Re: discussions

You're totally right about how you would use an RDBMS to do the
Theory/Triple/Thing thing! The reason for using Elephant is not to
get away from the RDBMS per se, but rather to work with a database
that is tightly coupled with a programming language. It shouldn't be
tricky to figure out how to do RDBMS-style computations with
Elephant... but at this point it still is (to me). Maybe somewhere
there is better documentation than what I've seen so far, comparing
the Berkeley Database system with RDBMSes. (I did read in the
Elephant docs that RDBMS systems use b-trees in their back end, which
is the same thing BDB uses... so, it isn't like these systems are all
that different...)

As for the MathFest-follow-up zine: no, I'm not suggesting that this
would in any way be an acceptable style for publication. Just that it
might be helpful for us as a pre-draft of a paper. The relevant PR
concern is whether anyone would want to publish an article on PM
and/or HDM.

As for MAA -- I haven't discussed any specifics with anyone. I just
indicated interest in talking; we'll have to come up with proposals.

The two particular contacts are Robert Anastasio, who is the director
of Marketing and Membership, and Joseph Gallian, current MAA
president.

As for what to say to these guys: I think your point about their
investment is right, but with one small modification: it isn't just
about them investing in us, but really them merging with us in some
suitable (obviously partial) way. (As you said, sharing
infrastructure.) So, they invest in online/free math -- we are
basically contractors.

I agree that if we could wave MAA badges at people our jobs would be
way easier ("Don't move, jerk. We're with the MAA. Now fork over the
grant funding and no one gets hurt."). On that note, combining an
"in" with Fedora and one with MAA would be superb.

The other non-MAA contacts I have are:

Anne Newcomb (AMS Publications)
Mike Breen (AMS Marketing)
Annete Emerson (AMS Public Awareness Office)
Chris Ruel (Wiley)
Jennifer Lonschein (Prentice Hall)
Joseph Rogove (Thomson Higher Education)
Ann Kostant (Springer Editorial Director for Math)
Mark Spencer (Springer Marketing)

and

Gengmun Eng (The Aerospace Corporation, who might give advice or
connect us with people who can give advice on how to run a really cool
"dot org")

Given that I spoke with at least some of these people in person, I
think the best approach for CONTACTING them would be (1) for us to
draft some email together; (2) for me to send the emails, CCing you;
and (3) then let you take over follow-up with them from there as
needed.