Loglan

[lojbab@grebyn.com (Logical Language Group)]

The Loglan Project was split asunder a few years back because the language
inventor James Cooke Brown made some offensively restrictive intellectual
property claims on the language and its use.  90%+ of the community left
the project (which was already dwindling due to lack of organization
and community building).  The "splinter" reinvented the language so as to be
free of intellectual property claims, though the redesign is virtually 
identical to the original except in the words themselves (which JCB claims
copyright on in the original).  I am the leader of the Loglan Project team
working with the Lojban version of the language (Lojban is the contraction
for "logical language" IN the language, like "Loglan" is for English.  We
have a wide variety of materials available, and a small community of people
working with the language in Australia, of whom the most active and skilled
is Nick Nicholas in Melbourne (see cc's below for his net address, or maybe
he'll contact you).  Major (only one name) in Perth distributes our materials
for us in Australia on a price per page basis.  He is also being cc'd this
message.  We also have considerable materials available by email from a 
file server, and I will send you a few files that are general and introductory,
as well as which describe more about the situation within the Loglan community.

I should note that we are quite knowledgeable and skilled in JCB's version off
the language, if you have questions about it, and the differences between his
version and ours.

As far as I know, JCB's materials are only available from The Loglan Institute
operating out of his home in San Diego.  The 4th edition of Loglan 1, rushed
to press without very good editing, is actually inferior to the 3rd edition,
although it is more up-to-date than the earlier 1975 book.  We have a review
of the book indicating some of the faults, available on the email file
server.  Unfortunately, JCB and his few co-workers, have continued to fiddle
with the language, sometimes in drastic ways, and even that edition of the 
book is in need of revision.  He's apparently planning such an addendum/update
now.  No one knows all of the details, because the core of the language is
considered a trade secret, which you must sign various agreements in order to
be able to see the information.

lojbab
----
lojbab                                                      lojbab@grebyn.com
Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA                        703-385-0273

For information about the artificial language Loglan/Lojban, please
provide a paper-mail address to me via mail or phone.  We also have
limited introductory information available electronically.  The LLG is
funded solely by your contributions, which are encouraged for the purpose
of defraying our costs (for both electronic and paper distribution.)