Re: MUD, IRC and the like on MichNet

[Edward Vielmetti]

from Jeff's summary:

 MUD is a little different. Since in general I don't think that MUD use
 is allowed by the NSFNET Conditions of Use policy I think we should say
 that to people and ask them if the MUD game they are using is directly
 associated with some educational or research program that they are part of.

I'd be a little bit slower to say that MUD is (universally) contrary to the
NSFnet conditions of use policy.  If you look at the recent discussion on
the sci.virtual-worlds newsgroup (sponsored by the U of Washington) there
has been some relatively scholarly discussion of MUDs as primitive "virtual
reality" environments.  Also see the recent book by Howard Rheingold on the
same topic.

Mind you, I'm not saying that all MUDs are of serious scholarly interest;
just that real-time multiplayer worldwide interactive "games" are suitable
as a research topic.

--Ed
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