From nanh at scn.org Thu Jul 1 07:53:52 1999 From: nanh at scn.org (Nan Hawthorne) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 07:53:52 -0700 Subject: BOUNCE hr: Non-member submission from [Rich Littleton ] (fwd) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <000801bec3d1$89152c80$2058cfcf@oemcomputer> Rich, in your e-mail, you say: > Steve Guest told me he was working on a conduct list for official submission. So your list never did get official approval. I believe this is a list related to governance, not volunteer guidelines per se. Joel and I are working on the latter this summer. > Did we ever get a conduct list that dealt with board members publicly distorting the truth? Anyone? A special volunteer guidelines for board members is not necessary. They are covered by the general guidelines and their conduct can be governed both internally and by vote of the membership. We can check the minutes, which are about to be completed, for confirmation of that vote, but this will be moot soon anyway with the refined guidelines being offered. Cordially, Nan Hawthorne Co-coordinator, SCN HR Committee nanh at scn.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I feel the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." --Jonas Salk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From jmabel at saltmine.com Thu Jul 1 08:14:58 1999 From: jmabel at saltmine.com (Joe Mabel) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 08:14:58 -0700 Subject: WEB: Why Attack? [was Revisit number forty two hundred] Message-ID: <01BEC399.CF991000.jmabel@saltmine.com> I disagree. If I think person A has attacked person B unfairly, I'm going to speak up, even if I'm otherwise a bystander (though I will usually address my remarks privately to person A). In my opinion, conflict, even attacks on individuals, is not necessarily inappropriate or unfair, and that I'm suspicious that talk of "civility" becomes a means of restraining dissent. However, underhandedness is another story. Writing an attack on someone and then weaseling out of it ("oh, I didn't mean YOU" without even so much as an apology that ones words read -- even accidentally -- like an attack) is either incivility, cowardice, or a refusal to see things from the other person's point of view. I, for one, am a lot less offended if someone says, "Joe's totally wrong here" or even "Joe's lying" than if someone says, "One of our IPs who maintains a crisis resource directory seems to have an honesty gap," or some such...especially if I step forward to discuss the matter and they deny they meant me, or even pretend they don't see how I could take it as meaning me. And just so I'm not accused of the same, - yes, several people have done this sort of thing lately - I've been to busy to even keep track of who is saying what, so I don't have names. Besides, I'm not particularly angry at anyone or picking a fight here (honest) but I'd like to see people think before they flame. If anyone asks my opinion of a particular statement, I will gladly give it. - the most egregious case of this was a recent email that indirectly impugned someone's honesty but left room for the writer to weasel out. - the second most egregious was criticism of what is happening in certain roles in SCN where the writer (who probably had honestly been writing about roles, not individuals) seemed totally shocked, but not apologetic, that real human beings had these roles and took the attacks personally. You may not have known who was doing these jobs, but obviously SOMEONE was. Either you are critical of them and should stand your guns or you aren't and should drop the matter. Saying, in effect, "Oh, I think things need to improve around here but it's nothing about your performance" is ridiculous. Conversely, if someone is in a public role in the organization (board member, head of a committee, volunteer coordinator, they should expect criticism of their performance. It is not uncivil to say, "I think conferencing software deserves much higher priority than it is receiving from the Hardware/Software committee." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe Mabel 206-284-7511 "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." L. Frank Baum -----Original Message----- From: Rich Littleton [SMTP:be718 at scn.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 11:35 PM To: Al Boss Cc: scn at scn.org; webmasters at scn.org; scna-board at scn.org Subject: Re: WEB: Why Attack? [was Revisit number forty two hundred] I think I'm experiencing deja vu all over again. I intend to discuss civility a bit more in the future, but a succinct (and civil) comment at this point. 99.9% "attacks" ("complaints" from a different perspective) occur because Person X thinks he/she has run into a problem. Thus, to complain about the complaint WITHOUT FIRST GETTING INVOLVED IN SOLVING (or explaining away) the problem, is not helpful. So, how about this being the basic rule: No complaints about the complaint (attack) unless one has first worked to solve the underlying problem. Rich ______________________________________________________________________ ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** On Wed, 30 Jun 1999, Al Boss wrote: > "It's not personal." > > People always say that. It's almost never the truth. What they mean is, > "It's not personal to me." > > I got hit by a car a couple years ago. Neither the car nor the driver > meant anything personal by it. It wasn't directed at me; my role as a > bicyclist just conflicted with their role as a motor vehicle. It felt > pretty personal to me, though. > > I used to work in an organization where warring managers used to play a > version of org-chart chess, using their respective staffs as sacrificial > pawns. It wasn't personal to those managers; they were scarcely aware of > who we even were. That fact made it no less personal to the piles of > emotional corpses of all those people who got screwed. > > It wasn't personal to the purchaser of a Big Mac, but it sure was > personal to the cow. > > We all mean well, we call care about SCN, we're all passionate and > involved or we wouldn't be having this conversation. And, we're not as > awful as the examples I used above. And none of that matters when you're > the one who's hurt, or who's dragged down in front of your friends and > peers. > > Consider the consequences of what you do when you interact with other > people. It's generally personal to the individual on the receiving end. > > Al > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe webmasters Messages posted on this list are available on the Web at: http://www.scn.org/volunteers/webmasters/webmasters-l/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From nanh at scn.org Thu Jul 1 08:59:28 1999 From: nanh at scn.org (Nan Hawthorne) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 08:59:28 -0700 Subject: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: <01BEC399.CF991000.jmabel@saltmine.com> Message-ID: <003801bec3da$b2bbede0$2058cfcf@oemcomputer> Joe, Just to clarify, I am addressing the issue of conduct by volunteers within a volunteer program only. I too agree that heated debate, disagreement and anger can be quite healthy. But the health of the organization and the whole volunteer program takes precedence. Let me share my philosophy of why organizations look to volunteers for help: 1. There is important work to be done. This is the reason the organization exists at all, the mission, the vision, the work it does in the community. 2. Volunteers are _part_ of the best way to get that work done. In an all-volunteer setting they are the only way. But even where there is paid staff, volunteers add a level of value to the important work that cannot be matched: fresh energy and enthusiasm, skills you couldn't afford to pay for, extra sets of hands, insights from the community beyond the organization, goodwill taken back out, contacts with funders, legislators, media, in-kind donors, and money. 3. Good volunteer management, a well-run volunteer program, insures that this important work gets done well. The point here is that the _work_ is what it's all about. Too many volunteer programs put volunteers before the common goals. Those programs suffer and are ineffective. Also, Joe, I feel it is important _before_ one gets into conflict to be sure you know the facts. And to fight fair and not personalize the conflict. And to think through the consequences to see if there is likely to be a positive outcome when teamwork is at stake. As an old boss used to say to me, "You need to learn to pick your fights." As a professional volunteer program manager it will be my goal to offer my skills to build a volunteer program that supports effective work. I will myself be as light-handed as possible on issues of civility, but the purpose of volunteer guidelines is to lessen risk to the organization as a whole. Volunteer programs where destructive criticism and inappropriate use of resources are permitted and even fostered are at risk of wasting resources and creating bad community relations. I have expressed my strong opposition to heavy-handed and inconsistent censorship of SCN users but have also stated that it is entirely appropriate and in fact a hallmark of a good volunteer program to limit the actions of its personnel, namely volunteers. Cordially, Nan Hawthorne Co-coordinator, SCN HR Committee nanh at scn.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I feel the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." --Jonas Salk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From douglas Thu Jul 1 13:42:38 1999 From: douglas (Doug Schuler) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 13:42:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AOL Awards Message-ID: <199907012042.NAA22875@scn.org> FYI Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 00:43:27 -0600 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Toni Black Subject: AOL AWARDS APPLICATION EXTENSION The AOL Rural Telecommunications Leadership Awards application deadline has been extended to July 20! All applications are prepared online at http://206.168.125.58/aolawards.asp. The step-by-step application process requires 3 to 4 pages of text. The Awards recognize and promote outstanding achievement in rural community development, resulting from the deployment and use of telecommunications. The Awards will result in five $10,000 awards, to communities of less than 10,000 population, in the following categories: Telecommunications Applications; Community Capacity Building; Infrastructure Technology; Policy; Youth Development. Qualified projects in the latter three categories are particularly encouraged to apply. Final applications must be received by the National Center for Small Communities by Tuesday, July 20. Faxed applications are permitted so long as a printed application, with original signatures, is postmarked to NCSC by July 20. Award finalists and winners will be announced by Sept. 1. For more information, and to begin the application process, go to http://206.168.125.58/aolawards.asp. Nancy Stark Director, Community and Economic Development National Center for Small Communities 444 N. Capitol Street, NW Suite 208 Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202-624-3556 Fax: 202-624-3554 E-mail: hn4404 at handsnet.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb140 at scn.org Thu Jul 1 18:30:19 1999 From: bb140 at scn.org (Barb Weismann) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 18:30:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: Why Attack? [was Revisit number forty two hundred] In-Reply-To: <01BEC399.CF991000.jmabel@saltmine.com> Message-ID: This isn't to Joe specifically. I am asking for clarification: --Did I attack someone? --Was my explanation of dissociation then understood to be saying I didn't attack someone? --If so, I am being perfectly sincere here--what were the attack words? Was it in my petition? If so, we had better talk a little further about what constitutes personal attacks. I haven't seen anything I regard as an attack in the past few weeks. Barb On Thu, 1 Jul 1999, Joe Mabel wrote: > I disagree. If I think person A has attacked person B unfairly, I'm going > to speak up, even if I'm otherwise a bystander (though I will usually > address my remarks privately to person A). > > In my opinion, conflict, even attacks on individuals, is not necessarily > inappropriate or unfair, and that I'm suspicious that talk of "civility" > becomes a means of restraining dissent. However, underhandedness is another > story. Writing an attack on someone and then weaseling out of it ("oh, I > didn't mean YOU" without even so much as an apology that ones words read -- > even accidentally -- like an attack) is either incivility, cowardice, or a > refusal to see things from the other person's point of view. > > I, for one, am a lot less offended if someone says, "Joe's totally wrong > here" or even "Joe's lying" than if someone says, "One of our IPs who > maintains a crisis resource directory seems to have an honesty gap," or > some such...especially if I step forward to discuss the matter and they > deny they meant me, or even pretend they don't see how I could take it as > meaning me. > > And just so I'm not accused of the same, > - yes, several people have done this sort of thing lately > - I've been to busy to even keep track of who is saying what, so I don't > have names. Besides, I'm not particularly angry at anyone or picking a > fight here (honest) but I'd like to see people think before they flame. If > anyone asks my opinion of a particular statement, I will gladly give it. > - the most egregious case of this was a recent email that indirectly > impugned someone's honesty but left room for the writer to weasel out. > - the second most egregious was criticism of what is happening in certain > roles in SCN where the writer (who probably had honestly been writing about > roles, not individuals) seemed totally shocked, but not apologetic, that > real human beings had these roles and took the attacks personally. You may > not have known who was doing these jobs, but obviously SOMEONE was. Either > you are critical of them and should stand your guns or you aren't and > should drop the matter. Saying, in effect, "Oh, I think things need to > improve around here but it's nothing about your performance" is ridiculous. > Conversely, if someone is in a public role in the organization (board > member, head of a committee, volunteer coordinator, they should expect > criticism of their performance. It is not uncivil to say, "I think > conferencing software deserves much higher priority than it is receiving > from the Hardware/Software committee." > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Joe Mabel > 206-284-7511 > "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." L. Frank Baum > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rich Littleton [SMTP:be718 at scn.org] > Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 11:35 PM > To: Al Boss > Cc: scn at scn.org; webmasters at scn.org; scna-board at scn.org > Subject: Re: WEB: Why Attack? [was Revisit number forty two hundred] > > > I think I'm experiencing deja vu all over again. I intend to discuss > civility a bit more in the future, but a succinct (and civil) comment at > this point. > > 99.9% "attacks" ("complaints" from a different perspective) occur because > Person X thinks he/she has run into a problem. > > Thus, to complain about the complaint WITHOUT FIRST GETTING INVOLVED IN > SOLVING (or explaining away) the problem, is not helpful. > > So, how about this being the basic rule: No complaints about the > complaint (attack) unless one has first worked to solve the underlying > problem. > > Rich > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** > > On Wed, 30 Jun 1999, Al Boss wrote: > > > "It's not personal." > > > > People always say that. It's almost never the truth. What they mean is, > > "It's not personal to me." > > > > I got hit by a car a couple years ago. Neither the car nor the driver > > meant anything personal by it. It wasn't directed at me; my role as a > > bicyclist just conflicted with their role as a motor vehicle. It felt > > pretty personal to me, though. > > > > I used to work in an organization where warring managers used to play a > > version of org-chart chess, using their respective staffs as sacrificial > > pawns. It wasn't personal to those managers; they were scarcely aware of > > who we even were. That fact made it no less personal to the piles of > > emotional corpses of all those people who got screwed. > > > > It wasn't personal to the purchaser of a Big Mac, but it sure was > > personal to the cow. > > > > We all mean well, we call care about SCN, we're all passionate and > > involved or we wouldn't be having this conversation. And, we're not as > > awful as the examples I used above. And none of that matters when you're > > the one who's hurt, or who's dragged down in front of your friends and > > peers. > > > > Consider the consequences of what you do when you interact with other > > people. It's generally personal to the individual on the receiving end. > > > > Al > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > > unsubscribe scn > > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe webmasters > Messages posted on this list are available on the Web at: > http://www.scn.org/volunteers/webmasters/webmasters-l/ > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb140 at scn.org Thu Jul 1 19:39:45 1999 From: bb140 at scn.org (Barb Weismann) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 19:39:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Difference of opinion Message-ID: Dear all: I am going off the lists for awhile and will only perform a couple tasks in the near future. This also means: --I offered to take official minutes. I don't think I want to have my unofficial minutes questioned. Sharma did not get back to me about helping her do official minutes. Sorry, we didn't reach agreement. --Rich, I will send you your outline ASAP. Write me directly if you have looked at the addressbook addendum I sent you. --Mel and Steve, I am retracting my offer to work on HR. In a previous message, Mel wrote: If the people doing the attacking spent their time instead on some of the work that needs doing, we would be able to move forward so much faster! If you or anyone else reading this thinks something is broken, get your hands dirty by joining the team responsible and find out exactly in which ways things are and are not working. Try offering to help work with the others involved to actually improve things rather than dictating from the sidelines how they should be improved (frequently without even close to full knowledge of what is really going on - something you won't be "entitled" to unless you are part of the team). (end of quote) I can't work in an organization or with people who: --control information to only those whom they regard as on the team; --accuse others of ignorance when the party involved is the one who has failed to report on her own activities; --fail to uphold good communication practices, that allow all volunteers organization-wide recognition for their roles and accomplishments, i.e. think they are the only ones doing work, do not set up simple recongition programs like monthly reports and thank yous, and thus then don't find out what others are doing; --fail to comply with their own rules i.e. use implication and don't name names, rather than simply stating thier case. (How about: Barb, I thought your petition sucked, I felt it as a personal attack, I feel angry, insulted, demeaned. I feel I am working hard and this makes me feel like you don't recongize that."