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Electric Minds Live!

Lisa Herschbach (aka Arctic Frost), Virtual Community Activist and Popular Palace Wizard
Lisa's varied background -- graphic designer, improv performer, editorial cartoonist, political satirist, and railroad brakeman -- could come together in only one venue, leading to her passion for online community life. Better known as her online persona, Arctic Frost, she's one of the most helpful and ubiquitous wizards on the Palace. Form her near-wilderness home in Southern Alaska, she spoke with us about typical experiences on The Palace and the importance of developing online relationships. This interview was conducted on 1/24/97 on Minds Palace and has been edited for the purposes of this publication.

Coyote	Today's guest is Arctic Frost (aka Lisa Herschbach). Lisa is the creator of the Magus, the Palace's wizard organization and one of the great Palace Wizards that keep our community together. It's nice to have you here, Arctic.
Arctic Frost	Thank you, Coyote, it's great being here at Minds. :)
Coyote	Today, I'd like to talk about what makes a great virtual community tick, but before getting into the deep topics, let's talk about you. How did you first get interested in the Palace and this virtual community stuff?
Arctic Frost	Way back in the early '80s I had a great interest in cyber communities. When I saw Palace on the Internet, I instantly knew it was a society worth watching. This was in late November '95. I've been hooked ever since.
Coyote	What attracted you to it?
Arctic Frost	The graphics expression. I realized that the scripting abilities and the 'props' had offered a cyber community more expression then I had ever seen.
Coyote	What were your previous experiences with cybercommunities?
Arctic Frost	I have checked out many cyber communities. In the early '80s I ran the largest BBS in Alaska, then moved to other computer services. I used Sierra's Imagination Network (INN), then progressed to Compuserve's Worlds Away.
Coyote	What was the Alaskan BBS like?
Arctic Frost	It was called the Public Domain. We networked from Alaska to BBS's around the states and some international ones.
Coyote	Were you living in Alaska at the time?
Arctic Frost	Yes, I have been in Alaska for 20 years now. My BBS experience is up there:)
Coyote	Where in Alaska?
Arctic Frost	Big Lake in South Central Alaska, 60 miles outside Anchorage. Some heard about it this last summer when we had a huge fire.
Coyote	I'm sorry to hear that. You were OK?
Arctic Frost	We came through it great! We were pretty much ground zero, but our house survived:)
Coyote	I have noticed that people from the northern countries seem to spend a lot more time online than the southern lands -- Canadians, Scandinavians, and now Alaskans.
Arctic Frost	Hee hee, yes, we blame the dark. The sun is not up that long up here:)
Coyote	How does the Palace compare, in your view, to Imagination Network or Compurserve's Worlds Away?
Arctic Frost	It is more flexible. While those are fine communities, I prefer the Palace. Its programming allows more freedom of expression - the scripting capabilities and the graphic manipulation (through "props").
Coyote	And how does that flexibility change the quality of the social experience?
Arctic Frost	The whole thing to a community is the expressions its peoples can get across. Props of your own making add to this uniqueness standing in one's community, as do scripts. The more flexibility, the more potential your community has.
Coyote	What are the most moving, profound experiences you have witnessed on the Zpalace?
Arctic Frost	I would say when the fire ripped through my area and Robin's death. When a user Robin had gone to Dr. Kavorkian, it was a shock to all that knew her.
Coyote	What was it like, what did you feel?
Arctic Frost	It brought to bare real feelings and an understanding that cyber relationships are real.
Coyote	Did you try to discourage her in any way?
Arctic Frost	No one knew what she was planning, so no one could intervene. Mostly it was a matter of dealing with the aftermath.
Coyote	What were the after-effects?
Arctic Frost	The after effects were pointed. We all had a memorial service where we spoke of Robin. This was very healing for all of us. We made a room and put it on the Main Palace Mansion in her memory. The room is called Robin's Garden.
Coyote	A lovely place. You guys did the right thing.
Arctic Frost	We didn't want to ignore it. Palace meant a lot to Robin.
Coyote	How did you react to the fire?
Arctic Frost	I panicked actually. I was very frightened. The first thing I grabbed out of the house was my computer, hee hee.
Coyote	Did you get a lot of support?
Arctic Frost	Yes, amazingly so. I was online when the fire came knocking at my door. A 100 foot wall chased me from my house, so my friends were left not knowing what had happened.
Coyote	How long before you could get back and tell them you were safe?
Arctic Frost	It took me a whole week before they would let us back to our houses. While we were evacuated all my palace friends called the newspaper I cartoon for. The ones who contacted the newspaper kept the others informed.
Coyote	Tell us about the 24 Hours on the Palace. What was that like?
