VMs: Re: DIE WELTWOCHE

[Rene Zandbergen <r_zandbergen@xxxxxxxxx>]

One more ..... :-)

--- Christoph Neidhart <neidhart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> 1. Do people out there think a solution is imminent?
> Where will it come from?

I've been thinking it was imminent for many years 
now, so for sure the word 'imminent' is wrong.
Let's say that a solution could be found anytime,
but there's no evidence that it will be very
soon.
In 10 years, the MS is 100 years old (in a way...).
It could happen before then. 
If not, the occasion should be used in some way
(big meeting in Prague or the Mondragone? / 
publication of a book of some sort?)

> 2. How do people one get hooked on the Voynich? I
> saw some notions of terrible addiction.

There have been times where I spent a lot of time
on it. This is no longer possible. I think that
it never got worse than any good hobby (for me).
And it is not a very expensive hobby at that :-)

One gets hooked because it looks easy at first
sight, and it has the appeal of an unsolved 
mystery. 

> 3. The list seems to be in a lull; does that mean
> people are frustrated?

Partly, perhaps. But there have been longer 
periods of silence and with greater silence too.
Always, some new topic would spark up discussion.
And new people join and start 'carrying the ball'.

> 4. How serious is the research that has been done
> lately?

I agree with previous speakers about the
importance of the work done in the last 12 years.
There have been many new 'observations' w.r.t.
the text of the MS.
We only lack the 'synthesis'. The one theory
that explains all observations.
Dana's plant research has been mentioned many
times by others. I would like to add that this 
should be complemented by:
- the list of plant identifications already given
  by Petersen in his hand copy (he cites sources too,
  and these are ususally botanists)
- the list of plant identifications collected by
  Mrs. Voynich and now in the Beinecke library
  (one of the boxes, don't remember which one)

> 5. Are there people out there who still think the
> ms. is a hoax?

Evidently :-) But very few should doubt that it
is really a medieval document. 
 
> 5. Some people seem to lean toward the idea that its
> language is a
> monosyllabic East-Asian language such as Chinese or
> Vietnamese; what
> are the arguments and counter-arguments?

See Jorge Stolfi's answer.

> 6. Does the Voynich-community ever meet in the real
> world, or is this solely
> an Internet-community? How many people are involved
> in the deciphering
> on a regular basis? Are you friends?

I've sought the occasions to meet other entousiasts
and thoroughly enjoyed the several meetings. 
Teddington, UK (a big group meeting) and Prague (where
it all happened) were particularly worthwhile trips.

Cheers, Rene Zandbergen


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