--was that it, Mel? I didn't mean that- but now no one believes my sincerity). I am hereby making a personal attack. It is an example of an attitude which I believe is rampant, and yet which Mel is the only one until now to voice. She is a culprit in having this attitude, but it is upheld by every other Board member who fails to give information to us when we ask for it. There are a few people in SCN who read all my words and understand them all as an on-going plea to work towards democratic goals. Those who are more interested in control of information than democratic practices think I am complaining. Well, be glad, you've done it again. (You, collective). You've disgusted me enough that I don't want to say I'm part of this any more. Barb * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From be718 at scn.org Thu Jul 1 20:28:07 1999 From: be718 at scn.org (Rich Littleton) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 20:28:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: BOUNCE hr: Non-member submission from [Rich Littleton ] (fwd) In-Reply-To: <000801bec3d1$89152c80$2058cfcf@oemcomputer> Message-ID: Nan, Thanks for the reply. I'll briefly internotate. > Rich, in your e-mail, you say: > > > Steve Guest told me he was working on a conduct list for official > submission. So your list never did get official approval. > > I believe this is a list related to governance, not volunteer > guidelines per se. Joel and I are working on the latter this summer. Nan, the list Joel referred to was the list I was discussing. He passed it off as board-approved, but it was not. Joel is using the list he referred to as part of his volunteer orientation. I look forward to the list you mentioned, but my point was that Joel mischaracterized his list. > > > Did we ever get a conduct list that dealt with board members > publicly distorting the truth? Anyone? > > A special volunteer guidelines for board members is not necessary. > They are covered by the general guidelines and their conduct can be > governed both internally and by vote of the membership. This is not workable. Board members cannot be (a) the watchdog for the vols. and also the watchdog for themselves. That is the problem we had last fall. Joel came up with a conduct list in reaction to the turmoil, but, while the turmoil swirled around charges of volunteer misconduct AND board misconduct (including mistating the facts), Joel's conduct list only constrained volunteer actions. Thus, the board did not deal with one half of the cause of the turmoil. There clearly needs to be a mechanism in which board misconduct can be addressed, and it must include the involved volunteer. That mechanism does not exist. Waiting months for elections is not an answer, especially if the misconduct is limited to a few volunteers. Thanks for your note. Perhaps this topic needs some sort of forum/meetng/?. Rich * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb615 at scn.org Fri Jul 2 09:03:53 1999 From: bb615 at scn.org (Rod Clark) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 09:03:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Difference of opinion In-Reply-To: Message-ID: > I am going off the lists for awhile and will only perform a > couple tasks in the near future. ... Barb, When you want to approach some things again that you care about and want to do, you're always welcome. You've done enough for people and causes that you have years worth of goodwill piled up around here in people's hearts. It's a shame that all of this went back and forth so much on e-mail and not in person - that's not nearly so good at helping the temporarily humor-impaired among us get back into personal connection and empathy with people, with one another. I should know, because I've sent you so much e-mail and not enough of anything else. This is what happens when we depend so much on e-mail, and not enough on being affected by people's faces as we talk with them, or their voices as we talk with them. I hope you want to participate again, in some better day and time. It's ridiculous to be writing this instead of talking to you. Almost as bad as the rest of it, I guess. Getting people who are used to wielding "get with the team" authority in other organizations to adopt a funkier democratic method here of reaching agreement, one that always takes more time and effort and is inherently frustrating, isn't easy. We all have hopes for this. It's never going to work smoothly as long as random people (you, me, Mel, lots of others, some who could be described as fringe elements) can get involved and bring along their various ideals and start trying to convince everyone else of them. It's mostly still run by a bunch of people who aren't professionals at it, which is both what's good and bad about it. In my view, everyone who's interested at all in participating, or even casual observers, are as "entitled" to know what's going on as the people who are doing things. But taking the (lots of) time to write those things up and to go through all of the ideal time-consuming communications processes that we should have is often more onerous than actually doing the work. I think SCN would be the better for your involvement, and for your nudging us toward keeping a focus on your ideals and going through the extra workload to turn them into practice more often and more consistently. Rod * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From douglas Fri Jul 2 14:09:39 1999 From: douglas (Doug Schuler) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 14:09:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: three open positions at Benton Message-ID: <199907022109.OAA13574@scn.org> FYI... Benton Foundation Project Associate - Three Open Positions AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY The Benton Foundation has three positions open (see below) at the "project associate" level and is seeking individuals with strong organizational and communication skills for each of them. The Benton Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropic organization that works to realize the social benefits made possible by the public interest use of communications. Each position is located in Washington, DC. Project Associate positions are available for the following Benton projects: 1. U.S. Development Content. Benton is mapping the U.S. landscape of development resources online, examining current online efforts to provide nonprofit content, identify strengths and gaps of existing services, and develop relationships with potential U.S. content partners. 2. U.S. Nonprofit Technology Capacity-Building. Benton maps, aggregates and analyzes U.S. nonprofit technology resources-offline and online. We have created an online annotated compendium of resources, programs, and studies, and will produce a guide to help community leaders assess and address the technology needs of their local nonprofit community. 3. U.S. Digital Divide Issues. Benton is building a clearinghouse of resources pertaining to the U.S. "digital divide," including information about funding opportunities and other efforts in the public and private sectors aimed at closing the digital divide. Responsibilities In addition to research, writing and program administration responsibilities specific to each of the above projects, programs associates also: * Compile research results for online and print publication * Participate in the maintenance of project Web sites * Assist Project Manager in communication to advisory committee by coordinating mailings, and electronic or person-to-person meetings * Keep field informed of current project activities, responding to requests for information about the project * Provide programmatic support for relationships with all project vendors, partners, advisors, and consultants * Maintain project email accounts, organizational files, and coordinate central database of contacts, including data entry * Coordinate and track expense reimbursements and payments for consultants * Coordinate and administer project mailings * Proofread correspondence and publications * Assist in developing presentations, proposals, and final reports * Participate in appropriate Benton committees Education, Skills, and Qualifications Candidates for the position should be detail-oriented and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. BA required as well as interest in communications and /or technology. Candidates should be able to work effectively and efficiently under pressure, but be comfortable with creating their own working routine and self-directed enough to work without much guidance. Strong writing, verbal communication and presentation skills are required. An ability to work well with a wide variety of groups and individuals, knowledge of communications technologies are required. Familiarity with World Wide Web site development and strongly preferred. Also required: strong administrative and office skills, including experience with databases such as IMIS or FileMaker Pro, Web page editing, word processing and accounting programs such as MS Word, Excel and Access, and ability to use email and PowerPoint. Compensation We offer a competitive, negotiated salary. Excellent benefits, including full health and dental insurance, four weeks vacation a year, retirement plan, and opportunities for professional development. Send or fax resume, cover letter, and salary requirements as soon as possible to Project Associate Search, Benton Foundation, 1634 Eye Street NW, 11th Floor, Washington DC 20006. Fax: 202-638-5771. Email: cpp at benton.org; put Project Associate Search in subject line. No phone calls, please. The Benton Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kurt at grogatch.seaslug.org Fri Jul 2 14:45:46 1999 From: kurt at grogatch.seaslug.org (Kurt Cockrum) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 14:45:46 -0700 Subject: civility: does it have anything to do with netiquette? Message-ID: <199907022145.OAA30619@grogatch.seaslug.org> After 3 or 4 ping-pong-style long replies to long postings, each e-mail on this list (as on most I'm subscribed to) is carrying a considerable load of historical baggage, specifically everything that has been previously appended to previous replies. You can identify this when you see lines in your e-mail that begin with "> > > >..." and similar patterns. It's time to *delete* that old garbage *before* you send it, so other people (some of whom have *saved* the old stuff, and hence have no *need* of an immediate reminder) aren't bothered. I'm not saying that we should stop quoting stuff in our replies. I am saying that it ought to be edited, so that *all* extraneous stuff is trimmed out. Particularly, edit out the .sigs! Nobody wants to see that crap, especially recycled. Really, folks, if you are going to use e-mail, take the trouble to learn to use it effectively. You are like a bunch of technophobic enviros worried about global warming, but driving stick-shift cars stuck in 1st gear because you don't know how to work the tranny/clutch combo. Read and learn your help screens! E-mail trainers, how about getting on this? It isn't enough to just teach people how to step-on-the-pedal and go, you should be teaching people what good practice is. Maybe you do that already, for all I know. But if so, none of your graduates have subscribed to this list. With regard to civility on this list, poor manners bother me a *lot* less than the ham-handed efforts of well-intentioned people to *deal* with bad manners, i. e. to be seen *doing* *something* by others (contra the Taoistic philosophy of "wu-wei", doing nothing). Composing long lists of elaborate rules of punctilio exemplify this. "There oughta be a law". And it *always* turns out worse than coping with the original problem. Look at Singapore, or some of the civic policies of the City of Seattle. Lastly, thin-skinned, hypersensitive people are a pain-in-the-butt! Toughen up! and lighten up! --kurt * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From er-chan at scn.org Fri Jul 2 17:46:30 1999 From: er-chan at scn.org (er-chan) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 17:46:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: <003801bec3da$b2bbede0$2058cfcf@oemcomputer> Message-ID: Nan, I loved your previous post about the 4 reasons why people join a volunteer organization : for praise, for accomplishments, for belonging to a respected ISP organization, or influence over others. It was definitely inspirational. On Thu, 1 Jul 1999, Nan Hawthorne wrote: > Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 08:59:28 -0700 > From: Nan Hawthorne > To: Joe Mabel , 'Rich Littleton' , > Al Boss > Cc: scn at scn.org, webmasters at scn.org, scna-board at scn.org > Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... > > Joe, > > Just to clarify, I am addressing the issue of conduct by volunteers within a > volunteer program only. I too agree that heated debate, disagreement and anger > can be quite healthy. But the health of the organization and the whole > volunteer program takes precedence. Let me share my philosophy of why > organizations look to volunteers for help: > > 1. There is important work to be done. > > This is the reason the organization exists at all, the mission, the vision, > the work it does in the community. > > 2. Volunteers are _part_ of the best way to get that work done. > > In an all-volunteer setting they are the only way. But even where there is > paid staff, volunteers add a level of value to the important work that cannot be > matched: fresh energy and enthusiasm, skills you couldn't afford to pay for, > extra sets of hands, insights from the community beyond the organization, > goodwill taken back out, contacts with funders, legislators, media, in-kind > donors, and money. > After reading it I felt I learned something--the process of learning--more than an actual accomplishment but the learning and growing environment can be a reward. When one sees a train accident about to happen, even if one does not succeed in preventing the accident, attempting and trying ones best to achieve something good is rewarding even if it is not actually achieved. Are we really an all-volunteer organization? Are some people being paid or in the process of being paid? Is it ethical for a person to be a volunteer all the time seeking to convert this nonpayer into a paying job not for every volunteer but for a select few--the rest of the volunteers to be recycled for fresh volunteers. Thus a constant supply of new volunteers are needed as the old volunteers are "killed" (emotionally). The ones with skills should train others so that there is no need to pay for what volunteers could be taught and we can really be an all-volunteer group. Of course there should be compensation for local travel expenses for those elected officials who request it. > 3. Good volunteer management, a well-run volunteer program, insures that this > important work gets done well. > > The point here is that the _work_ is what it's all about. Too many volunteer > programs put volunteers before the common goals. Those programs suffer and are > ineffective. I believe this organization (SCN) has a mission to do good as a group and also to do good to its volunteers. _,--------, .-. \ o / (_| |(- \ / ((_)) | _| `----\--\' _-_ | >-< / \ \o _\__\---'---`---.___ /o\ ___.---'---`---.___ ( \ \----._er-chan__.----` at '----._scn.org.----` o ____________/_/_ _ o _/ `---' \_ /|\ (____________===|)- /\ ___\o(_) (_) / \ | \ /) | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From be718 at scn.org Fri Jul 2 22:49:39 1999 From: be718 at scn.org (Rich Littleton) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 22:49:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Difference of opinion In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Rod is a godddam jewel!!!!! VERY well said, Rod. Humane-ness like yours makes all of us be a little better. Rich ______________________________________________________________________ ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** On Fri, 2 Jul 1999, Rod Clark wrote: > > I am going off the lists for awhile and will only perform a > > couple tasks in the near future. ... > > Barb, > > When you want to approach some things again that you care > about and want to do, you're always welcome. You've done enough > for people and causes that you have years worth of goodwill > piled up around here in people's hearts. > > It's a shame that all of this went back and forth so much on > e-mail and not in person - that's not nearly so good at helping > the temporarily humor-impaired among us get back into personal > connection and empathy with people, with one another. I should > know, because I've sent you so much e-mail and not enough of > anything else. This is what happens when we depend so much on > e-mail, and not enough on being affected by people's faces as we > talk with them, or their voices as we talk with them. > > I hope you want to participate again, in some better day and > time. It's ridiculous to be writing this instead of talking to > you. Almost as bad as the rest of it, I guess. > > Getting people who are used to wielding "get with the team" > authority in other organizations to adopt a funkier democratic > method here of reaching agreement, one that always takes more > time and effort and is inherently frustrating, isn't easy. We > all have hopes for this. It's never going to work smoothly as > long as random people (you, me, Mel, lots of others, some who > could be described as fringe elements) can get involved and > bring along their various ideals and start trying to convince > everyone else of them. It's mostly still run by a bunch of > people who aren't professionals at it, which is both what's good > and bad about it. > > In my view, everyone who's interested at all in > participating, or even casual observers, are as "entitled" to > know what's going on as the people who are doing things. But > taking the (lots of) time to write those things up and to go > through all of the ideal time-consuming communications processes > that we should have is often more onerous than actually doing > the work. > > I think SCN would be the better for your involvement, and for > your nudging us toward keeping a focus on your ideals and going > through the extra workload to turn them into practice more often > and more consistently. > > Rod > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From be718 at scn.org Fri Jul 2 23:03:37 1999 From: be718 at scn.org (Rich Littleton) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 23:03:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: civility: does it have anything to do with netiquette? In-Reply-To: <199907022145.OAA30619@grogatch.seaslug.org> Message-ID: Kurt, You old reprobate! When you make a point, you DO make a point. Yours was a very good post. About your comment on efficient use of the mail. The e-mail teaching outline I edited is light in that category. If you, or anyone, directs me to a source, I'll look at gathering some of the contents and running it by the e-mail group to see about including it. Again, good post. Rich ______________________________________________________________________ ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** On Fri, 2 Jul 1999, Kurt Cockrum wrote: > After 3 or 4 ping-pong-style long replies to long postings, each e-mail > on this list (as on most I'm subscribed to) is carrying a considerable > load of historical baggage, specifically everything that has been > previously appended to previous replies. You can identify this when > you see lines in your e-mail that begin with "> > > >..." and similar > patterns. It's time to *delete* that old garbage *before* you send it, > so other people (some of whom have *saved* the old stuff, and hence have > no *need* of an immediate reminder) aren't bothered. > > I'm not saying that we should stop quoting stuff in our replies. I am > saying that it ought to be edited, so that *all* extraneous stuff is > trimmed out. Particularly, edit out the .sigs! Nobody wants to see > that crap, especially recycled. > > Really, folks, if you are going to use e-mail, take the trouble to learn > to use it effectively. You are like a bunch of technophobic enviros > worried about global warming, but driving stick-shift cars stuck in > 1st gear because you don't know how to work the tranny/clutch combo. > Read and learn your help screens! > > E-mail trainers, how about getting on this? It isn't enough to just > teach people how to step-on-the-pedal and go, you should be teaching > people what good practice is. Maybe you do that already, for all I know. > But if so, none of your graduates have subscribed to this list. > > With regard to civility on this list, poor manners bother me a *lot* > less than the ham-handed efforts of well-intentioned people to *deal* > with bad manners, i. e. to be seen *doing* *something* by others (contra > the Taoistic philosophy of "wu-wei", doing nothing). Composing long lists > of elaborate rules of punctilio exemplify this. "There oughta be a law". > And it *always* turns out worse than coping with the original problem. > Look at Singapore, or some of the civic policies of the City of Seattle. > > Lastly, thin-skinned, hypersensitive people are a pain-in-the-butt! > Toughen up! and lighten up! > --kurt > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Sat