[Version 6]

                        The MicroMUSE Charter 
                         November 1994 Update

0. Introduction
---------------

  This document, having been updated and approved by the administration
of MicroMUSE, defines the history, goals and purposes of MicroMUSE.  It
is organized in this fashion: 

  1. Mission Statement
  2. History
  3. Theme
  4. Administrative Hierarchy
  5. Bylaws
  6. References

1. Mission Statement
--------------------
  MicroMUSE is chartered as an educational multi-user simulation
environment (MUSE) and virtual community with preference toward
educational content of a scientific and cultural nature.  The MicroMUSE
administration works towards the development of MUSE technology to
enhance the exchange of ideas, the learning process, and the expression
of creative writing for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Southern
Maine (USM), Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), and the Merrimack Education  
Center (MEC) provide the computing resources for the continuing existence 
and development of MicroMUSE and associated services to the K-12 community
with the understanding that these resources are used in accordance with
the general policies and guidelines of the sponsoring institutions for
propriety and with relevance to their educational mission.  Because 
these institutions are funded in part by Federal taxes, the MicroMUSE 
administration is obligated to ensure that these taxpayer dollars are not 
used to support activities of a questionable or objectionable nature.

2 History
---------

  MicroMUSE was founded under the name of MicroMUSH by Jin in the
summer of 1990.  Based upon TinyMUSH, a program written by Larry
Foard, MicroMUSH was centered around Cyberion City, a space station
orbiting earth of the 24th century.  The initial MicroMUSH database was
largely due to the efforts of the Wizards Jin, Trout_Complex, Coyote,
Opera_Ghost, Snooze, Wai, Star and Mama.Bear.  Leet (Larry Foard) and
Bard (later known as Michael) were, along with Jin, the primary
programmers.

  In the fall of 1990, Moulton arrived on MicroMUSH.  With his
guidance, the futuristic Multi-User Student Hangout (MUSH) began to
evolve from its gaming/recreational origin into the broader-based
virtual community with a real potential for an enhanced educational
process.  A new group of Directors gradually replaced the old Wizards:
Jin, Moulton, Michael, Ender, Erk, Priam_Agrivar, Koosh (later known as
shkoo) and Aslan.  A new administrative hierarchy replaced the loose
association of Wizards and the first Charter was written and approved
in the spring of 1991.

  Also in the spring of 1991, MicroMUSH was renamed MicroMUSE; and the
greatly-changed TinyMUSH program was renamed TinyMUSE with Larry
Foard's blessing.  MicroMUSE moved from its original home on manray, a
Sun 4/110 workstation at the California State University in Fresno,
California, to chezmoto.ai.mit.edu, a machine in the Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory under the jurisdiction of Dr. Hal Abelson of
MIT.

  In March of 1993, Dr. Barry Kort (aka "Moulton") founded the
Consortium for the Development of Educational Muse Technology and
Infrastructure. This organization, linked via e-mail, includes Dr.
Kort's research group at BBN Labs, Maricopa Community College,
University of Southern Maine (USM), and DeAnza Community College of
Cupertino, CA.  Proposals for grants were submitted to the National
Science Foundation by BBN Labs and by the University of Southern
Maine.  Authors of the BBN proposal include Dr. Kort, Billie Hughes,
Martha Kanter (President of DeAnza Community College), and Wally
Feurzeig and Paul Horwitz of BBN Labs.  Julie Ellis wrote the 
proposals submitted by USM to the NSF.  The NSF was favorably 
impressed by the BBN Labs proposal and agreed to fund part of the 
work.  One of the small grants at USM has also been approved.

  The vision of MicroMUSE was enhanced by the introduction of K12
teachers and students to the Internet and thus to MicroMUSE.  
Parkview Education Center at Bridgewater, Nova Scotia was one of the 
first K12 schools to gain Internet access and begin using the Muse.
Unfortunately, although the students were quite active, the faculty
never became involved, and ultimately restricted access to out-of-hours
periods.

  Rob Reilly of the Lanesboro School (K-8) in western MA was one of the
first teachers to begin using MicroMUSE regularly with his students. 
Since then, educators around the US and Canada have been exploring 
MicroMUSE with their students in pursuit of new tools for learning 
offered by the MicroMUSE Learning Community.

  The Graham and Parks Alternative School of Cambridge, MA has been
exploring the Muse as an adjunct to its participation in the NSF-funded
National Testbed for Educational Networking.  Many students from G&P
are on Micro, and they also have their own private Muse on a machine at
the school itself.  The students invited selected collaborators whom
they meet on MicroMuse to participate in projects on the private Muse
at G&P.  There is limited faculty participation to-date in the G&P
Muse, but it is hoped that this will change.

  MicroMUSE has brought along several sister MUSEs with educational
purposes.  MariMuse was the first successful startup of a sister site
to serve the educational needs of an academic community. In addition
to Phoenix College, MariMuse serves elementary school children from 
the Longview School at Phoenix in a special outreach program in 
cooperation with the Phoenix Think Tank. This highly-successful and 
visible program was instrumental in gaining NSF interest and support 
for continuing the program on a funded basis.

  Other educational Muse sites have sprung up at the University of 
Vermont at Montpelier (ECO-Muse) and St. Michael's College in Vermont 
(SMC-Muse).  DeAnza Community College also brought up a Muse under the 
direction of its new President, Martha Kanter.  G&P Muse at the Graham 
and Parks Alternative School and MEC-Muse at Merrimack Education Center 
in Billerica, MA, are private educational Muses serving students in 
programs at those two institutions.  Lexington High School in Lexington 
MA also has a private Muse, and a new site is under development at the
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, MA.
  