Arctic Frost	24 Hours on the Palace is the Magus' proudest moment. Palaces across the world were linked for tours for a full 24 hours. It was a real global coming together. It was a momentous occasion for those of us who participated.
Coyote	Have there been lasting effects in terms of bringing together different communities on the palace?
Arctic Frost	Yes. Friendships, knowledge and better understanding of what's happening in other countries. I think it helped a lot to break down some of those international barriers. Taught us people are not really that different no matter where they come from. The response was exciting as well. We are using the structure again for our next major event, The Great Lag Races, sort of a Palace Olympics.
Coyote	One of the concerns I have about the Palace virtual communities is that each Palace is very secluded from the others.
Arctic Frost	Exactly, Coyote, You are quite correct in that fear. Palaces need to start combining their efforts and linking up.
Coyote	The Main Palace Mansion seems to be becoming more and more like the downtown of most metropolitan cities.
Arctic Frost	Yes, it definitely is the city center. However, with the new Welcome Palace the lands further out will start to flourish more.
Coyote	How can we create better communication between the communities without having to go through a seedy inner city?
Arctic Frost	Good question. A network of Palaces should and could be formed, a Palace circle so to speak, one with a mailing list and even web page if necessary.
Coyote	How do you see that happening?
Arctic Frost	The only way that can happen is for the Palace Operators to do it, to start writing each other, joining up, sharing concerns.
Coyote	Isn't the Magus already doing that?
Arctic Frost	Oh you mean, on the palaces coming together, Coyote? As a matter of fact, yes, that is what programs like the Great Lag Race and the Scavenger Hunts are hopefully promoting - Palaces coming together for the greater good of all.
Coyote	The Scavenger Hunt was a wonderful event.
Arctic Frost	It has been very successful.
Coyote	It was a great way to visit new Palaces and meet people who hang out in other places.
Arctic Frost	Yes, I think it lets people see that not only are these Palaces there, but they are staffed by great people and have more to offer then just room pictures.
Coyote	Tell us about the Magus organization: how and why did it get started?
Arctic Frost	It started because I and friends noticed that the number of wizards on Main were a limited bunch. I knew many talented people wanted to do much more in the community.
Coyote	Tell us about the Great Lag Race.
Arctic Frost	It will be another world wide event, only this time we want ALL the Palaces to participate, no matter what country they are in. It will be a series of obstacle course races to find teams to compete for different countries. Then the last heat will be an Olympics of sorts. The players will run courses through Palaces and the obstacles their wizards set up.
Coyote	That sounds like a great idea.
Arctic Frost	It's coming together right now on the Magus Mailing list. We invite all, Magi or not, to subscribe to this list. Palaces still have time to sign up. They start work next week.
Coyote	What is it that gives you the motivation to do all this great community development?
Arctic Frost	Snicker, addiction. Seriously, I am fascinated by people's talents. Doing these things lets me see talent everywhere. I enjoy that.
Coyote	Let's talk about addiction for a minute.
Arctic Frost	Ah yes, let us talk of addiction, a dangerous thing in these communities.
Coyote	There is a concern that what keeps us glued to this seemingly benign medium is the idea that we form of people we meet here, which does not necessarily match who they really are.
Arctic Frost	Actually, I would disagree with that.
Coyote	Our imagination tends to embellish things a bit (sometimes also makes them worse, during flaming wars).
Arctic Frost	True, who we are here is not who we are at work; yet who we are at work is not who we are at home. I think having a cyber personality is much like having a business personality and a personal personality; yet, it is unique and different from the others, it is still we underneath.
Coyote	Have you fallen in love with other Palace dwellers?
Arctic Frost	No, I'm happily married so I have never been tempted, but when my husband goes out of town for his surveying jobs I am very glad I have this medium to keep in touch with him.
Coyote	Do you know others who have fallen in love?
Arctic Frost	Yes, I see that they are very happy even though they seem to recognize the limited experience. It's almost as if cyberspace gives them a confidence that maybe they don't normally get to enjoy. But breakups seem to always be tormented and stormy, much more dramatic.
Coyote	How would you describe the "ideal" relationship in a virtual world?
Arctic Frost	Oh, there are many ideal relationships. I prefer the technical kind, where a sharing of technical logic is enjoyed, as opposed to a relationship of a lot of emotion where you feel you can pour your heart out. I think the key to finding relationships like that is honesty. In a world where anonymity is easy, honesty is a powerful statement.
Coyote	Is the technical approach a more appropriate long-term model than the emotional relationship?
Arctic Frost	Absolutely, emotional can be up and down. Technical is always consistent and I find very satisfying. But that's just my druthers. One of the reason I enjoy the Magus so much - all those people are working towards a goal. I like relationships based on bettering things.