Jul 3 09:06:15 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 08:06:15 -0800 Subject: Email In-Reply-To: References: <199907022145.OAA30619@grogatch.seaslug.org> Message-ID: <199907031509.IAA17123@scn.org> Rich wrote: > About your comment on efficient use of the mail. The e-mail > teaching outline I edited is light in that category. If you, or > anyone, directs me to a source, I'll look at gathering some of the > contents and running it by the e-mail group to see about including > it. Here are a few possibilities: Email Pet Peeves: www.thebee.com/bweb/iinfo43.htm Beyond Flaming - How to Fight Fair Online: www.windweaver.com/email.htm Email Etiquette: www.iwillfollow.com/email.htm (See "Quotes" toward middle of page) Email Facts of Life: www.thebee.com/bweb/factsoflife.htm (See #9) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From rockybay at scn.org Wed Jul 7 06:57:32 1999 From: rockybay at scn.org (The Tarans) Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 06:57:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: EMT Re: BOARD: SCN and Hotmail - what you need to know In-Reply-To: Message-ID: As a recently new em-trainer and SCN user, I suggest a longer-term program of providing transition encouragement and support for FreePort users. SCN may serve a wider base as well as helping current users by encouraging adoption of user software complying with what are effectively de-facto standards (like POP3). This should allow transferability of user skills wherever the users might be. In other words, helping FreePort users help SCN to bring FreePort into compliance with standards. Or help, gradually, phase it out. After all, four-track car stereo cartridges (or LPs, or Edison Cylinders) can be nice, but your cassettes and CDs can also play in your friends' cars and at homes as well. If a priority of SCN is providing value to SPL and broadening our community base of users and IPs, then wouldn't the accompanying priority be working, over time, toward PPP services in some form? If so, then wouldn't the accompanyiny priority--bringing along current users--be bringing users POP3 and webmail services? Malcolm Taran * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From rockybay at scn.org Wed Jul 7 06:57:58 1999 From: rockybay at scn.org (The Tarans) Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 06:57:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: EMT Re: Testing hotmail etc In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I second Rich's proposal about account space. Would this be a good point toward resolving SCN priorities, the issues of widening our general appeal and effectively encouraging user participation? In other words, would a full sense of volunteer sentiment on a proposal about this help the board decision process? I think I could be one of the rather more ordinary users in that, while volunteering occasionally and contributing a little, I have a system that is now generations obsolete in hardware and software. I'm having some lack of drive space difficulties on my system as well as with my scn account size. SCN is my main and only e-mail and net access. Malcolm Taran * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From douglas Thu Jul 8 11:40:55 1999 From: douglas (Doug Schuler) Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 11:40:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Support Non-Commercial Micro-Radio! Message-ID: <199907081840.LAA12559@scn.org> Micro-radio offers a new opportunity for public media space. Please take the time to write the FCC on this issue. Thanks! -- Doug From: Sheri Herndon To: Sheri Herndon Subject: Chomsky/ Zinn/ Mumia Lettter on Microradio Legalization Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 11:19:52 -0700 PLEASE FORWARD AND DISTRIBUTE WIDELY > -----Original Message----- > From: Greg Ruggiero [SMTP:gregruggiero at earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, July 08, 1999 11:00 AM > To: media-l at tao.ca > Subject: Chomsky/ Zinn/ Mumia Lettter on Micro > > July 8, 1999 > > It's coming down to wire on the micro issue here in the U.S. > > We've got three weeks left to pound the FCC and our Reps with pro-micro > letters-- August 2 is the deadline to submit comments on the FCC's > proposal > to begin licensing low power community stations. > > To help mobilize greater grassroots response, today the > Microradio Empowerment Coalition is releasing a pro-microradio > letter written by Robert W. McChesney and signed by a host of > activists, educators, and organizers, including Noam Chomsky, > Dee Dee Halleck, Howard Zinn, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and many others. > > Because many people who don't have time to show support *will* > show support if doing so is quick and easy, we've set up two web sites > where folks can "sign and send" the letter with a click of the mouse. > > These sites are: > > http://www.nlgcdc.org/mec/mec.html > > and > > http://artcon.rutgers.edu/mec.html > > > We hope you will help circulate this letter and link > your web pages to one of the above sites. > > La Lucha Sigue. > > Free Airwaves in 99!, > > Greg Ruggiero > Microradio Empowerment Coalition > > ----------------------------- > > To: The Honorable Chairman William E. Kennard , > Commissioner Gloria Tristani, > Commissioner Michael Powell, > Commissioner Susan Ness, > Commissioner Harold Furchgott-Roth, > Federal Communications Commission > The Portals > 455 Twelfth Street S.W. > Washington, DC 20554 > > cc: Vice President Al Gore, Bill Bradley, George Bush, Jr. > > Dear Honorable Chairman Kennard: > > We are writing to commend you and the Federal Communications > Commission for taking action on an issue of great importance to us -- > ending the 21-year ban on community access to the airwaves. We have become > increasingly concerned about the growing concentration of the media in our > country and are pleased that the Commission is responding to public outcry > to increase opportunities for local communities to use our radio airwaves. > > One of the fundamental tenets of our democracy is to ensure that > diverse interests have opportunities to express themselves, not merely to > be the recipients of what a handful of other people tell them. It is a > nonnegotiable component of our right to a free press and free speech. > > Radio is perhaps the most qualified of any media outlet to provide > community access. It is a relatively inexpensive medium to produce and is > well-suited to cover community issues and local culture. Unfortunately, > over the past three years the U.S. radio broadcasting industry has > experienced an unprecedented wave of consolidation and mergers. As a > result, the electronic medium best suited to inexpensive, local > programming > has become arguably the most regimented and centralized of our major > media. > Even a multimillionaire would have trouble entering the radio broadcasting > industry today, because economies of scale (permitted by deregulation) > demand that a firm own numerous stations in several markets to be even > remotely competitive. As for the person of average means, their lot is > limited to being a passive consumer of an increasingly monopolistic > industry that has less and less competitive pressure to heed the diverse, > local needs of listeners. And, for poor people and others who are > considered unimportant to the advertising community, radio increasingly > has > little to offer. Again, the great tragedy of this situation is that radio > is the ideal medium to provide an accessible local service for democratic > communications of interest and value to the entire population. > > Awarding licenses for new low power FM radio stations would empower > local communities with a new public forum to express its many voices, > cultures, ideas, and needs. Low power radio stations would create much > needed public fora for a variety of groups -- including community > activists, youth, ethnic and linguistic minorities, the religious > community, local artists and cultural associations -- and provide a forum > for dialogue and debate about important local and public interest issues. > These kinds of stations would strengthen community identity in urban > neighborhoods, rural towns and other communities which are currently too > small to win attention from "mainstream," profit-driven media. > > The strong interest in independent radio stations shows that the > creation of low power radio service would have wide public support. The > tremendous demand for microradio is demonstrated by the emergence of a > national Free Radio Movement, widespread civil disobedience, > constitutional > challenges of the Commission's aggressively enforced 21-year ban, as well > as the proliferation of unlicensed community radio stations supported by > local > government, whose operators broadcast at the risk of financial losses, > seizure > of property, arrest, and in some cases, imprisonment. > > In addition, the Commission has stated that in the last year > alone, 13,000 > people inquired regarding the possibility of obtaining a license for low > power > broadcasting in their communities. > > In support with the efforts of the Microradio Empowerment > Coalition (http://www.nlgcdc.org/mec/index.html), we urge you to > legalize microradio in order to benefit non-commercial community > groups whose interest in microradio is to communicate, to educate, and > to inform, not to make money. We are confident you agree that broad > citizen > access to information and culture is at the heart of a democratic society. > > To support this vision, we urge you to legalize microradio > with the following > concerns in mind: > > 1. Microradio licenses should be awarded for non-commercial use > only. > The current radio spectrum is dominated by commercial media. LPFM > licenses should > go to non-commercial community groups who want to use radio to communicate > with > their neighbors, not make profit from them. > > 2. Licenses should be held locally, be non-transferable, affordable > to > all communities, easy to apply for and limited to one per license holder; > they should NOT be businesses. > > 3. Power levels should be up to 100 watts in urban areas and up to > 250 > watts in rural areas. > > 4. The Commission should NOT diminish new low-power stations to > "secondary status." It would be a tragedy to take away licenses from > low-power > community stations just because the Commission subsequently granted > a power increase to a > pre-existing station or granted a new high power license somewhere > nearby. > > 5. The Commission should grant full amnesty for the > microbroadcast pioneers > who have suffered government seizure and fines. Their property should be > returned. They should be granted equal opportunity in applying for > and receiving > new licenses. > > 6. Problems, technical or otherwise, should be referred to the local > voluntary micropower organization for assistance or mediation (e.g. the > Ham > radio model). The FCC should be the forum of last resort. > > 7. LPFM must be protected and maintained in the future as > radio makes the > transition from analog to digital broadcasting. > > 8. If the FCC intends to license some commercial stations, they must > be > licensed last. In this instance, there should be a 2 year "headstart" for > non-commercial licenses. The right of citizens to communicate is protected > by the Constitution and the FCC's mandate. The right to make money through > local radio is not a protection under the FCC's mandate. > > 9. Stations should be locally programmed. However recorded materials > such as music, poetry, documentaries, features etc. may be used. Sharing > of > program materials and resources among micro and community stations is > strongly encouraged. No more than 20% of air time from off-site feeds or > syndicated tapes. > > 10. Licenses should be awarded to unincorporated non-commercial > associations, and non-profit organizations. > > 11. Within two years new spectrum space (including any future > digital spectrum space) should be allocated for continued expansion > of microradio > broadcasters so that any community group that wishes to broadcast has > access to > available spectrum space (frequencies). Further, all manufacturers of > consumer radio > receivers for sale in the United States should be required to include > this spectrum set > aside for microradio broadcasters. > > 12. Licensing fees should be affordable to all communities. > > Again, we commend Chairman Kennard and the Commission for your > willingness to address these issues. We are hopeful that the creation > of a new class of > low power FM radio licensing becomes a reality during the Chairman's > present term. We look forward to working on making the airwaves more > accessible for our local communities. > > Signed, > > MEC Honorary Chair: > Robert W. McChesney, Madison > > MEC Steering Committee: > Sara Zia Ebrahimi, Philadelphia > Diane Fleming, Philadelphia > Peter Franck, San Francisco > Amanda Huron, Washington, D.C. > Alan Korn, San Francisco > Greg Ruggiero, New York City > > Noam Chomsky--Massachusetts Institute of Technology > Howard Zinn--Professor Emeritus, Boston University > Nancy Kranich--Librarian > Ron Daniels--Executive Director,Center for Constitutional Rights > George Gerbner--Founder, Cultural Environment Movement > Edward Herman--Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania > Janine Jackson--Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting > Mark Crispin Miller--New York University > Laura Flanders--national producer for Pacifica Radio > David Barsamian--Director, Alternative Radio > Elaine Bernard--Harvard Trade Union Program > Al Lewis--Organizer ("Grandpa" from the Munsters) > Dee Dee Halleck--Deep Dish TV > Ben Bagdikian--University of California, Berkeley > Loretta Ross--Executive Director, National Center for Human Rights > Education > Carl Jensen--Founder, Project Censored > Ellen Braune--Publicist > Jamie Love--Director, Consumer Project on Technology > Dan Simon--Founder, Seven Stories Press > Stuart Ewen--Author > Juliet Schor--Harvard University > Herbert Schiller--Professor Emeritus, University of California, San Diego > Barbara Ehrenreich--Author > Gloria Steinem--Ms. > Mumia Abu-Jamal--Journalist > Kurt Vonnegut-- Author > > # # # > > ****************************************************** > > < < > > > EMPOWERMENT > COALITION > 2-12 Seaman Ave, #5K > New York, New York 10034 > > email: mec at tao.ca > voicemail: 212. 942. 8899 > Coalition website: http://www.nlgcdc.org/mec/index.html > CDC Comments on the NPRM: http://www.nlgcdc.org/99-25.htm > > ******************************************************* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Thu Jul 8 18:45:36 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 17:45:36 -0800 Subject: Web searching Message-ID: <199907090048.RAA28161@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ===================== Most of Web Beyond Scope of Search Sites Ashley Dunn Los Angeles Times 7/8/99 If searching the World Wide Web for that one nugget of information already seems like a bad trip into a quagmire of data, Internet researchers have bad news for you--the situation is only getting worse. Even the most comprehensive search engine today is aware of no more than 16% of the estimated 800 million pages on the Web, according to a study to be published today in the scientific journal Nature. Moreover, the gap between what is posted on the Web and what is retrievable by the search engines is widening fast. "The amount of information being indexed [by commonly used search engines] is increasing, but it's not increasing as fast as the amount of information that's being put on the Web," said Steve Lawrence, a researcher at NEC Research Institute in Princeton, N.J., and one of the study's authors. The findings, which are generally undisputed by the search engine companies themselves, raise the specter that the Internet may lead to a backward step in the distribution of knowledge amid a technological revolution: The breakneck pace at which information is added to the Web may mean that more information is lost to easy public view than made available. The study also underscores a little-understood feature of the Internet. While many users believe that Web pages are automatically available to the search programs employed by such sites as Yahoo, Excite and AltaVista, the truth is that finding, identifying and categorizing new Web pages requires a great expenditure of time, money and technology. Lawrence and his co-author, fellow NEC researcher C. Lee Giles, found that most of the major search engines index less than 10% of the Web. Even by combining all the major search engines, only 42% of the Web has been indexed, they found. The rest of the Web--trillions of bytes of data ranging from scientific papers to family photo albums--exist in a kind of black hole of information, impenetrable by surfers unless they have the exact address of a given site. Even the pages that are indexed take an average of six months to be discovered by the search engines, Lawrence and Giles found. The pace of indexing marks a striking decline from that found in a similar study conducted by the same researchers just a year and a half ago. At that time, they estimated the number of Web pages at about 320 million. The most thorough search engine in that study, HotBot, covered about a third of all Web pages. Combined, the six leading search engines they surveyed covered about 60% of the Web. But the best-performing search engine in the latest study, Northern Light, covered only 16% of the Web, and the 11 search sites surveyed reached only 42% combined. While Web surfers often complain about retrieving too much information from search engines, failing to capture the full scope of the Web would be to surrender one of the most powerful aspects of the digital revolution--the ability to seek out and share diverse sources of information across the globe, said Oren Etzioni, chief technology officer of the multi-service Web site Go2Net and a professor of computer science at the University of Washington. Etzioni said the mushrooming size of the Web's audience makes the gulf between what is on the Web and what is retrievable increasingly important. "There is a real price to be paid if you are not comprehensive," he said. "There may be something that is important to only 1% of the people. Well, you're talking about maybe 100,000 people." Lawrence and Giles estimated the number of Web pages by using special software that searches systematically through 2,500 random Web servers--the computers that hold Web pages. They calculated the average number of pages on each server and extrapolated to the 2.8 million servers on the Internet. By using 1,050 search queries posed by employees of the NEC Research Institute, a research lab owned by the Japanese electronics company NEC, they were able to estimate the coverage of all the search engines, ranging from 16% for Northern Light--a relatively obscure service that ranks 16th in popularity among similar sites--to 2.5% for Lycos, the fourth-most-popular search engine. For search engine companies, the findings of the report were no surprise. Kris Carpenter, director of search products and services for Excite, the third-most-popular search engine, said her company purposely ignores a large part of the Web not so much because of weak technology but because of a lack of consumer interest. "Most consumers are overwhelmed with just the information that is out there," she said. "It's hard to fathom the hundreds of millions of pages. How do you get your head around that?" Carpenter said millions of pages, such as individual messages on Web bulletin boards, make little sense to index. Kevin Brown, director of marketing for Inktomi, whose search engine is used by the popular search sites HotBot, Snap and Yahoo, said that search companies have long been aware that they are indexing less and less of the Web. But he argued that users are seeking quality information, not merely quantity. "There is a point of diminishing returns," he said. "If you want to find the best Thai food and there are 14,000 results, the question isn't how many returns you got, but what are the top 10." In fact, Brown said, the technology already exists to find all 800 million Web pages, although indexing that much would be costly. Inktomi, like most search engines, uses a method called "crawling" in which a program goes out onto the Internet and follows all the links on a known Web page to find new pages. The words on that new page are then indexed so that the page can be found when a user launches a search. The crawling process helps the search engine compile an index made up of the most popular sites. This method ensures that high- traffic pages, such as those of the White House or CNN, could never go undiscovered. Crawling can unearth an enormous number of new pages. Inktomi, for example, can record about 20 million pages a day, meaning that it could find all 800 million pages of the Web in less than two months. But storing, searching and delivering that amount of information would require a daunting volume of computer storage and high- speed connections to the Internet. He added that anyone who wants to be found can be found since most of the search engines allow people to submit their Web pages for manual inclusion in a search index. Commercial Web sites can also pay for prominent placement on some indexes. Excite's Carpenter said the future of search engines lies not in bigger indexes but more specialized ones in which everything on a given subject, such as baseball, could be indexed and displayed. "You may be covering a huge percentage of the Web, but you're presenting it in smaller slices," she said. "Lumping everything into one big, be-everything index would be incredibly overwhelming." Lawrence also believes that indexing technologies will eventually enable the search engines to start gaining on the proliferating data. NEC, for example, has been developing a so-called "meta- search engine" named Inquirus that combines the search ability of all major engines, then lists their results. "I'm pretty optimistic that over a period of years the trend will reverse," he said. But he added, "The next 10 to 20 years could be really rough." Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times. All Rights * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Fri Jul 9 00:25:52 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (kv9x at scn.org) Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 00:25:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: No subject Message-ID: <199907090725.AAA14573@mail.eskimo.com> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Fri Jul 9 00:28:41 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (kv9x at scn.org) Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 00:28:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: No subject Message-ID: <199907090728.AAA14680@mail.eskimo.com> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Fri Jul 9 00:31:38 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (kv9x at scn.org) Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 00:31:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: No subject Message-ID: <199907090731.AAA14777@mail.eskimo.com> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Fri Jul 9 09:27:40 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 09:27:40 -0700 Subject: Online Racial Divide Grow Message-ID: <378622FC.A5FD700F@scn.org> (sorry about those blank messages...--Brian) ==== Online Racial Divide Grows By TED BRIDIS Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - The disparity on the Internet between whites and black and Hispanic Americans is growing toward a ``racial ravine,'' in many cases even after accounting for differences in income, a new government report said Thursday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/technology/story.html?s=v/ap/19990708/tc/digital_divide_4.html ==== Digital division persists in U.S. Mercury News Staff Report The latest report on the ``digital divide'' from the U.S. Department of Commerce says that while millions of Americans continue to venture into the wired world for the first time each year, significant gaps remain between the nation's information ``haves'' and ``have-nots'' -- gaps that continue to fall along racial, income and education lines. http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/1divide08.htm ==== Commerce: 'Digital divide' grows Maria Seminerio, ZDNet Even as Americans continue to get online in droves, the digital divide between blacks and whites and between urban and rural Americans is on the increase, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's third annual "Falling Through the Net" survey, released Thursday. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/technology/zdnet/story.html?s=v/zd/19990709/tc/19990709107 ==== U.S. Says Race, Wealth Determine Internet Use By David Lawsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Commerce Department Thursday released a detailed report on Internet use, which highlighted a growing digital divide between whites and minorities and the poor and rich. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/wr/story.html?s=v/nm/19990709/wr/web_access_2.html ==== Report cites widening online gap between whites, blacks By TED BRIDIS WASHINGTON (July 8, 1999 9:00 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - The gap between whites and black and Hispanic Americans who own computers and use the Internet is growing into a "racial ravine," in many cases even after accounting for differences in income, the government reported Thursday. <...snip...> Other key findings: -About 47 percent of all whites own computers, but fewer than half as many blacks do. -About 25.5 percent of Hispanics own computers, but fully 55 percent of Asians do. Asian families also are most likely to have Internet access, with 36 percent online. -A child in a low-income white family is three times more likely to have Internet access as a child in a comparable black family and four times more likely than a Hispanic child. -People with college degrees are more than eight times more likely to own a computer and 16 times more likely to have Internet access than people with elementary school educations. http://www.techserver.com/noframes/story/0,2294,68346-108179-766387-0,00.html ==== * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Fri Jul 9 18:10:27 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 18:10:27 -0700 Subject: The war over your personal privacy is over. Message-ID: <37869D83.F1383573@scn.org> http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/9927/features-gunn.shtml The war over your personal privacy is over. You Lost! BY ANGELA GUNN The top five ways the technological revolution was a war against you. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Mon Jul 12 08:41:38 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 08:41:38 -0700 Subject: Internet Heavyweights Join Forces To Shape Web Message-ID: <378A0CB2.DF474C11@scn.org> Monday July 12 12:43 AM ET Internet Heavyweights Join Forces To Shape Web WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nine of the world's leading Internet companies have joined forces to form a coalition to make their powerful voices heard in directing the future of the World Wide Web. America's top dot-com companies said in a statement issued Monday that NetCoalition.com would speak out for the interests of the Internet industry and seek to influence government policymakers. ``In founding NetCoalition.com these leading entrepreneurs are responding to members of Congress who tell us they need innovative online approaches to the unique challenges facing the Internet,'' said Daniel Ebert who will be coordinating the coalition's Washington operations. The Coalition include Internet heavyweights America Online, Yahoo!, and Amazon.com as well as DoubleClick, eBay, Excite+Home, Inktomi, Lycos and theglobe.com. <...snip...> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/wr/story.html?s=v/nm/19990712/wr/tech_coalition_1.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Tue Jul 13 08:20:52 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 08:20:52 -0700 Subject: NAACP, AT&T bridging the 'digital divide' Message-ID: <378B5953.28599AAA@scn.org> NAACP, AT&T bridging the 'digital divide' By PAUL SHEPARD NEW YORK (July 13, 1999 8:01 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - To help bridge the gap between whites and blacks and Hispanics in access to the Internet, the NAACP will partner with AT&T to create technology centers in 20 cities that will provide computer training and Internet seminars. "The technological segregation known as the digital divide must be narrowed," NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said Monday. Toward that end, Mfume announced that through the program AT&T will provide hardware, software and on-site support for technology in the centers. http://www.techserver.com/noframes/story/0,2294,69946-110588-783983-0,00.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Tue Jul 13 08:27:56 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 08:27:56 -0700 Subject: Privacy protection online is badly needed Message-ID: <378B5AFC.E83F68FD@scn.org> Privacy protection online is badly needed: FTC misses boat on fixing problem BY DAN GILLMOR Mercury News Technology Columnist TIDBITS and bytes from the Digital Desktop: INTERESTING LOGIC: The Federal Trade Commission will tell Congress today that most Web sites do a lousy job of protecting visitors' private information. The FTC will also tell Congress not to do anything to fix the problem. The principle at work, according to Reuters, which obtained the report Monday, is that Web operators increasingly see a good business case for following ``fair information practices.'' In other words, self-regulation will do the job. Sure it will -- approximately one month after hell freezes over. Self-regulation would be a joke if the consequences weren't so serious. http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/dg071399.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From alboss at scn.org Wed Jul 14 13:33:47 1999 From: alboss at scn.org (Albert Boss) Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 13:33:47 -0700 Subject: New life for old PCs Message-ID: <378CF42B.EEB929F8@scn.org> NEW LIFE FOR OLD PCS New software provides Internet access to old, pre-Internet PCs. NewDeal has announced the release of the NewDeal Web Suite, which provides Internet access, e-mail, and chat capabilities to any system with at least 10MB of hard disk space and 640K of memory. The software features a Web browser and advanced functions such as instant chat and Web page editing. The software caters to the 30 million to 60 million pre-Pentium machines still in use, even those based on Intel 80286 CPUs that cannot run the latest versions of Windows. NewDeal's files can be accessed by Windows applications, and the software can read files saved by Windows programs. NewDeal is mainly targeting organizations with limited resources, such as schools and nonprofit groups. (PC World Online 07/07/99) Excerpt from Edupage, 12 July 1999 News abstracts Copyright 1999, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD Edupage Copyright 1999, EDUCAUSE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kv9x at scn.org Wed Jul 14 15:11:01 1999 From: kv9x at scn.org (Brian High) Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 15:11:01 -0700 Subject: New life for old PCs References: <378CF42B.EEB929F8@scn.org> Message-ID: <378D0AF5.2D26C15B@scn.org> I downloaded and tried this. Nice product. Kind a cross between Win95 (taskbar, etc.), Win31 (other stylistic stuff), and Mac (some icons). Fits on 4 floppies. Fast. Only needs old version of DOS. Has anyone tried the web browser? --Brian Albert Boss wrote: > > NEW LIFE FOR OLD PCS > New software provides Internet access to old, pre-Internet PCs. > NewDeal has announced the release of the NewDeal Web Suite, > which provides Internet access, e-mail, and chat capabilities to > any system with at least 10MB of hard disk space and 640K of > memory. The software features a Web browser and advanced > functions such as instant chat and Web page editing. The > software caters to the 30 million to 60 million pre-Pentium > machines still in use, even those based on Intel 80286 CPUs that > cannot run the latest versions of Windows. NewDeal's files can > be accessed by Windows applications, and the software can read > files saved by Windows programs. NewDeal is mainly targeting > organizations with limited resources, such as schools and > nonprofit groups. (PC World Online 07/07/99) > > Excerpt from Edupage, 12 July 1999 > News abstracts Copyright 1999, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD > Edupage Copyright 1999, EDUCAUSE > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Thu Jul 15 10:00:04 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 09:00:04 -0800 Subject: Civility Message-ID: <199907151603.JAA04851@scn.org> Received this message from Xerox Corp, after they helped me out (by email) with a copier problem. I think it's interesting that this huge faceless corporation (there was no name on their message, just "webmaster") is so appreciative of a reply that simply said Thanks. (Could be automatically generated, I suppose, but seems unlikely) Perhaps something to keep in mind during our periodic email wars... ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- From: Webmaster for Xerox We were glad to help, and we appreciate your taking the time to say "thank you." It means a lot to us. If we can be of any further help in the future, please let us know. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Mon Jul 19 11:00:27 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 10:00:27 -0800 Subject: Nonprofit info - useful site? Message-ID: <199907191730.KAA15025@scn.org> http://nonprofit.about.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From jw4 at scn.org Mon Jul 19 18:19:02 1999 From: jw4 at scn.org (Joel Ware IV) Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 18:19:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WAISP: From The Executive Director (fwd) Message-ID: For your info -- Here's a message from Gary Gardner, Exec Dir of WAISP -- Washington Association of Internet Service Providers, of which SCNA is a member. The concept he has that the takeover might move US West in the direction of bringing better service and less hostility to ISPs is interesting. Time will tell -- -Joel. Joel Ware, IV SCN delegate to WAISP jw4 at scn.org ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 17:34:39 -0700 From: Gary Gardner--Executive Director To: exec-director at waisp.org (etc). Subject: From The Executive Director Greetings from Denver! I'm in Denver on a couple of matters this week, and the news here of USWest's takeover by Qwest Communications is the major news story and topic of discussion. I thought I'd share a few thoughts with you about what this conglomeration could mean to the relationship ISPs and WAISP have with USWest as well as their corporate culture. For some time we have been dealing with a corporate culture that permeates USW, and that stems I think, from it being dominated by ex "monopoly" oriented management, and being led by Sol Trujillo who wants USWest to be the one stop shopping point for all their captive customers, and speaks of a ubiquitous "WebTone" that he terms is similar to dial-tone for Internet traffic... his goal is to have consumers get web tone just like dial tone. Of course USW would be the provider of both, and ISPs would and do face the same sort of access and competitive issues faced by the CLECs who have to deal with USW for dial tone. On the other hand, Qwest, whose management APPEARS from press accounts to be the ones calling the shots, are a CLEC of sorts, having built a fiber optic network on the railroad rights of way once controlled by major founding shareholder Phil Anschutz. The CEO of Qwest is an ex ATT man, Joeseph Nacchio, a man familiar with the ILEC/CLEC fight. Qwest made its money by selling transport to the other long distance providers and is much more in the "mode" of competitive access to all. How this shakes out in the coming months is anyone's guess, but it is possible, and I am HOPEFUL that the inbred corporate culture at USWest will be replaced by the competitive culture of Qwest. One thing that is being talked about by some, particularly the Colorado PUC (the equivalent to the WUTC), is service quality, and Qwest appears to have taken note of the problems, but press accounts still point to Trujillo's denial of any problems. However, the merger faces FCC as well as utility commission approval in all of USW states and service quality will no doubt rise to the forefront, and give Qwest an opportunity to make some promises. You might find the following link interesting, it is the main headline story from Monday morning's Denver post, and it has links to the package of stories they have done on USW today, including in-depth coverage of the "players" as well as the service quality issues. http://www.denverpost.com/business/biz0719a.htm Gary Gardner Executive Director, WAISP * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From jimh at scn.org Mon Jul 19 22:54:45 1999 From: jimh at scn.org (Jim Horton) Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 22:54:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: SCNA Annual Summer Picnic Message-ID: Mark your calendars! Join us on Friday, September 24 at Lower Woodland Park, for the 1999 SCNA Summer picnic. The festivities will begin at 4:00 PM at shelter #6. As usual, this will be a potluck, with SCNA providing soft drinks and snacks. Volunters are always needed to make the picnic a success. Please let me know directly if you are interested in helping out. More information and publicity should be coming out soon. thanks, Jim -- Jim Horton jimh at scn.org Seattle Community Network * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb615 at scn.org Tue Jul 20 11:29:32 1999 From: bb615 at scn.org (Rod Clark) Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 11:29:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Elaine wrote: > Nan, I loved your previous post about the 4 reasons why people join > a volunteer organization : for praise, for accomplishments, for > belonging to a respected ISP organization, or influence over > others. ... Nan wrote: > > 2. Volunteers are _part_ of the best way to get that work done. > > > > In an all-volunteer setting they are the only way. But even > > where there is paid staff, volunteers add a level of value ... Elaine wrote: > Are we really an all-volunteer organization? > Are some people being paid or in the process of being paid? Elaine, That's a possibility sometime in the next few years, if and when fundraising can grow (it would have to grow hugely) to support having a full-time executive director and office staff. But that might be years in the future. For now, some things that volunteers had been doing (registration processing, mostly) is sent out to a small company that does that kind of work for nonprofits who are too small to have their own staff. It costs a few hundred dollars a month to have them do that, but apparently this has improved the registration situation quite a bit compared to when it was done by volunteers. This is something that might someday be done by regular SCN office staff, if SCN would ever have any, and an office to put them in. Some things like this are just more realistic to have an office staff doing. > Is it ethical for a person to be a volunteer all the time seeking > to convert this nonpayer into a paying job not for every volunteer > but for a select few--the rest of the volunteers to be recycled the > old volunteers are "killed" (emotionally). No one wants people to be "killed," either by the work itself or by their feelings about the organization. But I remember someone opining last year that going from an all-volunteer organization to having paid staff tends to result in a "bloodbath" among volunteers. I think it was Lorraine who mentioned that, about her experience with an org where she was a board member. (Was it the Audobon Society? - but they seem like such nice quiet bird-ish people, not given to "bloodbaths" and internal warfare.) Maybe this is one of those human-nature reactions that there's no way around, other than to try to lessen the dissatisfaction that it might cause someday. In reality, SCN's budget is inadequate to do anything other than argue about this for a long time yet. Rod Clark * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From femme2 at scn.org Tue Jul 20 13:17:32 1999 From: femme2 at scn.org (Lorraine Pozzi) Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 13:17:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Tue, 20 Jul 1999, Rod Clark wrote: > It costs a few hundred dollars a month to > have them do that, but apparently this has improved