  MicroMUSE has always had some element of space exploration present
in its theme and database. Initially, Coyote built a linear model of
the solar system with a room representing each planet. Using the first
Corporation (Space_Builder), Ender, Erk and Lord_Soth expanded this into 
a two-dimensional construct, with linked rooms establishing the orbit of 
each planetary body and programmed objects representing the planets and 
moons. The interest in space resulted in the creation of the Space 
Administration, headed initially by Ender. Priam_Agrivar took over the 
reins of the Space Administration shortly after the completion of the two 
dimensional model. With Yarus, Priam_Agrivar led the Space Administration 
to develope a three dimensional space() that was hard-coded into the 
TinyMUSE program. 

  In the fall of 1993, the Charter was re-written as the Charter and
Bylaws to incorporate procedural guidelines and updated definitions for
the organizational structure, which now included a Department of Guides
and changes to the Advisory Board. During this time it was also determined
that space() would be moved to a separate MUSE at some later date, due
to limitations of computer memory and disk space.

  In the spring of 1994, repeated attacks by hackers forced the MicroMUSE
Administration to restrict and then terminate guest access. A new Membership
registration process was created, led primarily by Aslan, Los, MacDuff
and Frnkzk. Los was the Head of Guides, MacDuff was the newly appointed
MicroMUSE Mediator of disputes and conflicts, and Frnkzk was brought in
by Moulton as the new Director in charge of code development. This
registration procedure involved the concept of mentoring; that is, new
Members would be introduced to MicroMUSE culture by experienced Mentors.
Cyberion City was split between two MUSEs: MicroMUSE retained most of the
infrastructure; Cyburbia became the home to the residential areas.

  For more information, see reference [1] and [13].

3. Theme
--------

MicroMUSE is based on an optimistic vision of the 24th century.  The
central setting is Cyberion City II, a gigantic, cylindrical city in 
orbit around the Earth, 36 kilometers long and 15 kilometers in 
diameter. Cyberion's residents are scholars who live in a unique 
community dedicated to learning, teaching, and the preservation of 
knowledge.

Although many tourists and other visitors regularly visit Cyberion,
permanent residence is granted to only a few, selected from tens of
thousands of applicants, from schools and universities across Earth 
and the offworld colonies.  Cyberion's residents are all commonly 
referred to as 'scholars', whether they are students, teachers, or 
researchers.

Scholars spend much of their time in academic and social discussions,
sharing knowledge and experiences from their different cultures and
backgrounds. Many choose to study in special learning environments and
classrooms.  Still others spend a great deal of time off-station,
traveling throughout the solar system.  Many scholars devote their time 
to building interactive exhibits designed to preserve or explore specific
elements of humankind's knowledge and culture.  Much of Cyberion is 
devoted to these exhibits, making it the largest and most unique museum 
ever built.

Some of the most advanced technologies ever known have come out of
Cyberion's research labs.  Matter transmission and a radically advanced
information and communications system are two such breakthroughs made in
the last ten years.  Great advances have also been made in robotics,
artificial intelligence, space travel, biotechnology, and in many other
fields.

These advances have become part of life in Cyberion.  Artificial life coexists
peacefully with human life, communication between scholars is almost
instantaneous, matter is routinely transported across many kilometers using
power from fusion reactors and energy collectors, and the imaginations
of the scholars are brought to life through a combination of tactile
holograms, genetically engineered life, biomechanics, and intelligent
computers.  All in all, Cyberion is one of the crowning examples of the
human drive to learn and grow.

For more information on Cyberion City II,see reference [2].

4. Administrative Hierarchy
---------------------------

  The administration of MicroMUSE is organized by a group of people
called the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors holds ultimate 
responsibility for the success of the Mission Statement displayed in 
this document.  It has final say on the appointment of new 
administrative volunteers to existing or new positions within the 
administrative hierarchy, the changes to MicroMUSE, and the allocation 
of scarce resources under its control. The Board of Directors ensures 
that MicroMUSE follows the path outlined in the Mission Statement.  
For more information on the organizational structure developed by the 
Directors, see the Bylaws.

5. Introduction to the Bylaws
-----------------------------

  The Bylaws of MicroMUSE defines the procedural guidelines and 
organizational structure of the MicroMUSE Administration. It is
maintained as a separate document from the Charter to facilitate
updates.

6. References
-------------

  1) History of MicroMUSE, by Shohin and Calliope
  2) Cyberion City II, Inside and Outside, by Aslan
  3) The MicroMUSE Charter 1991, by the Executive Council
  4) MicroMUSE Introduction, by Aslan
  5) Letter to Officials; Letter to New Users, by Michael (revised by Aslan)
  6) Mentoring Guidelines, by Los
  7) Mentoring Qualifications, by MacDuff
  8) Mentoring FAQ, by Ender
  9) Membership, Registration and Mentoring helpfiles, by Los
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10) Project and Corporation Guidelines, by the Advisory Board
 11) Code of Conduct, by the Advisory Board
 12) MicroMUSE FAQ
 13) History of space(), by Priam_Agrivar and Carrie_Gram
 14) MicroMUSE Bylaws, by the Advisory Board

These documents and more information may be found through anonymous
ftp to musenet.bbn.com or through gopher to cyberion.bbn.com