After the introductory section, the document is divided into three major parts: "Archaeological Resources" (52 items), "Archaeological Publishing on World Wide Web" (7 items), and "Key References for Closely-Related Fields such as Anthropology, Computer Applications, Conservation, Geography (especially GIS), History, and Museology" as named in the table of contents or "Key Resources for Fields Closely Related to Archaeology such as Anthropology, Geography (especially GIS), History, Museology, Conservation" as named in the text (45 items). This last section is although named somewhat differently in the text).
Each part includes a healthy variety of resources, ranging from Listserv lists, to WWW/gopher- servers, Usenet Newsgroups, to on-line databases and documents. An appendix of "Internet Services", which is really more of a glossary, completes the package.
In each section, the entries are presented in neat, tabular format, with information such as name/title, a general description, contents, usual means of access, Internet address, subscription /membership information, a human contact address, and so on. AotN includes useful cautions, such as noting when a resource is often down (i.e. inaccessible) or otherwise unavailable, or even no longer in service. One wonders why a resource which is no longer available should be listed at all. No reason is given for the few such entries, but perhaps Holledge thought one might encounter false trails to them while travelling the Net.
Entries include the phone/fax numbers and snail- mail addresses of human contacts, "whenever (they were) available" for each resource. This addition is a decided advantage for a rapidly, and often unexpectedly changing Net, and partially offsets the disadvantage of trying to cover in hard copy, a world which is difficult to keep pace with even electronically. Alas, inclusion of this information is the exception rather than the rule; it it appears likely that resource owners were not always individually contacted for their particulars.
A sample entry, picked at random, follows:
name/title: ArchNet description: From the University of Connecticut at Storrs, originally started in November 1993 as a "forum for archaeologists working in the NE United States and a resource for data, reports, graphics, images, and analytical programs." Re-organized in July 1994 in order to provide more general resources for the study of archaeology. "While our focus will continue to remain on archaeology in the northeastern United States, we felt a need to offer links to more diverse resources useful for archaeologists working in other parts of the world." software archives: 1. Point, a projectile point classification system which utilizes morphological attributes to classify and identify types common to the NE United States. 2. Sampler, a sampling simulation program which allows input of area, unit, and grid size to determine probability of encountering buried features and activity areas. (and five more...) means of access: Gopher and World-Wide-Web (WWW) Gopher address: spirit.lib.uconn.edu WWW URL address: http://spirit.lib.uconn.edu/archnet/archnet.html users: "100,000 accesses from researchers and visitors from the United States and 28 countries," November 1993 to July 1994. information: Anthropology, University at Connecticut - Storrs Jonathan Lizee E-mail: ceramics@unconnvm.uconn.edu (sic, should be @uconnvm.uconn.edu) Tom Plunkett Email: Tomp@sprit.lib.uconn.edu (sic, should be @spirit.lib.uconn.edu).
The above example clearly shows the degree of detail. The information has been presumably collected from the Net, or provided in brief by some of the resource owners. Clearly this resource guide will save some time travelling the net and allow users to direct their interests toward certain targets. However, from the above example, it should also be apparent that typographical errors have crept into the guide, and in key areas (as in the owners' email addresses above). Holledge plans to put together a second edition, and presumably these errors will be removed at that time.
A useful subject index is provided, depending on a series of keywords created for each entry by Holledge. A title index would have been very helpful as well, but was not provided.
The novice user would probably benefit from the inclusion of a sample entry, with attached explanations of each section. That would aid, for example, with details such as the URL (Universal Resource Locator), which is used throughout the resource guide, yet explained only briefly and incidentally in the introductory section under World- Wide-Web. If this guide is truly intended for novices, it will likely need much expansion. If it is intended for those more experienced with the Net, it might benefit from being available on-line rather than in hard copy.
To be fair, I have allowed the author a chance to reply to my comments. His words follow...
I originally decided to make "Archaeology on the Net" a hard copy publication in order to accommodate a cleaner, clearer design (than would have been possible with an ASCII/text on-line list), but I am now committed to a off-line, paper-and- ink publication aimed at those who have not yet ventured onto the net. I hope my book will eventually find its way into university libraries. That is where I would most like to see it.
If it is also useful to experienced Internet users then I will be delighted, but there are already fairly substantial online resource lists in existence for them. While these lists may not be as detailed as mine, they should be more up-to-date. Some people may find it convenient to use both. (Please note that I give full details of the online resource lists in my book.)
"Archaeology on the Net" is not intended to be an archaeologist's substitute for the hefty introductory volumes on the Internet which are already in the shops. Clearly it is not possible for a novice to buy an 80pp directory and then set sail into cyberspace. As I indicate in my introduction, I hope that prospective networkers can use the book menu-wise, to _choose_ the resources they want to use, and then ask their system operators or friends to help set them up.
I have been at great pains to make the information as accurate as possible. Given the haphazard nature of publishing on the net, there are a lot of errors at source. I have tried to avoid creating additional mistakes. I will be much indebted to readers, like Hugh Jarvis, who find errors and refer the details to me. Corrections will be made in future issues.
Following Hugh Jarvis's helpful suggestions, I will include a title index next time, and I will also consider putting in some kind of sample entry with explanatory legends.
One last thing I should clarify is my reason for listing defunct resources in the book. While I was doing the compilation, I spent a lot of time following dead trails to resources that no longer existed or had changed their names or locations. This may be the truest form of 'network archaeology', but I have included the resource names so that others can avoid this particular kind of digging!
Simon Holledge, Tokyo, 14/12/94
Institute of Archaeology,
University College London
JAPAN: 1-8-3 Takada, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171, Japan
Fax +81-3-3232-5278, Phone +81-3-3985-6317
E-mail:Simon@twics.com
World Wide Web URL:
http://www.twics.com/~Simon/home.html
Affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Government
CHINA: C/o The Forbidden City International
Archaeological Computing Unit at the
National Museum of Chinese History,
Fax +86-1-512-8986 Telephone +86-1-602-5540
E-mail: WuGate@mimi.cnc.ac.cn