the > registration situation quite a bit compared to when it was done > by volunteers. This is something that might someday be done by > regular SCN office staff, if SCN would ever have any..., A small correction here. I do not believe the registration process has ever been more efficient than when I (as a volunteer) was processing registrations. Not a particularly challenging task, but one which many of us saw as crucial. To do these kinds of boring jobs, one has to feel a commitment to the organization. Unfortunately, that commitment seems to be in short supply. I am amazed that Rod can continue to do as much work as he does, and still try to make the remaining volunteers feel like it is worth their time to contribute. As for the Audubon Society -- yes, I was on the board when they made the switch -- and those people are NOT sweet little twittery twittery birds -- think "shrikes" and you're closer to the mark. It was a very difficult time. But that's not SCN's problem today. And not for the foreseeable future. I took Nan's training for the AmeriCorps literacy group -- and one of her principal messages was, "There's important work to do here" for every volunteer. Maybe it's time to ask the volunteers -- "What is important?" and if it's important, "Do you feel satisfaction in a job well done?" And I think those questions need to be addressed at the board level, as well, in a slightly different format. "What are we asking our volunteers to do?" and "Why should they want to do it?" Lorraine > > Is it ethical for a person to be a volunteer all the time seeking > > to convert this nonpayer into a paying job not for every volunteer > > but for a select few--the rest of the volunteers to be recycled the > > old volunteers are "killed" (emotionally). > > No one wants people to be "killed," either by the work itself > or by their feelings about the organization. But I remember > someone opining last year that going from an all-volunteer > organization to having paid staff tends to result in a > "bloodbath" among volunteers. I think it was Lorraine who > mentioned that, about her experience with an org where she was a > board member. (Was it the Audobon Society? - but they seem like > such nice quiet bird-ish people, not given to "bloodbaths" and > internal warfare.) Maybe this is one of those human-nature > reactions that there's no way around, other than to try to > lessen the dissatisfaction that it might cause someday. In > reality, SCN's budget is inadequate to do anything other than > argue about this for a long time yet. > > Rod Clark > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe webmasters > Messages posted on this list are available on the Web at: > http://www.scn.org/volunteers/webmasters/webmasters-l/ > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb615 at scn.org Tue Jul 20 14:44:00 1999 From: bb615 at scn.org (Rod Clark) Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 14:44:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: > A small correction here. I do not believe the registration process > has ever been more efficient than when I (as a volunteer) was > processing registrations. Lorraine, But your tenure was a stretch of good results in a much longer and sometimes less satisfactory and patchier history. Why did someone with your abilities have to be used for that kind of secretarial work, so that it would turn out well with any consistency? It was because anyone with lesser abilities wouldn't have been able to continually counteract the forces of entropy on all sides that surrounded the volunteer version of that task. By comparison, once set up and running well at the little service company, registration is likely never to experience the kind of abrupt discontinuities, unforeseen delays and myriad other problems that beset it when volunteers were coming and going and accidentally forgetting that it wasn't a good idea to turn things upside down every other alternate Tuesday when the moon was full. Rod * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From be718 at scn.org Tue Jul 20 21:40:45 1999 From: be718 at scn.org (Rich Littleton) Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 21:40:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: SCNA Annual Summer Picnic In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Jim, Sign me up as a volunteer to help. Rich Littleton ______________________________________________________________________ ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** On Mon, 19 Jul 1999, Jim Horton wrote: > Mark your calendars! > > Join us on Friday, September 24 at Lower Woodland Park, for the 1999 > SCNA Summer picnic. The festivities will begin at 4:00 PM at shelter #6. > > As usual, this will be a potluck, with SCNA providing soft drinks and > snacks. > > Volunters are always needed to make the picnic a success. Please let me > know directly if you are interested in helping out. More information and > publicity should be coming out soon. > > thanks, > > Jim > -- > > Jim Horton > jimh at scn.org Seattle Community Network > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From be718 at scn.org Wed Jul 21 00:01:02 1999 From: be718 at scn.org (Rich Littleton) Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 00:01:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I like Rod's imagery, but I think I'd go down Llorraine's route. I think most of the chaos you point to (correctly) stems not from the fact of a volunteer crew, but from the vagueness of SCN(A)'s vision, as formulated (or not) by the board. I think our difficulty in developing a continuity among our volunteers is due to managment weaknesses. Apparently, there is no organizational list of priorities proposed by the board (and submitted to the membership?). I've requested one several times and not heard anyhing. For all the HUGE amount of effort given to SCN(A), it is not well focused. Communication in the organization is a weak point. (Still no minutes, nor any advance board agenda notification.) So, before we evaluate the ups and downs of the past as inevitable, we have to get a clearer management vision at the board level, and that does not relate to paid staff. BTW, Llorraine did do an excellent job at registration, and this has two significant values. (1) the registration was done very well, and (2) she showed that is in fact COULD be done by one person. This should tell us that it could be done even easier by a well-coordinated team of 3-4. However, I do not mean to challenge our current method which appears to be doing well. I simply mean to point out that Llorraine showed us a well functioning ALL VOLUNTEER efficiency that supports the idea that it can succeed. Rich ______________________________________________________________________ ***** Unless stated otherwise, this message may be forwarded. ****** On Tue, 20 Jul 1999, Rod Clark wrote: > > A small correction here. I do not believe the registration process > > has ever been more efficient than when I (as a volunteer) was > > processing registrations. > > Lorraine, > > But your tenure was a stretch of good results in a much > longer and sometimes less satisfactory and patchier history. > > Why did someone with your abilities have to be used for that > kind of secretarial work, so that it would turn out well with > any consistency? It was because anyone with lesser abilities > wouldn't have been able to continually counteract the forces of > entropy on all sides that surrounded the volunteer version of > that task. > > By comparison, once set up and running well at the little > service company, registration is likely never to experience the > kind of abrupt discontinuities, unforeseen delays and myriad > other problems that beset it when volunteers were coming and > going and accidentally forgetting that it wasn't a good idea to > turn things upside down every other alternate Tuesday when the > moon was full. > > Rod > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From gtruzzi at scn.org Wed Jul 21 00:22:35 1999 From: gtruzzi at scn.org (Gianni Truzzi) Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 00:22:35 -0700 Subject: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... References: Message-ID: <3795753B.C828B2EC@scn.org> Lorraine, Your work on registration was, and continues to be, greatly appreciated. I want to make *sure* that you know that your efforts on our behalf are honored. In fact, you showed us what it takes to have an effective registration program. It was clear that it took a regular, concentrated effort by a reliable person. That's essentially what we have put in place now, but we had to purchase those qualities because they are so rare in volunteers, all of whom work hard but have differing levels of energy to give. As a result, we will be able to offer volunteer opportunities that I hope are more rewarding. -- Gianni Truzzi * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From femme2 at scn.org Wed Jul 21 18:35:07 1999 From: femme2 at scn.org (Lorraine Pozzi) Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 18:35:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: <3795753B.C828B2EC@scn.org> Message-ID: On Wed, 21 Jul 1999, Gianni Truzzi wrote: > Lorraine, > > Your work on registration was, and continues to be, greatly appreciated. I > want to make *sure* that you know that your efforts on our behalf are > honored. I'd like to clarify what I thought was a clarification. I am * NOT * holding myself up as the volunteer par excellence. Many people have done more for less thanks than I have. What I am saying is (horrors) that I agree with Rich. > > In fact, you showed us what it takes to have an effective registration > program. It was clear that it took a regular, concentrated effort by a > reliable person..... And there is * ONE * among the 10,000 or so users of the system? I do think this maligns the many excellent volunteers -- and many more potential volunteers -- who are frustrated by the way the organization is run. And that is the responsibility of the board. I've watched many, many good people leave. Some with lots of fanfare, like Barb. Some who just quietly disappear. And the fundamental problems of poor communication between board and members continue to be swept under the rug, IMHO. Lorraine > > As a result, we will be able to offer volunteer opportunities that I hope are > more rewarding. > > -- Gianni Truzzi > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb615 at scn.org Thu Jul 22 02:02:55 1999 From: bb615 at scn.org (Rod Clark) Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 02:02:55 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: Re: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Gianni wrote: > > ... you showed us what it takes to have an effective registration > > program. It was clear that it took a regular, concentrated effort > > by a reliable person..... Loraine wrote: > And there is * ONE * among the 10,000 or so users of the system? ... > I do think this maligns the many excellent volunteers -- and many > more potential volunteers -- who are frustrated by the way the > organization is run. And that is the responsibility of the board. Lorraine, The usual mode of operation, in the absence of the kind of active, time-consuming management and coordination from above that Rich is talking about, has been to expect a volunteer who is doing something like you were doing to also supply any necessary management for the task. This means, for example, maintaining various lateral lines of communication that are needed to figure out what to do when something messy and out of the ordinary happens, and then fixing whatever it is. This is why you succeeded, and considered doing so nothing out of the ordinary. But it actually was far enough out of the ordinary, compared to what many volunteers want - if given their druthers many people would prefer to have relatively well defined, bite-sized and enjoyably problem-free tasks to do, and not have to deal with the variety of oddball headaches that have to be managed by someone. They do not enjoy being the someone who is dumped on by all these people and things. This can be improved, but not without some additional and more consistent communications and management in general. This will take a lot of ongoing time and effort to keep up, and is something that people don't look forward doing because it is, plainly, not only real work but difficult work. Taking some of the ad hoc "distributed management" of stuff (or if you like, the "democratic working environment") out of the hands of regular volunteers and bumping quite a few decisions, and the responsibility for much of the needed communication, up a level would promote consistency but also mean much more time and effort from the volunteer coordinators who would be taking over more of that work from the regular volunteers. It would reduce the confusion, but if we're not careful it might also reduce reduce the chances of some of the spontaneous good things happening that "ordinary" volunteers do now. The recent ExComm reorganization is a small step in that direction, and it might be working a little better than before. Rod Clark * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb615 at scn.org Thu Jul 22 13:24:53 1999 From: bb615 at scn.org (Rod Clark) Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 13:24:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: Re: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Lorraine, Here's how things work now (I think). 1) "Uh-oh. There's a problem," says the service co. employee who's handling registrations. 2) "OK. I'll fix that," says the service co. manager. 3) "Darn. I can't fix that," says the service co. manager. 4) "Hello? This is Gianni," says SCN's more-or-less-equivalent of an Executive Director. "OK. I'll fix that." 5) "Robert," (or whichever appropriate volunteer(s) it is, "can we come up with a way to do that?" says the ED. 6) "Sure," says Robert or the other volunteer(s). "It's fixed now." 7) "Hello, this is the service co." says the manager. 8) "Hi. This is Gianni. We've fixed that. Now we'll do such-and-such instead." 9) "Great. Much better. Thank you," says the service co. manager. 10) "OK, we're going to do it this way now," says the service co. manager to the employee. "I've written it down for you." 11) "Oh, good. That's much better. Thank you," says the employee. 12) "Hi. I'm leaving to run off with Vladimir to Moscow!" says the employee. 13) "It's been a pleasure working with you," says the manager. "Don't forget some old newspapers to stuff in your boots." 14) "Welcome aboard, Martha. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure working woth you. This is the procedure for handling SCN registrations. I've written it down for you." Here's what happened when you were doing it (I think). 1) "Uh-oh. There's a problem," says you. 2) "OK. I'll fix that," says you. 3) "Darn. I can't fix that," says you. 4) "Robert," (or whichever appropriate volunteer(s) it is, "can we come up with a way to do that?" says you. 5) "Sure," says Robert or the other volunteer(s). "It's fixed now." 6) "Oh, good. That's much better. Thank you," says you. 7) "Hi. I'm leaving to run off with Vladimir to Moscow!" says you. 8) "What happens if I have a problem?" says the next volunteer. "What do you mean, just figure out everything and fix it? What if I don't know everything I need to know? This is harder than you think!" 9) "It would be nice if, in addition to your other duties, you could write up all the procedures for what you're doing, since we don't really have them written down in their current form," says the Vol Coord. "And keep it up to date every time anyone changes anything." 10) "I quit! I'm running off to Albania with Andrei, just to get away from you people!" says the next volunteer. Rod Clark * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From femme2 at scn.org Thu Jul 22 13:37:53 1999 From: femme2 at scn.org (Lorraine Pozzi) Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 13:37:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEB: Re: But we are talking about a volunteer program here... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Rod -- you've got it all wrong about the documentation -- but who cares? The important thing is -- where are these Andreis and Vladimirs? Lorraine On Thu, 22 Jul 1999, Rod Clark wrote: > Lorraine, > > Here's how things work now (I think). > > 1) "Uh-oh. There's a problem," says the service co. employee > who's handling registrations. > > 2) "OK. I'll fix that," says the service co. manager. > > 3) "Darn. I can't fix that," says the service co. manager. > > 4) "Hello? This is Gianni," says SCN's more-or-less-equivalent > of an Executive Director. "OK. I'll fix that." > > 5) "Robert," (or whichever appropriate volunteer(s) it is, "can > we come up with a way to do that?" says the ED. > > 6) "Sure," says Robert or the other volunteer(s). "It's fixed > now." > > 7) "Hello, this is the service co." says the manager. > > 8) "Hi. This is Gianni. We've fixed that. Now we'll do such-and-such > instead." > > 9) "Great. Much better. Thank you," says the service co. manager. > > 10) "OK, we're going to do it this way now," says the service > co. manager to the employee. "I've written it down for you." > > 11) "Oh, good. That's much better. Thank you," says the > employee. > > 12) "Hi. I'm leaving to run off with Vladimir to Moscow!" says > the employee. > > 13) "It's been a pleasure working with you," says the manager. > "Don't forget some old newspapers to stuff in your boots." > > 14) "Welcome aboard, Martha. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure > working woth you. This is the procedure for handling SCN > registrations. I've written it down for you." > > > Here's what happened when you were doing it (I think). > > 1) "Uh-oh. There's a problem," says you. > > 2) "OK. I'll fix that," says you. > > 3) "Darn. I can't fix that," says you. > > 4) "Robert," (or whichever appropriate volunteer(s) it is, "can > we come up with a way to do that?" says you. > > 5) "Sure," says Robert or the other volunteer(s). "It's fixed > now." > > 6) "Oh, good. That's much better. Thank you," says you. > > 7) "Hi. I'm leaving to run off with Vladimir to Moscow!" says > you. > > 8) "What happens if I have a problem?" says the next volunteer. > "What do you mean, just figure out everything and fix it? > What if I don't know everything I need to know? This is > harder than you think!" > > 9) "It would be nice if, in addition to your other duties, you > could write up all the procedures for what you're doing, > since we don't really have them written down in their current > form," says the Vol Coord. "And keep it up to date every time > anyone changes anything." > > 10) "I quit! I'm running off to Albania with Andrei, just to get > away from you people!" says the next volunteer. > > Rod Clark > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Thu Jul 22 18:26:25 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 17:26:25 -0800 Subject: The good ol' days Message-ID: <199907230029.RAA28502@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ==================== Living the 8-Bit Dream in a 32-Bit World Jennifer Lee NY Times 7/2/99 As a mathematician at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Steve Judd harnesses the power of Unix work stations and Cray supercomputers to detect and prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. When he goes home, he basks in the light of his 15-year-old Commodore computer, a one-megahertz machine with 64 kilobytes of RAM. It can move chunks of data in the same size packages as a Nintendo Game Boy and has 3 percent of the memory capacity of a Palm III organizer. Judd creates three-dimensional graphics on his obsolete Commodore and calls it a real programming challenge. "It's like building a radio from scratch," he said. "You are designing from the most fundamental level. You have to take advantage of every ounce of the computer." Fender Tucker, who runs a Commodore software company called Loadstar, said, "Commodores are for people who aren't all that sure that the computer revolution has made our lives better." Thousands of people appear to have turned to old computers (or stuck with them) out of a feeling of nostalgia, a desire for simplicity and an appreciation for classic design. In the realm of digital machines, where today's computer is out of date tomorrow, there can be great satisfaction in taking a digital Model T out for a spin. Douglas Cotton, editor of Commodore World magazine, estimates that a million Commodores are still in service around the world. Their owners include people who remember their first computers more fondly than their first girlfriends (most users are men), as well as people who have handed them down to their children or have set up miniature computer museums in their basements, much to the dismay of their wives. And it's not only the Commodore. Old Apple computers and Sinclair Spectrums are also popular. "Some people like to drive classic cars, like the 60's-era Mustang or the original Beetle," said Scott Gamon, 24, who still uses an Apple II GS. "I think the main reason is that the cars are classic vehicles that made history. The Apple II computer is the same in the computer world." Some owners are active users of the old computers, and some participate in international programming competitions. These are not people who can't afford a new computer or don't know how to use them. Many actually own up-to-date computers that are hundreds of times as fast and much more powerful than their old ones, but they keep their eight-bit machines around to remind them how they started with computers. "If I didn't buy that machine with my paper-route money when I was 11, I likely wouldn't have gotten into computers, a university scholarship and a decent-paying job," said Robyn Harbron of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Cotton, who is also technical director of Creative Micro Designs, a Commodore hardware company, said, "We have a number of people who have called us up saying, 'Windows is nice for work, but I miss that old Commodore.' " A number of fans of eight-bit machines are sophisticated programmers who praise the computers' timeless elegance and efficiency. "You don't say Mozart, Shakespeare or van Gogh are good for their time," Judd said. "They are just plain good. I make the claim for the Commodore 64." All software, whether Windows 98 or Lotus Notes or Doom, is based on simple mathematical calculations like addition and multiplication. Computers express information in binary numbers; each digit is a 0 or a 1, and each place is a power of 2. Eight-bit computers handle data in binary numbers that have eight digits. For large calculations, an eight-bit computer has to break down the problem into simpler pieces, and that is one factor that makes eight-bit computers slow, compared with modern 32-bit machines. But the biggest reason for the sluggishness is that those old computer chips did not have many transistors, or switches, and the transistors they did have were far apart, lengthening the paths signals had to travel. Modern chips pack transistors tightly together to speed up processing times. In addition, internal clocks, which provide the heartbeat for computer instructions, are several hundred times faster in today's PCs than in yesterday's eight-bit computers. Many users insist that the eight-bit classics are on the verge of becoming collectibles. Searches on auction sites like Ebay unearth hundreds of items in the classic realm, like floppy disks, printers and actual computers, for generally low prices. Proponents of trailing-edge technology have their own magazines, conventions, weekly online discussions, Web sites and newsletters. In Europe, dozens of programmers meet regularly for competition parties, where they see who can stretch the capacities of the eight-bit computers the furthest. Some are on a crusade, contending that the old computers should be preserved for posterity. The Vintage Technology Center, a computer nostalgia group in Santa Clara, Calif., recently announced plans to build a supercomputer out of Commodore 64's. "Sixty-four 64's" is its motto. All of that would be mere nostalgia, or a hobby like collecting Pez memorabilia, except that the eight-bit die-hards actually use their computers. In a sense, their devotion to the simple machines is an active refutation of the Wintel world of quick obsolescence that frustrates many computer users. In the early days, programmers looked for creative software solutions instead of glitzier hardware. "In a way it was simpler back then," said Lane Denson, a Nashville farmer who has set up a computer museum in his basement. "You didn't have 20 or 30 sound cards and you didn't have to worry about upgrading every other week." At a time when mega, giga and tetra are the popular prefixes, the software available for the kilobyte clunkers is surprisingly sophisticated. Commodore users can send faxes via modems, use laser printers and use a mouse to maneuver through an operating system that looks a lot like Windows. And their computers can act as hosts for Web pages. Accessories that increase the capacities of the old machines are also available, including one that speeds them up by a factor of 20. Maurice Randall, who has an auto repair shop in Charlotte, Mich., uses his Commodore for all facets of daily computing, for things like designing newsletters and writing HTML pages. "If you don't need to do a lot of high-powered graphical work, they're perfect," Randall said. "They don't crash. They don't have viruses, and they don't break down as often." The most popular eight-bit computers are the Commodore 64, of which 20 million units were sold from 1982 to 1992; the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, which was the most popular computer in Britain in the mid-1980's, and the Apple II line, which went on the market in 1977 and became immensely popular for its educational software. Production had stopped for all these models by the early 1990's because of pressure from the I.B.M. compatibles. Now as then, the various computer camps are fierce rivals. European Spectrum fans periodically invade online discussion groups of Commodore users, and vice versa -- each group engaging in the electronic equivalent of nose-thumbing. "You can talk about my mom all you want, but don't insult my computer," Judd said. Many programmers insist that the limits of the old machines force programmers to be more resourceful. Many of them, like Randall, who spends 40 to 50 hours each week programming, write in assembly code, the most fundamental programming language, because it takes up less space than higher-level languages. "Using assembly language, I can make the code real tight and small on a Commodore," Randall said. The program he uses to send faxes via modem is only 56 kilobytes in size. His software releases, including a fax program and an updated operating system that looks much like Windows, earn him more than $20,000 a year. For some, eight-bit programming represents a return to computing as a personal experience and a move away from being a technodrone in an information economy. "Before, it was very much discovering and experimenting for your own benefit," said Mark Lair, 40, of Dallas. "Now we're in a service industry. Most of us programmers are providing for other people rather than ourselves." But others acknowledge that there is not a high demand for eight-bit programmers. "Yes, I'm a Sinclair fan, but to earn a living, I need to remain up to date in a rapidly evolving industry," said Richard Jordan, 26, a programmer in Britain who owns several Spectrums. Eight-bit computers draw their biggest chunk of fans because of the classic video games they play. Fans say the older games, unadorned by fancy graphics and sound effects, focused more on game play. The result, they contend, was games that transcend their technological simplicity. A few times each month, Jeff Lewis, 35, goes into his basement to play some of the hundreds of Commodore 64 games he has accumulated. His wife, Dianna, refers to the computer, which is still connected to a working dot-matrix printer, as a "Commodore shrine." "She actually thinks I'm kind of nuts for keeping it up," said Lewis, who lives in a suburb of Cleveland. "I just tell her it's part of my childhood." For all those who actually own old computers, there are hundreds of thousands more who pretend that they do by using a generation of emulators, which allow the 32-bit PC's to imitate primitive Commodores, Spectrums and Apples. Thousands of old games are available for downloading on the Web. Despite the number of eight-bit admirers, the most dedicated enthusiasts sometimes bemoan the skewed demographics of their ranks. Oyvind Vevang, 20, of Haugesund, Norway, meets many friends though a common interest in classic video games, but they are almost all male. Vevang lamented, "If more girls were interested in this, I'd have one hell of a pickup trick!" Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From douglas Fri Jul 23 15:47:51 1999 From: douglas (Doug Schuler) Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 15:47:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: $10,000,000 for community networks in Texas! Message-ID: <199907232247.PAA15397@scn.org> BIG things going on in Texas!! I'd like to bring Gene up here to talk to us at SCN about working with the state legislature. Texas is spending more on public infrastructure than the US government TIIAP program! -- Doug > Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 22:31:55 -0500 (CDT) > From: Gene Crick > To: AFCN > Subject: Internet bandwidth conference > > > For your information. We're finishing plans for a "bandwidth conference" > to aid the new community network grant program (to help planners know the > real options). I've appended a notice to give an idea, though this is our > first attempt at this "nuts & bolts" connectivity workshop and it shows :) > > anybody know satellite or cable vendors who might sell Internet bandwidth > to any Texas communities? We have Tachyon, TimeWarner, etc. but could > use a couple more voices on the subject. > > thanks > gene crick > > (Remember our earlier offer: any AFCN person who wants to attend, we'll > cover registration. Just register online and mark COMP-AFCN as comment.) > > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > __________________________________________________________________________ > Invitation to Texas Bandwidth Conference > __________________________________________________________________________ > __________________________________________________________________________ > *Please forward this invitation to any person or list where appropriate: > > > Subject: New TIF COMMUNITY GRANT RELEASED; CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP AUGUST 3-4 > > > The unique new $10,000,000 TIF grant RFP for Community Network development > has now been released. And two key kickoff events are set for the first > week of August at the Thompson Conference Center (LBJ School) UT - Austin. > > This TIF funding is the first of its kind in the nation, and can mean > vital advantages for any community in Texas. A fairly easy application > can bring each community up to $20K to help plan a local telecom network > project (which must include some TIF eligible partners). Communities may > then apply for up to $500K in TIF funds to implement those plans. > > *This new TIF program offers any Texas community an incredible opportunity > for professional quality local telecom planning, along with sufficient > funding to turn those plans into reality. And the requirements are most > reasonable: not much technology expertise; 10% matching funds; and working > with other local partners (including nonprofs, government and businesses). > > PLEASE CONSIDER THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY CAREFULLY; IT'S A FIRST TIME EVER > CHANCE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD VALUABLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS. > > Right now, register for the conference . > Next step, after July 15 check the RFP at . > > And please also invite other interested local leaders to the conference. > They can be from anywhere - public service, private, government, economic > development, business, Chamber of Commerce, religious, workforce... bring > anyone who cares about using telecom tools for community-wide benefit. > > > _________________________________________________________________________ > TEXAS INTERNET CONFERENCE - TODAY'S CHOICES FOR CONNECTIVITY 8/3-4,1999 > > August 3rd and 4th brings two important days of conference/workshop with > accurate, current information about Internet bandwidth choices available > for Texas. This valuable gathering includes senior TIF administrators > describing state funds available for planning and building local Internet > resources. A brief notice is appended; MORE DETAILS TO BE POSTED SOON. > > This event is designed for anyone interested in Texas Internet directions, > including those interested in TIF's highly innovative new grant funding. > > Web Registration: www.tcrc.net/conference By Phone: 512/303-6246 1-5 M-F > > __________________________________________________________________________ > TIF COMMUNITY NETWORK GRANT WORKSHOP FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS - AUG. 2nd > > Some information about the new TIF Community Network grant program will be > presented during the conference. Additionally, on the preceding afternoon > (1:30 - 4pm, MONDAY, AUGUST 2) any person or group desiring information > about the grant program is invited to an informal workshop at the Thompson > Center, UT-Austin where TIF will discuss the RFP and answer questions. > > __________________________________________________________________________ > __________________________________________________________________________ > TeleCommunity Conference Series - > > INTERNET CONNECTIVITY CHOICES FOR TEXAS > > > For Texas, the nation's leading information technology state, the next > three years are predicted to see exciting growth as communities develop > and expand telecommunications infrastructure and use. Far-sighted local > leaders are starting to plan how they can build "telecommunities" where > strong Internet resources help enrich the economy and citizens' lives. > > One visionary program created by our Legislature, the Telecommunications > Infrastructure Fund, is providing more than a billion dollars to help > communities across the state join and lead the Information Age. And a new > grant RFP, just being released, offers millions to support planning and > development of community networks, extending TIF benefits to include not > only schools and libraries, but citizens within the entire community. > > But planners need accurate and reliable facts, not guesses and promises. > So Tuesday and Wednesday, August 3rd and 4th, this new state funding will > be presented along with description and detail of bandwidth options at a > unique two day conference in the Thompson Conference Center, UT-Austin. > > This event offers both perspective and specifics on the real choices for > Internet connectivity in Texas. Attendees will hear straight talk and > hard facts from providers, in a fairly small "workshop" setting, where > questions are encouraged and will be accurately answered. > > Both Industry Professionals and Community Leaders from across Texas are > strongly encouraged to attend this conference, listening and sharing about > the telecom options *reliably available* for their Internet connectivity. > (And they can also learn of state resources available to help pay for it.) > > Day 1 - "Telco: ISDN, DSL T1, etc" Day 2 - "Wireless, Satellite & Cable" > Registration $75(both days) includes lunches and reception ($40 any 1 day) > > agenda/registration online at > _________________________________________________________________________ > > Partial list of Hosts: > Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, TeleCommunity Resource Center, > Telecommunications & Information Policy Institute, UT-Austin, Texas Rural > Communities, Inc., Texas Rural Network Foundation, Texas ISP Association, > Texas ISDN Users Group, Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network and more. > > Partial list of Sponsors: > Southwestern Bell, GTE, Ascend/Lucent, Covad, Clearwire, Skycache and more > > > Day 1 - TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1999 > > "ISDN, ADSL, T1 & ADVANCED TELCO SERVICES" > > Day 2 - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1999 > > "WIRELESS, SATELLITE & CABLE INTERNET ACCESS" > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Registration $75(both days) includes lunches and reception ($40 any 1 day) > Location: All conference activities at Joe Thompson Conference Center at > the LBJ School, UT-Austin, located at 26th & Red River (by Interstate 35) > with offramp clearly marked. > > CONFERENCE REGISTRATION, INFORMATION & AGENDA UPDATES: > > 512/303-6246, fax 512/303-5472 > > General CN info: > > _________________________________________________________________________ > _________________________________________________________________________ > _________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Sat Jul 24 08:07:17 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 07:07:17 -0800 Subject: Centers Message-ID: <199907241410.HAA15978@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ===================== Local Centers Try to Span 'Digital Divide' Pamela Mendels NY Times 7/24/99 NEWARK -- In a tidy building in an otherwise run-down section of Newark, 18-year-old Andrew D. Bedward hunched intently over a laptop this week, trying to figure out the finer points of a software program for making slide-show-type presentations. He was happy with many features of a practice presentation he had made, one with simple text, a few colorful graphics and a splash or two of animation. He was not yet satisfied, however, with the background color. "Too light," he declared, working away at the keyboard to adjust the hues. For the summer, Bedward is a daily visitor to the Urban League of Essex County's Family Technology Center, one of a growing number of neighborhood centers that bring high technology to poor and isolated areas where home computer ownership is a rarity. Such centers are seeking to solve a problem that has arisen as high technology has become an essential tool for work, education and other important arenas of modern life: assuring that those who cannot afford computers can nonetheless master and have access to them. Support for the idea of such centers received a boost this month, when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced that it would launch a new initiative, in partnership with AT&T, to set up centers in 20 cities across the United States. The group plans first to establish six pilot centers in Seattle, New York, Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia and Dallas, and eventually add another 14, according to Sheila Douglas, an NAACP spokeswoman. "Recent studies have indicated that people of color, particularly African-Americans, are falling behind in terms of general access and learning how to use the technology," she said. "This project is a solution to address that problem." But the NAACP's plans are not the only sign of support for the idea. This year, for example, the federal Education Department kicked off a new program to distribute $10 million in grants to assist in the creation or expansion of community technology centers. The department has received about 750 applications for the money, and plans to finance between 40 and 60, according to Norris E. Dickard, director of the program. Grant recipients are to be announced in mid-September. Advocates of the centers say they are necessary to help bridge what policy-makers call the "digital divide," the disparity in access to technology between whites and minorities. A study published by the Commerce Department earlier this month found, for example, that while 47 percent of white households own computers, only 23 percent of black households and 25 percent of Hispanic households do. "It's important for this technology to be embedded in the life of communities," said Gary Chapman, director of The 21st Century Project at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. "For the most part, people in affluent communities have that technology access at home or in jobs where it is common. Poor people don't have it in either." Not everyone whole-heartedly embraces the idea of community technology centers. Steven J. Allen is a vice president of Progess & Freedom Foundation in Washington, a research group focusing on the digital revolution and favoring free market solutions to social problems. He believes programs encouraging home computer ownership are the wisest, and favors federal policy more pointedly aimed at telecommunications industry deregulation, which he believes could bring down the cost of Internet connections to make it more