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Networks and Community Compiled 032
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 1994 00:10:22 -0700
From: Steve Covington <cvington@NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Networks & Community Newsletter 26-31
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NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY : August 28, 1994
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Networks and Community is a biweekly publication devoted to encouraging
LOCAL resource creation & GLOBAL resource sharing.
**************************************************************************
The 26th Report of 1994 is the 32nd Newsletter.
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
Coverage in this issue includes:
Notes
Global Community
Tools
Classes & Meetings
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Notes
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Hi all! The tension seems to be showing more and more as the
Internet expands to meet the "needs" of multitudes of new users. I use
quotes around the word 'needs' because folks confuse "want" with
"need".
Many new users don't even want to know why or how the 'net
works, they just want it to be another consumer appliance, like a
shopping channel or cd-rom disc. Yes, there will be room for such as
that, but there is so much more to the Internet.
THE INTERNET ITSELF
I like to use visualization to explain my points. Picture
sitting in your family room looking out the window and being able to
see the entire world. Now maybe you don't see it all in detail, but
it IS there. Focus on a specific point and that small component comes
into clearer view. What YOU do with that component is what makes the
Internet work. You may find something that is fun, educational,
silly, or useful in some way. Or, you may find a bunch of stuff that
is of no use to you at all. What YOU need to think about is the old
adage of "one person's junk is another's treasure"! You don't have to
see it all at once nor will you ever, but as you slowly wander through
the halls of this wondrous post office, library, grocery store, pizza
parlor, mega-mall of data, you will learn more about the world, its
people and tools than you can find in all the world's great schools.
If you think about it, the Internet brings the entire world
into your personal computer. Just accessing the Internet network of
computers makes you part of a global community of great importance.
The Internet transcends geographical barriers easily, swiftly, and
seamlessly. Travelling via computer is faster than the Concorde jet,
and allows a person to share thoughts, ideas, and tools with other folks
that share the same interests.
TOOLS
Rapid response over 2400 kbps modems using some flavor of web
browser to access information just doesn't happen! Many new users have
not had even the most basic information about their computers explained
to them or have not "Read The Fine Manual" as Daniel Dern has stated!
Unfortunately, not reading the manual or even help files, can and does
cause both software and hardware problems. I have been amazed at the
amount of folks that call for tech support after having purchased a
dos type computer that have not gotten beyond the C:\ prompt even to
use windows(tm). You haven't heard excitement in a voice such as you
hear when you give them the "keys" to their computers!
These are some of the new users of the Internet. I have heard
many of us call them "clueless" or "newbies". What a way to be
welcomed to the 'Net! It's sort of like the first day in a new school
when we were kids, that warm feeling we got when one of the other kids
called us nerds and asked us where our slide rules and pocket
protecters were.
We have a chance to rise above all of that as the Internet
starts toward a new direction. We can attempt to do what governments
have not. We can accept and value all contributions, even if
they are redundant. Rather than attacking them and losing them
forever, we should show a sense of community toward them and bring them
up to speed.
-steve
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Global Community
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Written by: Frank Hecker <hecker@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>
Subject: Draft overview of community network services (part 1)
For some time now I have been working off and on on an overview of
the various tpes of community network services, with an emphasis on
cataloging and classifying various services and where they might fit
in the total picture, especially with regard to the technologies
employed. To put it more simply, I'm trying to take debates like "to
Internet or not to Internet," "Mosaic vs. VT100s,", and so on, and
put them in context.
As some of you know, my personal bias is towards Internet-based
technologies and tools, and my working hypothesis is that ubiquitous
low-cost personal Internet access, far from meaning the end of community
networking, would in fact leave community networks with plenty to things to
do. (And I might add, I think the things left for us to do would be those
closest to our core competencies as people and organizations.) One major
reason for writing this paper is to supply background to that argument.
