Re: VMs: poll

["DANA SCOTT" <dscott520@xxxxxxx>]

Hello Eric,

Thank you very much for your observations and interest in the VMS. One of 
the facinations regarding the VMS is that it generates such divers 
speculations as to its content, purpose, and meaning. All ideas no matter 
how fantastic and unique are welcome because, while many on list might not 
agree, ideas often stimulate new speculations and interests for others to 
pursue. For example, you mention "destructed" language which I do not recall 
having heard mentioned before.

Regards,
Dana Scott


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric" <mynumberis2000@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2004 11:18 AM
Subject: RE: VMs: poll


> Ooops, sorry - pardon my lack of list manners - I
> didn't think to introduce myself.
>
> I live in the US (California). My degree is in Physics
> but I work in data/software/business systems analysis.
>
> My interest in the VMS... Basically, if I'm scanning
> the television looking for something to watch and I
> come across a documentary (on just about anything),
> I'll watch it. And if it is a mystery or "loose end"
> it is intriguing. I heard about the VMS somewhere one
> day and did a net-search and joined the list. I don't
> have a particular area of interest or strength in
> regards to the VMS (such as cryptography or
> linguistics).
>
> My current best guess(es)...
>
> * Cyptography, but more specifically steganography.
> Trithemius (and his pupils and ideas) were at the
> right place and right time for the VMS (as much as we
> know). I've heard the argument that the point of
> steganography is to conceal the fact there is even
> something being concealed. But in Steganographia,
> Trithemius creates a book about black magic and
> cryptography, but with hidden messages inside (the
> content of which was banal) - in a crazy way violating
> the idea of steganography, but really I think showing
> it off by going out of his way to hide things in plain
> sight. It could be that that the VMS is designed to
> look like an enciphered, secret book of magical
> knowledge, just to hide the fact that it is really
> some tour-de-force of steganography and the messages
> inside are simple/trite.
>
> * A simple constructed (or "destructed", like Orwell's
> Newspeak) language. My reasons for believing so would
> be the heavy repetition of words and syllables within
> them. There are a lot of unique words, but if you are
> labeling a lot of items (plants, substances, etc) that
> will happen and if the language was being
> "destructed", it might have been only partially so.
>
>
> As far as the information from the poll goes, I'd just
> submit the tabulation back to the list. I know the
> current best guesses of the people who submit to this
> list and have websites, but there's all those lurkers
> out there (aren't there?? ;-). I just thought it would
> be interesting to see what the overall state of belief
> was in the VMS list community.
>
>
> Eric
>
>
>
> --- DANA SCOTT <dscott520@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Hello Eric,
> >
> > Welcome. I believe that you can find individual
> > responses to your inquiry in
> > the VMS discussion group archives. Perhaps it would
> > help if you tell us a
> > little bit about yourself, your "best guess", your
> > area of interest in the
> > VMS, and what you propose to do with the information
> > once tabulated. Thank
> > you for your interest in the VMS.
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> > Dana Scott
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: Eric <mynumberis2000@xxxxxxxxx>
> > >Reply-To: vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > >To: vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > >Subject: VMs: poll
> > >Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2004 10:29:17 -0800 (PST)
> > >
> > >Hello All
> > >
> > >I've been subscribed to this list for a few weeks
> > now
> > >since I started reading about the VMS. Obviously,
> > >there's no shortage of ideas and theories about
> > what
> > >it is (or isn't). I thought it would be interesting
> > to
> > >take a poll of everyone on this list and see what
> > >their current best guess is. Since we each may have
> > >more than just one best guess :) let's limit it to
> > >your top two ideas.
> > >
> > >Categorizing the ideas into groups might pose a bit
> > of
> > >a task, but I'll tackle that once I see the range
> > of
> > >ideas which need categorizing.
> > >
> > >Rather than pummel the mailing list with replies,
> > if
> > >you want to send your response directly to me
> > >(mynumberis2000@xxxxxxxxx), I'll compile them and
> > send
> > >the overall stats back to the mailing list.
> > >
> > >My apologies if I've committed some VMS list faux
> > pas
> > >in submitting this, just thought it would be really
> > >interesting to see what the overall group ideas
> > were.
> > >
> > >
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