affordable to the poor. "The ultimate goal should be that people don't have to rely on community technology centers, that people will have Internet access at home," he said. Just how many community technology centers there are so far in the United States is difficult to say. The Community Technology Centers' Network, an organization for the centers, has about 300 members. But Stephen B. Ronan, network manager for the group, which is based in Waltham, Mass., says there are many more. Some are stand-alone centers, he said. Most are programs housed in churches, youth groups and other community organizations. The centers vary widely, too, in the type of programs they offer. For example, Plugged In, housed in three neighboring store-fronts, serves as a kind of all-purpose computer hub for East Palo Alto, Calif., a low-income enclave in what people usually think of as a uniformly affluent area, Silicon Valley. The organization's Technology Access Center is home to 16 computer terminals with Internet access and such machinery as printers and fax machines, all available for little or no charge. About 150 people visit the center weekly for things as diverse as resume writing, Web research on car buying and print-outs of invitations to a child's birthday party, said Magda A. Escobar, executive director of the group. Open seven days a week, the center also trains teen-agers in Web design, offers low-cost computer literacy classes and operates a number of other programs. Unlike Plugged In, the Family Technology Center in Newark, focuses on technology training for the workplace and school. One Internet-connected computer terminal is available for public use, and the pre-school students at the site's small child care center all spend about an hour or two a week at the computers getting their first taste of technology through colorful software for the very young. But the center's primary purpose is reflected in such activities as its 16-week program to train the unemployed in how to use word-processing and other software that could get them entry-level office jobs. Another program trains people to work on computer help desks. With 25 laptops, 31 personal computers connected to the Internet, an interactive television classroom and other high-tech gadgets, the center is part of a network of 65 centers operated in the United States by National Urban League affiliates, through a combination of corporate donations, federal grants and Urban League contributions. The League hopes to establish about 50 more by 2006 -- and upgrade the technology in all of them to be able to receive a new distance-learning curriculum in computer and job skills. The Urban League's interest in community technology training actually goes back decades, long before the Internet. Its current projects are the offspring of a technology center set up by the Urban League affiliate in Los Angeles in 1968, when participants were trained in such skills as data entry and maintenance of mainframe computers, said B. Keith Fulton, director of technology programs and policy at the National Urban League in New York. "The centers represent a gateway to careers in the next millennium," he said. Andrew Bedward is one of about 60 teen-agers taking part in the Family Technology Center's summer program to teach young people from Newark and surrounding areas such things as how to assemble and repair a personal computer, how to use various publishing software programs and how to use video production equipment. Bedward, who plans to enter college in fall, wanted to take part to learn computer skills that he believes will help him at the university and later in the workplace. Bedward said he does not have a computer at home and considers the keyboarding and basic word-processing he learned at school insufficient. "I feel college and life after college requires more than just word processing know-how," he said. "I have to be educated in every aspect of computer technology." Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From femme2 at scn.org Sat Jul 24 09:03:03 1999 From: femme2 at scn.org (Lorraine Pozzi) Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 09:03:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Centers In-Reply-To: <199907241410.HAA15978@scn.org> Message-ID: And a little closer to home than Newark or Palo Alto -- Miller Community Center has a computer lab largely un- used because there is no funding for staff and a dearth of volunteer tutors, Garfield ditto. LP On Sat, 24 Jul 1999, Steve wrote: > x-no-archive: yes > > ===================== > > Local Centers Try to Span 'Digital Divide' > > Pamela Mendels > NY Times 7/24/99 > > > NEWARK -- In a tidy building in an otherwise run-down section of > Newark, 18-year-old Andrew D. Bedward hunched intently over a laptop > this week, trying to figure out the finer points of a software > program for making slide-show-type presentations. > > He was happy with many features of a practice presentation he had > made, one with simple text, a few colorful graphics and a splash or > two of animation. He was not yet satisfied, however, with the > background color. > > "Too light," he declared, working away at the keyboard to adjust the > hues. > > For the summer, Bedward is a daily visitor to the Urban League of > Essex County's Family Technology Center, one of a growing number of > neighborhood centers that bring high technology to poor and isolated > areas where home computer ownership is a rarity. > > Such centers are seeking to solve a problem that has arisen as high > technology has become an essential tool for work, education and > other important arenas of modern life: assuring that those who cannot > afford computers can nonetheless master and have access to them. > > Support for the idea of such centers received a boost this month, > when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People > (NAACP) announced that it would launch a new initiative, in > partnership with AT&T, to set up centers in 20 cities across the > United States. The group plans first to establish six pilot centers > in Seattle, New York, Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia and Dallas, and > eventually add another 14, according to Sheila Douglas, an NAACP > spokeswoman. "Recent studies have indicated that people of color, > particularly African-Americans, are falling behind in terms of > general access and learning how to use the technology," she said. > "This project is a solution to address that problem." > > But the NAACP's plans are not the only sign of support for the idea. > This year, for example, the federal Education Department kicked off > a new program to distribute $10 million in grants to assist in the > creation or expansion of community technology centers. The > department has received about 750 applications for the money, and > plans to finance between 40 and 60, according to Norris E. Dickard, > director of the program. Grant recipients are to be announced in > mid-September. > > Advocates of the centers say they are necessary to help bridge what > policy-makers call the "digital divide," the disparity in access to > technology between whites and minorities. A study published by the > Commerce Department earlier this month found, for example, that > while 47 percent of white households own computers, only 23 percent > of black households and 25 percent of Hispanic households do. > > "It's important for this technology to be embedded in the life of > communities," said Gary Chapman, director of The 21st Century > Project at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the > University of Texas at Austin. "For the most part, people in affluent > communities have that technology access at home or in jobs where it > is common. Poor people don't have it in either." > > Not everyone whole-heartedly embraces the idea of community > technology centers. Steven J. Allen is a vice president of Progess & > Freedom Foundation in Washington, a research group focusing on the > digital revolution and favoring free market solutions to social > problems. He believes programs encouraging home computer ownership > are the wisest, and favors federal policy more pointedly aimed at > telecommunications industry deregulation, which he believes could > bring down the cost of Internet connections to make it more > affordable to the poor. "The ultimate goal should be that people > don't have to rely on community technology centers, that people will > have Internet access at home," he said. > > Just how many community technology centers there are so far in the > United States is difficult to say. The Community Technology Centers' > Network, an organization for the centers, has about 300 members. But > Stephen B. Ronan, network manager for the group, which is based in > Waltham, Mass., says there are many more. Some are stand-alone > centers, he said. Most are programs housed in churches, youth groups > and other community organizations. The centers vary widely, too, in > the type of programs they offer. > > For example, Plugged In, housed in three neighboring store-fronts, > serves as a kind of all-purpose computer hub for East Palo Alto, > Calif., a low-income enclave in what people usually think of as a > uniformly affluent area, Silicon Valley. > > The organization's Technology Access Center is home to 16 computer > terminals with Internet access and such machinery as printers and fax > machines, all available for little or no charge. About 150 people > visit the center weekly for things as diverse as resume writing, Web > research on car buying and print-outs of invitations to a child's > birthday party, said Magda A. Escobar, executive director of the > group. > > Open seven days a week, the center also trains teen-agers in Web > design, offers low-cost computer literacy classes and operates a > number of other programs. > > Unlike Plugged In, the Family Technology Center in Newark, focuses on > technology training for the workplace and school. > > One Internet-connected computer terminal is available for public use, > and the pre-school students at the site's small child care center all > spend about an hour or two a week at the computers getting their > first taste of technology through colorful software for the very > young. But the center's primary purpose is reflected in such > activities as its 16-week program to train the unemployed in how to > use word-processing and other software that could get them entry-level > office jobs. Another program trains people to work on computer help > desks. > > With 25 laptops, 31 personal computers connected to the Internet, an > interactive television classroom and other high-tech gadgets, the > center is part of a network of 65 centers operated in the United > States by National Urban League affiliates, through a combination of > corporate donations, federal grants and Urban League contributions. > > The League hopes to establish about 50 more by 2006 -- and upgrade the > technology in all of them to be able to receive a new > distance-learning curriculum in computer and job skills. > > The Urban League's interest in community technology training actually > goes back decades, long before the Internet. Its current projects are > the offspring of a technology center set up by the Urban League > affiliate in Los Angeles in 1968, when participants were trained in > such skills as data entry and maintenance of mainframe computers, said > B. Keith Fulton, director of technology programs and policy at the > National Urban League in New York. "The centers represent a gateway > to careers in the next millennium," he said. > > Andrew Bedward is one of about 60 teen-agers taking part in the > Family Technology Center's summer program to teach young people from > Newark and surrounding areas such things as how to assemble and > repair a personal computer, how to use various publishing software > programs and how to use video production equipment. > > Bedward, who plans to enter college in fall, wanted to take part to > learn computer skills that he believes will help him at the > university and later in the workplace. Bedward said he does not have > a computer at home and considers the keyboarding and basic > word-processing he learned at school insufficient. "I feel college > and life after college requires more than just word processing > know-how," he said. "I have to be educated in every aspect of > computer technology." > > Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company > > > > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * > . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: > majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: > unsubscribe scn > ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== > * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From kurt at grogatch.seaslug.org Sat Jul 24 11:56:49 1999 From: kurt at grogatch.seaslug.org (Kurt Cockrum) Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 11:56:49 -0700 Subject: $10,000,000 for community networks in Texas! Message-ID: <199907241856.LAA30073@grogatch.seaslug.org> Doug said: >BIG things going on in Texas!! I'd like to bring Gene up here >to talk to us at SCN about working with the state legislature. On his own dime, I hope. I wish I could bring Timothy McVeigh^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H (sorry, slip-of-the-keyboard) Molly Ivins up here to talk to us about working with the state legislature! I'll bet she would have some interesting things to say. >Texas is spending more on public infrastructure than the US ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >government TIIAP program! Well, to be honest, I didn't think the Panopticon-on-the-Prairie *had* any infrastructure that wasn't part of the correctional or railroad establishments, or to enforce things like food-disparagement laws. Could I be wrong? (perish the thought! :) The idea really gives me the creeps! They aren't spending that money because they believe in free speech, that's for sure! Control, power, money, that makes a lot more sense. But it also makes sense here, too, in the much more benevolent land-of-the-latte. If SCN ever gets some government subsidy money, I would consider that the beginning of the downward slide into NPR-dom. You are all following the Pacifica implosion (just as an example of a *much* *more* *widespread* phenomenon that includes NPR as well)? I. e. consolidation, homogenization, bland-down, professionalization, displacement of local talent by piped-in stuff, wholesale firings of volunteers and workers who question the status quo, censorship, strikes, lockouts, runaway BOD's, the whole 9 yards. And this from a bunch of cute little bunny-rabbit Clintonoid liberals and their foundation pals! This gives serious meaning to the term "devil-bunny" :) Just remember, "he who has the gold makes the rules". The obvious corollary is "he who takes the gold agrees to abide by the rules". Or to put it another way, once you take a handout, you are *property*, to be disposed of as the owner sees fit, even if you can still walk and talk and proclaim your freedom and autonomy. If you *don't* take the gold, you are still poor, but then if you proclaimed your freedom and autonomy, you wouldn't be lying. I hope and pray that we have the bravery and prudence to steer clear of any so-called "public/private partnerships". But money is a *powerful* drug. It's *way* easier to stop smoking tobacco than it is to tighten one's belt after having once had a money-fix. Turning grassroots into astroturf is easy, but it's a one-way trip. Don't go down that road. Beware of the Friendly Stranger! --kurt * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Sun Jul 25 00:09:11 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 23:09:11 -0800 Subject: Security Message-ID: <199907250612.XAA01993@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ===================== The Mole In the Machine The Government promises better protection of top-secret information, like the nuclear secrets leaked from Los Alamos National Laboratory. But the truth is, there is no such thing as a secure computer network. Charles C. Mann NY Times 7/25/99 Several years ago I visited Scott D. Yelich, the administrator of a computer network, at his Santa Fe, N.M., apartment. For a computer-systems manager, he had an apartment that was, perhaps, nothing out of the ordinary. A pool table covered with Asian fighting sticks dominated the living room. One bathroom featured a six-foot python, alive, breathing and wrapped around the shower rod. Much of a spare bedroom was filled by the administrator's personal computer system, with two 21-inch monitors crowding a desk and several big beige boxes wheezing in the closet. Yelich was trying to help me understand that people can easily break into computers. He explained how he'd discovered that someone who called himself Info was breaking into the network he ran at the Santa Fe Institute, a highfalutin physics think tank. Annoyed, Yelich had monitored the intrusions, discovering that they seemed to have originated at a small software firm in town. Soon he learned who owned the E-mail account that Info was misusing: the software company president, who was also a researcher at S.F.I. (Yelich made me promise not to reveal his name.) The president had E-mail accounts on the networks at both places. "It's all simple, trivial stuff," Yelich said. Info had first broken into the machine at the software company, then searched for the word "password" in all E-mail files on the network. It turned out that the president had E-mailed co-workers, asking them to check his incoming messages while he was on vacation -- and had provided his password. "Boom!" Yelch said. "There it is." Then he said: "I think this is something you'll like." He pointed to a line of type on the monitor. The president also had an account at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It had the same password as the S.F.I. account ("Capital-D dumb," Yelich said). He scrolled down and pointed to the screen: "Info followed him in there, too." Indeed, Yelich's monitoring had recorded Info as he logged on to the lab's system, typed in the president's user ID and password and played around with what he found. Info, as it turned out, was only a confused lower-middle-class kid from Portland, Ore. -- the Federal Bureau of Investigation caught him and didn't even press charges. But I found myself recalling him when the news broke in March that the F.B.I. discovered that Wen Ho Lee, a researcher at Los Alamos, had filled one of his computers with top-secret files about nuclear-weapons design. Lee's machine was on the network subverted by Info. Since then, Los Alamos has been vilified in Congress for its lack of computer-system security. But computer-security professionals have not joined the chorus. For them, the Los Alamos case simply exemplifies the inherent difficulty of controlling the flow of digital information -- not just in laboratories, but anywhere. The heart of these problems is that computer networks -- and the Internet -- are extremely difficult to protect. "The only system that is truly secure is one that is switched off and unplugged, locked in a titanium safe, buried in a concrete vault on the bottom of the sea and surrounded by very highly paid armed guards," says Eugene H. Spafford, director of the Purdue Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security. "Even then I wouldn't bet on it." Computers can be secured better only if users accept Draconian restrictions that make their systems much harder to use -- which, as a rule, users refuse to do. Alas, the risks of willful ignorance are growing. Never have the methods of attack been so powerful and easy to use. Never has the Internet made it possible to disseminate those methods everywhere in minutes. And never have so many livelihoods -- and lives -- depended on systems so vulnerable to attack. "I can't say that 1999 will be the year when a blowup happens," says A. Padgett Peterson, chief of information security at Lockheed-Martin. "But what I can say is that, compared to what is possible, what we have seen so far has been almost benign in nature." Roughly 8,000 researchers are scattered about the 43-square-mile campus of Los Alamos. Each and every one has a computer; many have more than one; almost all are wired, one way or another, into a laboratory network. Additional thousands of administrators and support personnel have access to computers. So do the 3,000 visitors who work temporarily at the laboratory each year. This year, 450 of the employees are