From the Publisher: 
A Question of Identity 
Life on the Screen is a fascinating and wide-ranging investigation of the impact of computers and networking on society, peoples' perceptions of themselves, and the individual's relationship to machines. Sherry Turkle, a Professor of the Sociology of Science at MIT and a licensed psychologist, uses Internet MUDs (multi-user domains, or in older gaming parlance multi-user dungeons) as a launching pad for explorations of software design, user interfaces, simulation, artificial intelligence, artificial life, agents, "bots," virtual reality, and "the on-line way of life." 
Turkle's discussion of postmodernism is particularly enlightening. She shows how postmodern concepts in art, architecture, and ethics are related to concrete topics much closer to home, for example AI research (Minsky's "Society of Mind") and even MUDs (exemplified by students with X-window terminals who are doing homework in one window and simultaneously playing out several different roles in the same MUD in other windows). Those of you who have (like me) been turned off by the shallow, pretentious, meaningless paintings and sculptures that litter our museums of modern art may have a different perspective after hearing what Turkle has to say. 
This is a psychoanalytical book, not a technical one. However, software developers and engineers will find it highly accessible because of the depth of the author's technical understanding and credibility. Unlike most other authors in this genre, Turkle does not constantly jar the technically-literate reader with blatant errors or bogus assertions about how things work. Although I personally don't have time or patience for MUDs,view most of AI as snake-oil, and abhor postmodern architecture, I thought the time spent reading this book was an extremely good investment.

스크린 위의 삶 = Life on the screen : identity in the age of the internet

Practical large-scale mathematical programming involves more than just the application of an algorithm to minimize or maximize an objective function. Before any optimizing routine can be invoked, considerable effort must be expended to formulate the underlying model and to generate the requisite computational data structures. AMPL is a new language designed to make these steps easier and less error-prone. AMPL closely resembles the symbolic algebraic notation that many modelers use to describe mathematical programs, yet it is regular and formal enough to be processed by a computer system; it is particularly notable for the generality of its syntax and for the variety of its indexing operations. We have implemented an efficient translator that takes as input a linear AMPL model and associated data, and produces output suitable for standard linear programming optimizers. Both the language and the translator admit straightforward extensions to more general mathematical programs that incorporate nonlinear expressions or discrete variables.

AMPL: A Modeling Language for Mathematical Programming

Design science research (DSR) has staked its rightful ground as an important and legitimate Information Systems (IS) research paradigm We contend that DSR has yet to attain its full potential impact on the development and use of information systems due to gaps in the understanding and application of DSR concepts and methods This essay aims to help researchers (1) appreciate the levels of artifact abstractions that may be DSR contributions, (2) identify appropriate ways of consuming and producing knowledge when they are preparing journal articles or other scholarly works, (3) understand and position the knowledge contributions of their research projects, and (4) structure a DSR article so that it emphasizes significant contributions to the knowledge base Our focal contribution is the DSR knowledge contribution framework with two dimensions based on the existing state of knowledge in both the problem and solution domains for the research opportunity under study In addition, we propose a DSR communication schema with similarities to more conventional publication patterns, but which substitutes the description of the DSR artifact in place of a traditional results section We evaluate the DSR contribution framework and the DSR communication schema via examinations of DSR exemplar publications

https://www.misq.org/skin/frontend/default/misq/pdf/appendices/2013/V37I2_Appendices/GregorHevnerAppendices.pdf

Positioning and presenting design science research for maximum impact

Knowledge-intensive firms are composed of multiple communities with specialized expertise, and are often characterized by lateral rather than hierarchical organizational forms. We argue that producing knowledge to create innovative products and processes in such firms requires the ability to make strong perspectives within a community, as well as the ability to take the perspective of another into account. We present models of language, communication and cognition that can assist in the design of electronic communication systems for perspective making and perspective taking. By appreciating how communication is both like a language game played in a local community and also like a transmission of messages through a conduit, and by appreciating how cognition includes a capacity to narrativize our experience as well as a capacity to process information, we identify some guidelines for designing electronic communication systems to support knowledge work. The communication systems we propose emphasize that narratives can help construct strong perspectives within a community of knowing, and that reflecting upon and representing that perspective can create boundary objects which allow for perspective taking between communities. We conclude by describing our vision of an idealized knowledge intensive firm with a strong culture of perspective making and perspective taking, and by identifying some elements of the electronic communication systems we would expect to see in such a firm.