Anyway, I'm about halfway through at this point and am beginning to show
signs of writer's block. Thus I thought it might be appropriate to start
posting draft portions of it to this list, in the hopes that you all might
have some good comments and suggestions to help improve the paper. (Plus
I'll be more highly motivated to finish it knowing others are looking over
my shoulder :-)
In this message I've included the first three sections, which lay out the
organization and themes for the rest of the paper. I'll post further
sections one at a time at irregular intervals as I have time and as I
complete them. Thanks in advance for any comments, suggestions, etc.
Frank
Frank Hecker
hecker@access.digex.net
------------
1. INTRODUCTION
Over the last year or so I have been thinking about long-term technical
strategies for community networks, and in the course of doing so found
myself struggling to make connections between our ultimate goals in
serving the community on the one hand, and the details of specific
technologies on the other. Thus, for example, on the one hand we have a
goal of increasing general public access to community information and
resources. On the other hand we want to take advantage of new
technologies like graphical user interfaces, ISDN and other higher-speed
communications technologies, and new multimedia Internet services like
the World Wide Web. How we do decide how best to use these technologies in
support of our goals?
One approach is to establish a conceptual "middle ground" between goals and
technologies. In particular, I found it useful to think in terms of the
various abstract services that a community network might provide. I use the
term "abstract service" (or simply "service") to refer to general
capabilities which the system might provide to broad classes of users, and
which those users might use to solve problems and meet their needs in a
number of specific areas.
Thus, for example, the ability to disseminate and distribute digital
information is a general capability or service, which in turn might be used
in a number of areas, such as local, state, and Federal government,
libraries, K-12 education, and social services. Given this scheme, we can
then ask the dual questions "Which services will help us achieve each of our
specific end goals?" and "What type of technology will best allow us to
provide this service?"
In this paper I outline one possible classification of community network
services, and for each service attempt to give at least an initial answer to
a set of key questions by which we can evaluate the service's suitability
and feasibility for a community network. I have no illusions that what I
say is by any means the final word on the subject (and in fact there are
points in the paper where I just don't have a great deal to say); this
paper is meant more as a way to spark discussion about the task of designing
a community network, and as a guide to highlight various areas worthy of
further research.
This paper was originally written for the Washington, D.C., area community
network CapAccess (the informal name for, and a service mark of, the
National Capital Area Public Access Network, Inc.). I'd like to thank the
other members of the CapAccess organization for their comments on early
versions of it. However the views I express herein are mine alone and do
not necessarily reflect the official position of CapAccess.
2. SUMMARY OF SERVICES
Let's start with a short list of services (online or otherwise) that could
potentially provided by a community network. With each service we
include the "real life" model whose function it's most reminiscent of.
(This list is in no particular order.)
* providing a "raw" transmission facility over which people could send or
receive any type of information and on top of which they could build
higher-level services ("network provider")
* collecting, generating, and disseminating information ("publisher" or
"broadcaster")
* taking information generated by others and redistributing it to others,
whether end users or not ("distributor" or "wholesaler")
* permanently storing information for later access ("library")
* sponsoring discussion forums on topics of both general and specialized
interest ("salon")
* providing "gateway" access to remote systems and services ("public
phone")
* enabling people to send and receive personal electronic mail ("post
office")
* providing people with online work areas and document creation and
manipulation tools ("personal office")
* providing groups of people with online shared spaces to support
collaborative work ("group office")
* training people to use online services and resources, including those
associated with the Internet ("school")
* assisting outside organizations in bringing "in house" the capabilities to
provide online services and resources ("consultant")
Incidentally, note that when I say "people" I mean both people considered
either individually, i.e., as members of the general public, or as part of
formal or informal organizations separate from the community network and to
which the community network may provide service.
3. KEY QUESTIONS
The remainder of this document will discuss the various community network
services in more detail, focusing on the following questions:
* What characteristics distinguish this service from others? (How does one
define it?)
* What (overall) goals does the service promote? (What benefits will the
service--if implemented--provide to the community?)
* What are some actual or potential examples of such a service in the
context of a community network? (Is anyone else doing this today? Could
our community network do it?)
* What "enabling technologies" could be used in providing this service?
(What technologies are most relevant to this service?)
* What resources (technical or otherwise) are required to provide the
service, and who (within the community network organization or otherwise)
could supply them? (Is this something a community network organization can
do itself, or is it better left to others?)
