. Would you like to meet at
breadwinners
on
McKinney ave, in uptown? It's a breakfast/lunch/coffee
place
with
a nice patio and next to apartment, so I could head over
there
at
a moment's notice depending on your schedule that day.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 16, 2012, at 8:37 AM, "Veith, Stephen G"
<sveith@namginc.com>
wrote:
Hi Barrett,
I am on the plane now headed to TX. I will be in
Dallas
on
weds
afternoon if you will be there then. My flight leaves
Dfw
at
5:30.
We can always chat by phone if logistics don't align.
Looking
forward to
catching up. Thanks.
Best,
Steve
Sent from my iPhone - Please excuse typos
On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:42 PM, "Barrett Brown"
<barriticus@gmail.com>
wrote:
Stephen:
I did live in Austin on and off for a number of
years,
which
is why I have the 512 cell number, but I actually
live
in
Dallas now, and will still be in NYC until Tuesday
evening.
If you're still in the city and would like to meet
here
before you head to
Texas, let me know.
Otherwise, would be happy to meet in Dallas at any
time
or
talk by phone.
On Sat, Jul 14, 2012 at 9:13 AM, Veith, Stephen G
<sveith@namginc.com>
wrote:
Hi Barrett,
Thank you for your note. Nice meeting you briefly
on
Thursday.
It appears you are in Austin. I will be there
Monday
and
Tuesday if
you are in town and would like to grab coffee or a beer.
I'd like to learn more about Anonymous. As a
former
launch
publisher
of numerous tech information sources over the past 20
years, I
am
intrigued about the upside possibilities with respect to
heightening awareness of the myriad of serious issues in
the
Cyber world that we all
face.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Steve
________________________________________
From: Barrett Brown [barriticus@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 5:39 PM
To: Veith, Stephen G
Subject: Barrett here, getting in touch
Stephen-
It's Barrett Brown from last night. E-mail me back
at
this
address or give me a call on my cell number below
any
time
you'd like. Look forward to hearing from you.
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302
--
Regards,
Barrett Brown
512-560-2302