DE-J's Monthly Newsletter, October 2004

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FROM THE EDITOR

We are in a critical situation to publish a monthly newsletter
because of the lack of hands. All current editors are working
hard, but we need more editors for both the English & Japanese
versions to make a rotation system. Please keep in mind your
feeling when you found our mission and joined to DEJ to help
each other to make difference.

No experience necessary, just an interest to share the effort for
the member's benefit. Please feel free to contact us even if you
are living outside of Japan.

Newsletter Team
newsletter@digitalevejapan.org

In a delightful turn of events, we received an offer from a new
volunteer the next day after our announcement. Mayumi
Tanimoto lives in Rome and works for the organization of the
United Nations. She started to help us as a translator for this
newsletter. How wonderfully frontier-less network is!

Misao Kajiro


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NOTES FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE

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ROTA LEADER

Junko Matsuo, August/September.


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MEMBERSHIP TEAM NEWS

Misao Kajiro, Membership Coordinator.
<membership@digitalevejapan.org>

Total membership is 536 as of the 29th of September, 2004.

Thank you to all who came to the DigitalEvening on September
22nd!

Shaun Dubin gave us a speech using the projector and 13 people
had great fun together. The GUDENE was a very cool venue
and they provided us food & drinks at an affordable-price.
One of the Pasta dishes they served was for vegetarians.

This was the first DEvening organized by Kana Makino and she
did excellent work. Thanks Kana! We need more helpers
for our upcoming events. Please contact us if you are interested
in Event Coordination.

Next meeting is Meet the DEvas in October 16th. Please check
your calendar, and more details will be sent to this list soon.

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WEB CONTENT TEAM NEWS

Nothing new to report.

Debra B. Foster, Web Content Coordinator.
<web@digitalevejapan.org>


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TECK TEAM NEWS

Nothing new to report.

Junko Matsuo, Technology Coordinator
<techb@digitalevejapan.org>


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MEDIA TEAM NEWS

Nothing new to report.

Chiharu Kawai, Media Coordinator.
<media@digitalevejapan.org>


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SPONSORSHIP TEAM NEWS

Nothing new to report.

Yoshiko Toge, Sponsorship Coordinator.
<sponsorship@digitalevejapan.org>


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CALENDAR

October 16 (Sat) Meet the DEvas

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DETAILS OF UPCOMING EVENTS

*Meet the DEvas
Date: Saturday, 16 October 2004
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Location: Cozmo's Cafe, Shibuya
Cost: 500 yen (drink)
Contact: membership@digitalevejapan.org

Come along for an afternoon of networking and socializing with
others. Share technical tips, job leads or just meet new people.
All members welcome (E/J).

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RECENT EVENTS

Report of the Digital Evening by Selimir Kustudic.

04/09/22 Impressions

Summary: Pleasant, people networking event, reminding us about
The importance of face to face communication.

Pros: Interesting statistics about how humans receive and
recall information.

Cons: Lack of structure and focus. No pointers and suggestions
on how to handle typical communication problems in an IT
enabled world at personal, group and organizational levels.

Wish: When possible, announce level of presentation and
include material of practical value to members.

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

Cool IP telephony software: Skype

By Sugiko Obata

Today, I will introduce my favorite software, which might be
useful to Devas who have plenty of friends in overseas. I even
thought about to keeping it as secret among my friends!

This software, "Skype", is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P), technology based,
free Internet telephony software. It offers free calls over IP
network.

Janus Frii and Niklas Zennstrom, fathers of well-known P2P file
exchange software, "Kazaa", have developed and distribute it
from their company's website for free of charge.
(www.skype.com)

Skype provides service for multiple platforms including Windows,
Linux, PocketPC and Macintosh, but with same interfaces. The
calls between Skype users are free of charge. However, users
need to pay fees for calls to traditional phones; fixed lines or
mobile phones. But the charge is much less than traditional
phones.

I have tested Skype over an ADSL connection at my house. The
quality of the conversations was very clear, but the microphones
sounded too sensitive; they even picked up the chirpings of
crickets! During the test, I used a compactphone, sold around
13,00 yen (US$13) in the market. It is very convenient
to place a call, and they have wireless microphones.

Since April 2004, I have talked to a variety of people, in more
than 21 countries. They taught me the popularity of Japanese
subcultures, such as Manga, Anime, J-pop, and games. On the
other hand, I learned about my culture from them as well. My
latest agenda is to improve my spoken French while talking to
people through Skype.

By using Skype, I would like to experience "fax effect", a concept
described by Kevin Kelly, an Editor-At-Large for Wired magazine,
in his book, "New Rules for the New Economy". The technology
that wires us may alter the way we live; as we shape technology,
it shapes us. Skype may alter my life style while wiring me to
somebody I have not see in real space.

I look forward to talking to Devas who are curious to
communicate through IP telephony. If you want to talk to me,
search me through the "Friends Search" function, setting
the country as "Japan", and the language "French". Because of
my language setting, I have not talked to somebody in the English
speaking areas. However, the access from English speakers is
welcomed as I make my living through English to Japanese translation.

(Translated by Mayumi Tanimoto)

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SUBMISSIONS TO THE NEWSLETTER

Have an announcement to make?
An article to submit for consideration?
(We can't pay you, but we'll give you a byline.)
Please send your submissions in plain text
format to newsletter@digitalevejapan.org

The Digital Digest is brought to you by the
Newsletter Team.