* What types of end user information and access controls must the system
maintain in order to provide the service? (Are there privacy issues or
security issues relating to protecting user information or controlling
access to system information or services? Do users need to register to
use the service? How do they register?)
* How do we measure the growth and quality of the service (in a relatively
narrow technical sense)? (How do we determine whether the service is
beneficial and is being used?)
* What are the relevant "limits to growth" in expanding provision of the
service? (At what point might growth impact the quality of the service?
What would we need to do in order to continue growing the service while
maintaining or improving its quality?)
* How do we measure success in meeting the (overall) goals? (Has providing
this service really made a difference in the community?)
[to be continued]
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TOOLS
###########################################################################
From: Gleason Sackman <sackman@plains.nodak.edu>
Subject: WWW>URouLette: The Worlds first Randon URL generator (fwd)
To: net-happenings <net-happenings@is.internic.net>
----------Forwarded message ----------
Newsgroups:comp.infosystems.www.users
Subject: ANNOUNCING URouLette:
The Worlds first Randon URL generator.
From:abrams@falcon.cc.ukans.edu (Matthew Thomas Abrams)
Announcing the worlds first* random** URL generator:
A World Wide Web page called URouLette has been created by some of the
developers of the Kansas University Campus Internet Association.
URouLette is better left unexplained*** -- you should see it for
yourself. We think it is pretty nifty, you may not, but at least take a
few minutes to take a look.
Description: You can use your favorite WWW browser to click on an image
and be taken to a random* URL. We don't know where you'll end up and
you won't either.
Location:
http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/cwis/organizations/kucia/uroulette/uroulette.
html
Created by: Matthew J. Angell and Matthew T. Abrams at the University
of Kansas.
* We think
** Almost.
*** Mostly
:-)
mta
--
Matthew Thomas Abrams
Academic Computing Services at The University of Kansas
email:abrams@falcon.cc.ukans.edu
http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/~abrams
phone:913.864.0490
snail:KU Computer Center; Sunnyside and Illinois; Lawrence, KS 66045
************************************************************************
From: Gleason Sackman <sackman@plains.nodak.edu>
To: net-happenings<net-happenings@is.internic.net>
Sender:owner-net-happenings@is.internic.net
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:david.riggins@tpoint.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <gopherjewels@einet.net>
Subject: INTERNET HELP COLLECTION
A nice collection of Internet help documents at the Phantom Access
Technologies, Inc. Gopher.
1. Listings of Access Points to the Internet/
--> 2. Guidebooks on the Use of the Internet/
3. Information about Electronic Mail/
4. Information about File Transfer Protocol (FTP)/
5. Information about Internet Relay Chat (IRC)/
6. Information about Telnet/
7. Information about USENET News/
Guidebooks on the Use of the Internet
--> 1. Frequently Asked Questions about the Big Dummy's Guide.
2. Glossary of Internet Terms.
3. The Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet (ASCII text).
4. The Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet (PostScript).
5. There's Gold in them thar Networks!.
6. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Internet.
7. The Pocket Guide on E-mail, ftp, and telnet.
8. The Complete Internet Resource Guide/
9. The Internet Tour.
10. NSF Internet Resources Guide.
11. Zen and the Art of the Internet (ASCII Text).
12. Zen and the Art of the Internet (PostScript).
Type=1+
Name= Internet Information Listing (Features and Access Points)
Path=1/Internet
Host=mindvox.phantom.com
Port=70
Admin=Phantom Access Technologies, Inc. / 800-MINDVOX <root@phantom.com>
ModDate=Fri Jul 15 15:25:54 1994 <19940715152554>
URL: gopher://mindvox.phantom.com:70/11/Internet
********************************************************************
I do not represent this site...I just found it and thought it would
be of interest. I make every attempt to identify the point of origin
on every site I find. If I have made an error, please let me know.
Also, I assume everyone reading this post will access the site via
gopher. I have no idea (and do not attempt to find out) if the site
supports public telnet access, or if the URL has been constructed
correctly.
