UKNM: A request when you have a few spare minutes. Join an experiment

[Ben Thompson]

For those people who know me this message will not come as a surprise. For

those of you who do not please take a minute to read this and to join in.


We are currently working on an experimental system called Erdos.net. It is

currently building up a network of connections for people online much like

the game "Six degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon". If you have ever seen

the game you'll know how this works.


Although we are sure that the system has some great practical purpose,

currently the only purpose we can think of is as a game. How close are you

to Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, the Teletubbies, Rolf Harris, heat death? How

many accountants, lawyers... do you actually know?


All we need you to do is to submit some information about yourself along

with the names (names and email addresses only) of people who fall inside

your sphere of contact. These could be clients, suppliers, co-workers, or

simply friends and aquaintances. Anyone, in short, who you could phone on

first name terms.


Our system collects this information, and discovers the network of

relationships between all its members.


Prizes will be awarded on some random basis.


For full details about the system and to enter yourself and your contacts

into it please come to http://www.erdos.net/


yours,


Ben Thompson


PS Any complaints should be aimed at Mat Morrison. ;-) He said it

was an interesting good idea.