Abstract
In 1982, the SMTP standard for email interchange was published, and email rapidly became the preferred method for informal scientific communications. In 1986, Color and Vision email network (CVNet) was founded, providing an early electronic community for vision scientists. In 1997, the VisionScience site and its companion VisionList were born. In 2001, the vision community's first electronic journal, Journal of Vision (JOV), published its first issue. Digital media and communications of all sorts now dominate the exchange of information among vision scientists by offering instantaneous communication unhindered by the complexity of the information itself or the distance it must travel. The available tools have greatly multiplied, with additional on-line journals, and web sites such as ResearchGate and LinkedIn. This panel will examine the origins of vision science on the internet, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the various on-line tools, and provide a forum for the discussion of ideas for future enhancements.