The BLEND system: Programme for the study of some “electronic journals”

This article describes a three‐year experimental programme organised jointly by the two Universities as the Birmingham and Loughborough Electronic Network Development (BLEND). The aims are to assess the cost, efficiency, and subjective impact of such a system, and to explore and evaluate alternative forms of user communication through an electronic journal and information network. Using a host computer at Birmingham University, a community of initially about 50 scientists (the Loughborough Information Network Community—LINC) will be connected through the public telephone network to explore various types of electronic journal. The concept of the electronic journal involves using a computer to aid the normal procedures whereby an article is written, refereed, accepted, and “published.” The subject of this experimental programme will be “Computer Human Factors.” Each member will contribute at least one research article and one shorter note in each year of the project, and will also use other forms of communication such as newsletter, annotated abstracts, workshop conferences, cooperative authorship, etc. Throughout the project relevant data will be gathered to enable the assessment of system and user performance, cost, usefulness, and acceptability.