Perspective Making and Perspective Taking in Communities of Knowing

An integrated framework for project portfolio selection

This paper examines the concept of a model management system, what its functions are, and how they are to be achieved in a decision support context. The central issue is model representation which involves knowledge representation and knowledge management within a database environment. The model abstraction structure is introduced as a vehicle for model representation which supports both heuristic and deterministic inferencing as well as the conceptual/external schema notion familiar to database management. The model abstraction is seen as a special instance of the frame construct in artificial intelligence. Model management systems are characterized as frame-systems and a database implementation of this approach is described.

Knowledge representation for model management systems

This paper examines the concept of a model management system, what its functions are, and how they are to be achieved in a decision support context The central issue is model representation which involves knowledge representation and knowledge management within a database environment The model abstraction structure is introduced as a vehicle for model representation which supports both heuristic and deterministic inferencing as well as the conceptual/external schema notion familiar to database management The model abstraction is seen as a special instance of the frame construct in artificial intelligence Model management systems are characterized as frame-systems and a database implementation of this approach is described

Knowledge Representation for Model Management Systems

In this research note, we examine the design, development, validation, and use of virtual worlds. Our purpose in doing so is to extend the design science paradigm by developing a set of design principles applicable to the context of virtual environments, particularly those using agent-based simulation as their underlying technology. Our central argument is that virtual worlds comprise a new class of information system, one that combines the structural aspects of traditional modeling and simulation systems in concert with emergent user dynamics of systems supporting emergent knowledge processes. Our approach involves two components. First, we review the characteristics of agent-based virtual worlds (ABVWs) to discern design requirements that may challenge current design theory. From this review, we derive a set of design principles based on deep versus emergent structures where deep structures reflect conventional modeling and simulation system architectures and emergent structures capture the unpredictable user-system dynamics inherent in emergent knowledge processes, which increasingly characterize virtual worlds. We illustrate how these design challenges are addressed with an exemplar of a complex mirror world, a large-scale ABVW we developed called Sentient World. Our contribution is the insight of partitioning ABVW architectures into deep and emergent structures that mirror modeling systems and emergent knowledge processes respectively, while developing extended design principles to facilitate their integration. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our design principles for informing and guiding future research and practice.

Design principles for virtual worlds

Model integration extends the scope of model management to include the dimension of manipulation as well. This invariably leads to comparisons with database theory. Model integration is viewed from four perspectives: Organizational, definitional, procedural, and implementational. Strategic modeling is discussed as the organizational motivation for model integration. Schema and process integration are examined as the logical and manipulation counterparts of model integration corresponding to data definition and manipulation, respectively. A model manipulation language based on structured modeling and communicating structured models is suggested which incorporates schema and process integration. The use of object-oriented concepts for designing and implementing integrated modeling environments is discussed. Model integration is projected as the springboard for building a theory of models equivalent in power to relational theory in the database community.

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/31033/0000710.pdf?sequence=1

Model integration and a theory of models

The concept of model management as a logical extension and parallel of data management has resulted in attempts to extend existing data models to incorporate modeling functionality. This fosters a data-oriented view which artificially restricts the domain of model management. This paper suggests that a model-oriented approach which views ‘data as a model’ not only expands the scope of model management but also offers a more integrated and balanced conceptual foundation from which to implement model management. On the organizational level, this approach recognizes the transition from informal modeling as exemplified by the use of spreadsheets to formal modeling which manages models as a resource in conjunction with data. The notion of information administration is introduced as an organizational mechanism for controlling this evolution. On the technological level, a generalized model management system (GMMS) is required for support of organizational modeling activities. Geoffrion's structured modeling is suggested as a foundation from which to build a model-oriented GMMS. The incorporation of artificial intelligence capabilities into a GMMS is seen as a second implementation step which require the development of a sufficiently flexible meta-level architecture. Model abstractions are introduced as a vehicle for implementing this architecture.

Daniel R. Dolk

Papers

Knowledge representation for model management systems

Knowledge Representation for Model Management Systems

Design principles for virtual worlds

Model integration and a theory of models

Data as models: an approach to implementing model management