Traffic jams are common at sites mentioned on this list. Don't be
surprised if it takes a few days to gain access.
David Riggins
Gopher Jewels Project
david.riggins@tpoint.com
URL=gopher://cwis.usc.edu/11/Other_Gophers_and_Information_Resources/
Gophers_by_Subject//Gopher_Jewels
###########################################################################
Classes & Meetings
###########################################################################
Errors-To: jstewart@ccs.carleton.ca
Reply-To: can-freenet@cunews.carleton.ca
From: aa127@freenet.carleton.ca (Garth Graham)
Subject: Conference news - hot off the press
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NETWORKS CONFERENCE
and founding meeting of TELECOMMUNITIES CANADA
August 15-17, 1994
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
The site established on National Capital FreeNet (NCF) to report
this conference is building rapidly. A team of conference recorders are
posting summary descriptions (both English and French) of each session
within a short time after it finishes, and the texts of most conference
papers are following. For registered members of NCF, this site is at the
bottom of the main menu as "Canadian Community Networks Conference,
1994." For nonmember, NCf can be reached via freenet.carleton.ca. (login:
guest). It's also accessible via gopher and WWW.
The URL for the WWW server is http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/
The FreePort based menu is at:
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/freeport/freenet/conference2/menu
The Gopher URL is: gopher://freenet.carleton.ca/11/ncf/conference2
By gopher directly, follow to:
Carleton University Gopher
|National Capital FreeNet Gopher
|National Capital FreeNet (NCF) info by gopher
|Canadian Community Networks Conference, 1994
The site also contains background policy documents related to the founding
meeting of Telecommunities Canada, status reports from community
network and Free-Net associations, and a detailed directory of Free-Nets
and community network organizations in Canada.
--
Garth Graham aa127@freenet.carleton.ca
Coordinator, Canadian Community Networks Conference, and
founding meeting, Telecommunities Canada, Aug. 15-17, 1994
Box 86, Ashton, Ont., K0A 1B0, 613-253-3497
Errors-To: jstewart@ccs.carleton.ca
Message-Id:<9408172111.AA27882@calvin.dgbt.doc.ca>
Sender: can-freenet@cunews.carleton.ca
From: andrew@calvin.dgbt.doc.ca (Andrew Patrick)
Subject: summary of conference technical discussion
The following is a summary of the technical discussion session held at
the Canadian Community Networks Conference yesterday. Feel free to
report any mistakes or ommissions, and please use this as a start of
discussions (on the freenet-tech mailing list).
Canadian Community Networks Conference
Focused Working Group Discussion
Future Directions in Community Network Technology
August 16 1994
Andrew Patrick (aa118@freenet.carleton.ca)
Brief Summary
- goals for session:
- share information and reduce duplicate work
- identify important issues
- organize
- make recommendation to Telecommunities Canada
Sharing
-------
- we have mailing list for electronic communications:
The Freenet-Tech list provides a forum for discussion of the
technical aspects of operating a Freenet, eg. software and system
administration.
To subscribe to the Freenet-Tech List, send a message to the address
listprocessor@cunews.carleton.ca with the following line in the body
of the message.
Subscribe Freenet-Tech Your-Name
"Your-Name" is your full name, eg.
Subscribe Freenet-Tech John Smith
Postings to the list should be addressed to
Freenet-Tech@cunews.carleton.ca
- David Jones has tentatively offered a location in Toronto to house an
FTP archive and system for revising program code
- we need an inventory of the software being used, and the pro's and
con's of each option
- NPTN has started such an inventory, and we can participate
- John Stewart agreed to prepare list of systems that are currently
being used in Canada, and a list of projects that people are
working on (e.g., TIN for news, PINE for mail)
Important Issues
----------------
- the group raised a number of issues that should be considered:
- can we address the needs of:
- small vs. large systems
- PC-based vs. other platforms
- UNIX vs. non-UNIX environments
- we need a list of requirements for community network software
(David Jones to start)
- do we need a "wish list"?
- short-term and long-term goals
- tool sharing
- document sharing
- support sharing
- how to share info between very busy people?
