5.0468 Rs: File Comparison; Metaphors; Hare; Fonts (5/108)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Fri, 22 Nov 1991 16:45:58 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 5, No. 0468. Friday, 22 Nov 1991.


(1) Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 18:04:39 MST (41 lines)
From: Dan Lester <ALILESTE@idbsu.idbsu.edu>
Subject: Re: 5.0465 Qs: Plagiarism

(2) Date: 22 November 91, 16:56:56 IST (13 lines)
From: Sheizaf Rafaeli 02-827676 (Israel) <KBUSR@HUJIVM1>
Subject: Comparison Programs

(3) Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 07:36:34 MST (37 lines)
From: "don l. f. nilsen" <ATDFN@ASUACAD>
Subject: the history of metaphors

(4) Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1991 00:03 EST (8 lines)
From: <JMANCERA@GUVAX>
Subject: RE: 5.0459 Qs: OE Fonts

(5) Date: Fri, 22 Nov 91 10:04 EDT (9 lines)
From: "Peter D. Junger" <JUNGER@CWRU>
Subject: Re: HARE

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 18:04:39 MST
From: Dan Lester <ALILESTE@idbsu.idbsu.edu>
Subject: Re: 5.0465 Qs: Plagiarism; Corpi; Microcard; Tromso; Cites

On Thu, 21 Nov 1991 17:51:42 EST you said:
> Does anyone know of DOS software which would allow
> comparison of pairs of files for DEGREE of SIMILARITY.
>
> If we had a file comparison system for which could handle
> pairs of files at a time, we could then write a batch
> system which would automate the comparison of all
> possible pairs of files for 200 or so all located in the
> same directory.

Whether or not the software exists doesn't really matter. If you had
200 files, the batch system would have to handle some 20,000 comparisons.
If you only had 2% that exceeded some threshhold value on the
similarity scale the algorithm produced, you would still have 400
papers to look at carefully. Even then, you probably still would not
know who stole from whom. Just as bad is the problem of machine time.
If the comparison program could do its matching in one minute per
file pair, doing them all would take it 333 hours, or just under 14 days
of nonstop elapsed time. And, one minute per comparison seems pretty
quick if the matching is very thorough at all and the papers are more than
a few pages long, even if you are running it on a 386 with lots of
memory to reduce disk accesses.

The two weeks of processing would probably require the papers be turned in
REALLY early, or else to get the Registrar to delay the date for accepting
final grades. 8-) Of course if you were lucky and had a really
wonderful supercomputer and LOTS of free time on it.....

dan

*****************************************************************************
* Dan Lester Bitnet: alileste@idbsu *
* Associate University Librarian Internet: alileste@idbsu.idbsu.edu *
* Boise State University *
* Boise, Idaho 83725 BSU and I have a deal: I don't speak *
* 208-385-1234 for them and they don't speak for me. *
*****************************************************************************
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------16----
Date: 22 November 91, 16:56:56 IST
From: Sheizaf Rafaeli 02-827676 (Israel) KBUSR at HUJIVM1
Subject: Comparison Programs

Joining the request for any information on comparison of texts. My interest
is not so much from the plagiarism side. I am interested in natural
language parsing for identification and password uses. I assume
some of the work on identifyiing authors would be relevant?
Is there a good lit review of this topic (as in computerized
identification of Isaiah I and Isaiah II, or Shakesp. authentication?

Thanks in advance,
Sheizaf Rafaeli
KBUSR@HUJIVM1
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------42----
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 91 07:36:34 MST
From: "don l. f. nilsen" <ATDFN@ASUACAD>
Subject: the history of metaphors

There's a particular kind of extended metaphor that very much
intrigues me. It's called the CONTEMPORARY URBAN LEGEND. I've recently
discovered that it is neither CONTEMPORARY, nor is it URBAN. But at
least it is a legend, which I regard as a kind of extended metaphor.
In tracing the history of the METAPHOR, I think we need to look
for ARCHETYPES or RECURRING THEMES, and this will give some insight into
what Jung called the COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS, related not only to MENTAL
EVOLUTION but to THE HISTORY OF METAPHOR as well.
In terms of the genre itself, I think that there are important
ties between the URBAN LEGEND, and the NON-URBAN TALL TALE. There are
also ties to LEGENDARY HEROES, some of which are real people--PAUL
BUNYAN, MIKE FINK, DAVEY CROCKETT, SANTA CLAUS, THE TOOTH FAIRY,
UNICORNS....
I think there is also an important relationship between the URBAN
LEGEND and the GOTHIC TRADITION--It was a dark and stormy night.
Not only is the genre itself architypical, but it also contains
many architypical elements. A partial list of features that are common
to many urban legends and related genres include at least the following:
Antithesis, Closure (Explanation), Drama, Embarrassment, Fear, Grossness,
Grounding, Hyperbole, Irony, Mystery, Poetic Justice, Stereotyping,
Symbolism, Testimony (Friend of a Friend), and Titillation. In looking
at this list, I can't tell which are Archetypes, and which are not.
Anyone interested in Urban or Contemporary Legends, and/or
related genres, please, let's start a dialogue.

=-) ;-> 8*) {^_^}
Don L. F. Nilsen
<ATDFN@ASUACAD.BITNET>, (602) 965-7592
Executive Secretary
International Society for Humor Studies
English Department
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-0302
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------11----
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1991 00:03 EST
From: <JMANCERA@GUVAX>
Subject: RE: 5.0459 Qs: E-Texts; OE Fonts; Keyboarding;

Response to message (1). There is an imitation of Guttemberg's Bible typeface
at he Font library in Compuserve's DTP forum. It is not exactly Old English
but might do the job.
Javier Mancera
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------13----
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 91 10:04 EDT
From: "Peter D. Junger" <JUNGER@CWRU>
Subject: Re: HARE

There is also the German phrase "und da liegt der Hase im Pfeffer,"
which I think means: "and there's the rub."

Peter D. Junger
CWRU Law School