Coyote	One of the big obstacles that virtual worlds confront is that people have little available time to play and when they are available, their friends are not necessarily available at that time.
Arctic Frost	Yes, I think that's why you need a mail group to go alongside the online group. It's interesting how some who interact through the mail groups can have a real impact on a society without spending much time online.
Coyote	How do we deal with the timing differences between people in a live medium like this?
Arctic Frost	Coyote, that has been one of the coolest changes of peoples lives because of the internet.
Coyote	Is email our only hope? Is there a way we could add longer term messaging to this world?
Arctic Frost	It has been suggested and they are looking into bulletin board type options for the Palace. Alas, I do not know what or when something like this might happen. I believe a plug-in could do it.
Coyote	How can we make this medium more focused, structured, less haphazard, while maintaining the wonderful serendipity that attracts us here in the first place?
Arctic Frost	I believe the "off-main" sites will achieve this. I believe a new age is coming for the "off-main" sites.
Coyote	We need ways to tighten the bonds that form here randomly.
Arctic Frost	As your community grows, people form those links.
Coyote	How can the off-main network become a larger community without people having to spend more time?
Arctic Frost	Funny you should ask that. A group of Palaces and I have started setting up a script. We are putting it on all our gates and going to be on all the links. Sting (the god of the Hide Out Palace) made this script. It tells the Palace operator or wizards where the user just came from. Soon Palaces will be able to see who are their sister sites. The void that separates palaces is the 'disconnect'.
Coyote	Which palaces would you recommend we link to here at Minds?
Arctic Frost	I strongly recommend that Palaces start linking to the strong Palaces. I know the theory has always been, aww, let's get those small sites out there seen. In order for true progress we must strengthen the strong. Then the strong can go on to strengthen the weak.
Coyote	What strong palaces should be interlinked, in your opinion?
Arctic Frost	Minds, Palace in Wonderland, Ocean Blvd, Hide Out, Boardwalk, Finchnest, Firebird's Forest. There are many others.
Coyote	Hide Out sounds like a good idea, and all of the above too.
Arctic Frost	Hide Out is very strong. He is an excellent example why strong Palaces should be made stronger.
Coyote	What makes them STRONG palaces? What is the key ingredient?
Arctic Frost	A palace must have a population to have a greater population - chicken and the egg. Then it must have a popular god and or wizards. These wizards and gods must be totally devoted to that site.
Coyote	How do they generate population in the first place?
Arctic Frost	That's a tough one, how do they start. A lot of foot work. With Welcome, this is going to become easier a bit on the "off-main" sites, but it still takes a lot of passion and time on that base population. Need to access links. Need to find people who are popular and who are devoted to hanging out at your palace.
Coyote	How do we grow great wizards?
Arctic Frost	Be extremely careful in your choosing of them. The best wizard is the person who doesn't want to be a wizard. Because someone who wants to be a wizard really bad wants power. They will work more on the power issues than working at getting the Palace up to speed. They want to use their power for uses other than benefiting the palace.
Coyote	Someone who is not into power, but can handle the responsibility, then?
Arctic Frost	Exactly. Both of those statements make for a great Wizard.
Coyote	How many active wizards do you think are out there?
Arctic Frost	Boy, actually there could be a thousand.
Coyote	And how many wizards are needed for one single palace to grow?
Arctic Frost	150 at least. Ahh, I take Firebird's Forest as a case in point. You need wizards to do work and wizards to attract population. I would not hesitate to make wizards that could solely just attract people. If they did nothing at all except be vibrant community members, I'd make them a wiz. This would make for a lot of wizards though. They'd have to be very popular people. It sounds silly but it's like a high school. You get people who have followings.
Coyote	So the important part about being a wizard is being good with people, rather than with the technology?
Arctic Frost	The best wizards are good at both, but I more lean to societal needs at this point in time then technical means, for a new and growing palace that is.
Coyote	Well, Arctic, time to wind down the interview. One final question: What are your hopes for the Palace? What will a day in the life of a good off-main palace be like in 5 years (if your hopes come true)?
Arctic Frost	They won't know anything about Main. They will have their own thriving community and be networking with other Palaces around the world.
Coyote	And what will you be doing at that time?
Arctic Frost	I think swirling around in it like everyone else. I think it will have much to offer towards my artist delights.
Coyote	Well, Arctic, thank you so much for taking the time to enlighten us tonight.
Arctic Frost	Thanks for inviting me:)
Coyote	It was my pleasure.
Arctic Frost	I'll see everyone out there on the Welcome Palace. Look me up anytime:)