- security
- universal and "dumb terminal" access
- IP to where: the server? the users' screen?
- support for multimedia
- delivery methods other than phone lines
- Cable TV trials
- ISDN
- limitations imposed by CRTC: regulations and rates
- migration: to where, making it easy
- providing feedback to software developers (e.g., Chebucto and Lynx)
- using off-the-shelf systems for small communities
- centralized effort for software development
- rehash CANARIE project?
- seek different funding agency
- role in Telecommunities Canada lobbying efforts
- technical people have unique viewpoint
- can identify issues, provide technical briefings, etc.
- e.g., price of bandwidth, Cable TV regulations
- Ian Duncan will get us started
Organizing
----------
- organization possibilities
- Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) might be good model
- philosophy is "rough consensus and running code"
- no formal voting
- often presented with 3/4 solutions that require finishing
- RFC process to communicate and establish "standards"
- implementation often separate from standards
- Ian Duncan to provide more information
- should we create "Telecommunities Canada Engineering Task
Force (TCETF)"?
- editor to review and house documents & software
- can we have standards that people agree on (roughly)
and can be implemented different ways?
- examples: user interfaces, user registration data
- another model is the Free Software Foundation (FSF)
- software shared, often with packaging costs
- "server on a CD" concept
- the VRML project may also provide a model
Recomendation to Telecommunities Canada
---------------------------------------
- that TC mandate an "Engineering Task Force" to develop and share
expertise and software, and contribute to the TC activities
Open Items
----------
- how to organize ourselves
- how much to organize?
- representation within TC?
Action Items
------------
- all: join and participate in freenet-tech mailing list
- David Jones: seek approval for and install archive location
- Dennis Hoops: forward NPTN system survey to John Stewart for
distribution within Canada
- John Stewart: gather list of systems and projects
- David Jones: prepare list of requirements
- John Stewart: ensure freenet-tech listserv is archived and document
how to access the archives
- Ian Duncan: get group thinking about lobbying issues
- Ian Duncan: provide more info on IETF
- Andrew Patrick: bring recommendation for TCETF to TC Directors "once
the dust settles"
Addresses for People Mentioned
-----------------------------
David Jones <dej@eecg.toronto.edu>
Andrew Patrick <aa118@freenet.carleton.ca>
Dennis Hoops <dch@nptn.org>
John Stewart <jstewart@ccs.carleton.ca>
Ian Duncan <id@ice.cc.mcgill.ca>
* Thanks to Alison Ball <aball@idrc.ca> for keeping great notes!
--
Andrew Patrick (aa118@FreeNet.Carleton.CA)
Vice-President - National Capital FreeNet
***********************************************************************
From: Gleason Sackman <sackman@plains.nodak.edu>
Subject: WRKSHOP> Online Interactive Workshop
To: net-happenings <net-happenings@is.internic.net>
Sender: owner-net-happenings@is.internic.net
---------- Forwarded message ----------
SENDER: Herb Wylen <hwylen@access.digex.net>
Subject: Online Interactive Workshop
The Online Interactive Workshop on Grant Proposal Planning and Writing
is now registering participants for the September 15 - October 5, 1994
session. Conducted by e-mail and a ListServer, this workshop emphasizes
the use of Internet resources in the Grants-seeking process.
e-mail to hwylen@access.digex.net for an electronic brochure which has
details, cost, and a registration form.
Herb Wylen
Internet Works, Inc.
703.978.9122 Voice
###########################################################################
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NETWORKS and COMMUNITY is a result of the work of people located
throughout the global Internet community. Net facilities for the
preparation of this newsletter are provided by NETCOM On-line
Communications Service, Inc. Editing is done by myself.
Back issues are archived through the kindness of the staff at the WELL :
gopher ---->gopher.well.sf.ca.us ->community --> civic nets... --->
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"Subscriptions" are available through the generosity of the Listowner for
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Additional distribution is assisted by the managers and owners of
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This newsletter is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN, with the exception of
Global Community, Notes or where noted, and may be used as you see fit.
To contribute items or enquire about this newsletter, contact
Stephen Covington <cvington@netcom.com>