foreign citizens, including more than 30 from Russia, China, North Korea and seven other "sensitive" countries. Keeping track of what these thousands of people are up to is difficult, to say the least. Los Alamos's efforts to do so illustrate both the difficulty of the task and why users so often rebel against their own security measures. To channel this river of zeroes and ones, Los Alamos -- like other facilities with classified work -- gave scientists a "black" computer for their secret material and a "white" computer for contacting the outside world. Lee worked with 300 other researchers in the weapon-design group, known melodramatically as the "X Division." All the researchers had both machines chewing up real estate on their desks. In theory, scientists are not supposed to copy work from one machine to the other; in practice, the temptation is strong. "The military insists on reviewing all the software you put on your black computer," says Jeffrey I. Schiller, network manager for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a director of the security group for the Internet Engineering Task Force, the ad hoc international body that develops technical standards for the Internet. Such a review process, invariably, is slow. "It guarantees that their systems are up to three years out of date. You want to write a report with the latest version of Microsoft Word on your insecure computer or on some piece of junk with your secure computer?" The superior usefulness of the unclassified systems, Schiller speculates, may be why the former Central Intelligence Agency chief John Deutch was caught last year with top-secret files on his home computer. "People load up the classified stuff on their white computer, then delete it," Schiller says. "But you do that enough times, you start to lose track." Eventually, the white machine becomes gray. Military installations try to contain classified data by "air-gapping" their networks. Recognizing that they cannot control the flow of material within a network, they seek to fence off the entire network -- maintaining a literal gap of air between the computer and all connection to the outside world. That is more easily said than done; computers can transmit information in multiple ways. To air-gap its computers, the National Security Agency not only controls modems, floppy disks, Zip drives, optical disks, CD-ROM's and Ethernet cards, it installs "blacker boxes" -- special devices that prevent data from leaking out through the power cable. That is not enough, says Simson Garfinkel, the author, with Eugene Spafford, of "Practical Unix and Internet Security." "It's very difficult to be sure data is ever actually taken off a hard drive," Garfinkel says. "You might think you could just wipe the disk but that won't do it." The reason is that a six-gigabyte drive often has an additional four gigabytes of storage. The excess, which is invisible to the software, replaces "blocks" of storage capacity on the drive when they begin to fail. As a block goes bad, the disk copies data from the failing block to the reserve blocks. Disk-wiping software typically erases only the roster of good blocks, ignoring hidden blocks, which may still contain data. The military used to safeguard data by grinding up old disks, Garfinkel says. Now that doesn't work anymore. Tiny pieces of hard drives can contain sizable amounts of information. According to a rough calculation by Garfinkel, a one-sixteenth-inch-square piece of a 6-gigabyte hard drive can hold 750,000 bytes -- enough for a 300-page book. "A spy could remove a hard disk, grind it up and smuggle out the data in little pieces like pocket lint," he says. Los Alamos has split off all machines with secret information from all machines with access to the Internet, according to John Morrison, deputy director of the lab's computing, information and communications division. Since the controversy, when researchers have access to both networks, the lab eliminates their floppy drives to block them from copying files between them. It is demanding that researchers on classified projects communicate electronically only over encrypted lines. It is telling people not only to turn off their cell phones but to remove the batteries. It is doing enough, in fact, to drive the users crazy. "In theory, cutting the cable works great," says Dan Wallach, a security researcher at Rice University. "Nobody from outside can attack you or steal your files. Except suddenly you can't do as much stuff as you used to. And then people start feeling their security system is a pain in the neck, so they take active steps to subvert it." Laboratories are especially prone to such sabotage, because they are filled with people who know a lot about computers. Eventually, compromises are made, and the original problem comes back. "Suppose people at Los Alamos are collaborating with people in Britain," says Jon R. David, an internationally recognized security consultant who is the senior editor of the journal Computers and Security. "They have to talk to somebody in the U.K. by computer, and so the lab arranges this encrypted line, which promises to be secure. But is it true? No. The information on the line is safe, because it's encrypted, but everything else -- the machines at the other end, the connection points -- can be attacked, and have been attacked successfully." By coincidence, his point was precisely demonstrated to me last spring. A man I have come into contact with is an officer in Army intelligence. It is safe to say that this man is greatly concerned with security in general, and with computer security in particular. His facility, too, has two networks -- one classified, one very classified -- with security precautions much like those being installed at Los Alamos. In March, the computer virus Melissa flooded more than 100,000 computers across the world. Seizing users' machines, it E-mailed copies of itself to the top 50 names in their address books (if they used a particular Microsoft program), and so on, until hundreds of networks were swamped by a mail storm of Melissa copies. The Army intelligence man I contacted knew all about Melissa. On his classified network -- his guarded, protected, sealed-off network -- he had received some 80 copies of the virus. A network's security problems, of course, are not only due to its users. There are all the folks outside who are trying to break in. A terminological note: computer cognoscenti use the word "crackers" to refer to the vandals who bust into computer systems illicitly; "hacker," in their lexicon, is reserved for expert programmers and network administrators. Thus, Info was a cracker, not a hacker. The people who disabled the Web sites of the F.B.I., the Departments of Energy and the Interior, the Senate and the White House last May were crackers. And when, soon after, the Pentagon took its Web site off the air to shore up security, it feared being cracked, not hacked. These cracking incidents disturbed security researchers. Not because the break-ins were unusual: crackers went after the U.S. military more than 250,000 times in 1996, the most recent year for which official estimates are available, and thousands -- perhaps tens of thousands -- actually broke in. Nor were the attacks disturbing because they succeeded in doing permanent damage. (They didn't.) Nor were the crackers able to make off with classified data -- the breached networks had none (in theory, anyway). What distressed security researchers is how far these crackers got, considering that they almost certainly labored under the handicap of having no idea of what they were doing. Most crackers are what real hackers refer to disdainfully as "script kiddies." Just as the great majority of Netscape or Explorer users have no idea how the software puts Web images on their screens, the great majority of crackers blindly try out scripts -- routines written and posted on the Internet by the tiny number of crackers who know something about pro-gramming. >From a network administrator's point of view, the result is like being besieged by a million monkeys randomly firing catapults -- some of them, by virtue of their sheer numbers, are bound to get a hit. "You see it all the time," Schiller says. "Someone slips in with some incredibly sophisticated technique." Even as the number of script kiddies rises, the "malware" -- the security maven's term for malicious software -- they use is becoming more sophisticated, dangerous and rapidly disseminated. Last year, Microsoft issued 20 software updates to stop break-ins. In the first six months of this year, it released 22. Bruce Schneier, president of Counterpane, a computer-security company in Minnesota, calls 1999 "a pivotal year for malicious software" -- the year that problems really have become serious. The line was crossed first by Melissa, which caused such havoc that it obscured the antics of an almost equally unpleasant virus known as CIH or Chernobyl, so named because the virus appears on April 26, the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. CIH infected as many as 600,000 computers in South Korea alone; damage estimates run up to $10 million. Then, in June, came the Explore worm. Technically, a worm is a program that crawls through networks, automatically making and distributing copies of itself. (Viruses, by contrast, need human help to propagate.) The Explore worm appeared in a victim's E-mail in the guise of a note from a correspondent. Attached to the note was a file: zipped_files .exe. When recipients open the file, they see an error message and assume nothing has happened. In fact, the worm has effectively erased documents, spreadsheets and presentations. In addition, the worm infects other machines on the network, hitting even people who haven't recently used their E-mail. To the relief of security experts, no one has yet combined the unbelievably rapid spread of Melissa (sending out 50 copies of itself at once) and the toxic actions of the Explore worm (trashing files). But it might not be long before someone does, and Schneier believes that the results may be catastrophic. "It's a really big deal," he argued in a warning widely distributed over the Internet. With cracking scripts posted on the Web by their inventors, Schneier wrote, the new malware programs "don't propagate over weeks and months; they propagate in seconds." When a cracker can figure out a new way of attack in the morning and spread it across the world in the afternoon, users cannot possibly be protected by, say, updating their antiviral software and security patches every week. (And how many users do even that?) A new approach will be needed, Schneier believes. Society will have to insist that security is built into software from the beginning. "From a security point of view, the software in everyday use is nonfunctional," says Rice University's Wallach. "There's an old joke. If cars were like computers, they would go 300 m.p.h. and get a hundred miles to the gallon and cost $50. Except that twice a month someone a thousand miles away would be able to blow up the car, killing everyone nearby." Believing there is no cry for better security, software vendors simply ignore the issue, he says. A prime example, security experts say, is the current trend toward blurring data and programs. In the past, because data -- letters, charts, tables -- did not perform actions, it was impossible to disguise malware as data. Now data are full of little programs. Some of them make it possible to reach the Web or send E-mail from within a document that otherwise would seem to have nothing to do with the Internet. A result, Spafford says, is "a complete forest of interconnections that are waiting to be exploited" by malware. "Springing this kind of software on unknowing users is unconscionable," he says. According to its Web site, Microsoft is developing "collaboration data objects," which "allow easy access to E-mail systems embedded in Microsoft Windows products." "Unless you understand exactly what is being said, it is easy to gloss over," Peterson explains. "Does anyone who buys Microsoft software actually want to be able to send mail from Word, Excel, or an .exe file or is it something that is only used by writers of malicious software?" Ultimately, Spafford thinks, all is not hopeless. A solution may lie on the horizon: the Y2K problem. Like the asbestos lawyers involved in the tobacco lawsuits, Y2K lawyers will start looking for new targets. They will discover that many of society's most valued assets have been entrusted to badly designed and unsafe software. "I tell you," Spafford says, "they won't be able to believe their good fortune." Back in Santa Fe, Yelich has been trying to secure his current network against a cracker who calls himself "u4ea." Unable to break in, u4ea has been overwhelming Yelich's machines with tidal waves of incoming messages -- an attack that requires no skill, but cannot possibly be guarded against. For the time being, more people will end up spending their time much like Yelich, trying to construct barricades around their machines instead of using them. Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From guests at scn.org Mon Jul 26 05:09:48 1999 From: guests at scn.org (Steve and Melissa Guest) Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 05:09:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Revised SCNA Policy Statement Message-ID: Please see the Message of the Day regarding the proposed revision of the SCNA Policy Statement. This is your chance to review this before it is due to go into effect in two weeks. Steve -=- -=-=- -=- -=-=- -=- -=-=- -=- -=-=- -=- -=-=- -=- Melissa & Steve Guest Seattle Community Network 425 653 7353 - 8am to 11pm http://www.scn.org "Supporting People and Communities with Free Internet Services" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Mon Jul 26 08:13:27 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 07:13:27 -0800 Subject: Speakeasy Message-ID: <199907261416.HAA02158@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ====================== Cyber cafe reboots Carol Tice Puget Sound Business Journal 7/26/99 As the Speakeasy Cafe comes back online, owners Gretchen and Michael Apgar are leveraging private financing to expand the parent company into several other markets. The Apgars' Speakeasy Network, a Seattle-based Internet-access company, generates most of the firm's revenues. But the Apgars are best known for the computer-intensive Speakeasy Cafe, a popular gathering spot for the Net community. Recently the Belltown cyber-cafe ran afoul of a city ordinance regarding holding all-ages events that offer both live entertainment and liquor. The Apgars weathered a one-month closure and spent $25,000 to remodel their establishment, whose food offerings will now be much more limited. Ironically, the ordinance in question was recently nullified, but too late for the Speakeasy to change its plans to eliminate live music. The couple were able to take the financial hit on the cafe thanks to the success of Speakeasy Network. "Ninety percent of our income now comes from the Internet business," Michael Apgar said. The 3 1/2-year-old online venture provides Internet access, e-mail, domain hosting and digital subscriber lines, which give home-based Web surfers reasonably priced, high-speed Internet access. The company currently has about 5,000 subscribers, and has grown at a steady rate of 40 percent or more each year, Apgar said. Besides the cafe, Speakeasy Network offers 20 other "public access" sites around the Seattle area for subscribers who don't own their own computers, or who want to be able to pick up e-mail from remote locations. In June, Speakeasy Network completed a round of private financing, the size of which Apgar characterized as under $1 million. This initial seed money for the expansion of Speakeasy Network came from two "angel investors," whom he declined to name. Perhaps the anonymity of the investors gave rise to local rumors that Speakeasy Network was being bought out by a heavyweight competitor. America Online and Paul Allen were two names the Apgars heard mentioned. But Apgar said the company was never looking to be purchased, and wants to retain its independent status. The money was sought to fund a national rollout of the company's services, which began this month. San Francisco and Portland, Ore., are the initial targets. A marketing campaign encompassing radio spots, transit billboards and Web-based advertising is under way, Apgar said. Eventually, 18 cities will be included in the expansion plan, including Phoenix, Denver, San Diego and Los Angeles. Factors that differentiate Speakeasy Network from its many rivals are its public-access feature and its customer service level, according to Apgar. With a background working for Airtouch Communications and Airborne Express, Apgar said his company is more customer-focused than many competing providers. "We reply to e-mail within 24 hours, more usually within 30 minutes," Apgar said. "It's a culture that developed with the cafe. We're used to having a customer standing in front of us, wanting an answer now. We've heard it's nice to come into a comfortable environment, instead of waiting on an 800 number for tech support to answer." At this point, the cafe essentially is a promotional vehicle for Speakeasy Network and a primary access point for subscribers. The Network employs 23 in an office up Second Avenue from the cafe, while the cafe itself now has just a couple of employees on duty at any given time. With the cafe remodel, live music was eliminated, and so was the cafe's full menu. Now just pastries, snacks, beer, wine and coffee will be offered, Apgar said. The cafe's schedule of arts events, film screenings and spoken-word performances will be doubled. "We're also putting in a couple of large tables for nonprofits and businesses to hold meetings," Apgar said. "It's a great place if you need Internet access for your event." While cafe revenue will clearly be lost, the changes also meant reductions in operating overhead, Apgar noted. The cafe used to have two employees, plus a doorman and one person on the Internet help desk. With the elimination of live music and food, that shrank to one cafe employee and one on the help desk. Reaction to the cafe's new configuration has been positive, Apgar said. More than 150 patrons had sent e-mails to the Apgars pleading with them not to close after their live-music troubles surfaced in March 1998. Many of those patrons jammed the Speakeasy's reopening party, held July 9. "We didn't know if anybody would show up, and 25 people were already standing at the door waiting to get in at six o'clock," he said. "E-mail is easy to send, but this meant a lot." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Thu Jul 29 17:08:53 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 16:08:53 -0800 Subject: Startup - how it works Message-ID: <199907292312.QAA09635@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ========================== Debated about whether this was an appropriate post, but then thought, sure, why not. Incidentally, I might have access to some venture capital, if there are startup types at SCN who might have something in mind... =========================== Instant Company One new Internet idea, two enthusiastic venture capitalists, six founders leaving behind millions at the jobs they quit, $8 million raised before a line of code was written, 12 weeks. Po Bronson NY Times What were you doing 12 weeks ago? Twelve weeks ago was Nirav Tolia's last day on a pretty enviable job. He is 27, and in addition to managing the marketing of Yahoo!'s E-commerce properties, he had represented the company on television more than 100 times. Almost nobody leaves Yahoo!, but Nirav Tolia had just heard a really interesting start-up idea from a friend, Naval Ravikant, who had recently left @Home. It took Tolia about one day to decide, and the following morning he resigned. Soon after Tolia's last day at Yahoo! he and Ravikant were joined by one of the highest ranking engineers at Netscape, Ramanathan Guha, who was cooking up an idea very similar to Ravikant's on the back burner of his big brain. By the end of the week, they were five strong. Eleven weeks ago, despite not having a single line of code written or even a paper sketch of the Web site they wanted to build, they got $8 million in seed financing from venture capitalists -- half from Benchmark Capital, which had financed Ebay, and half from August Capital, where Naval Ravikant was camping out as entrepreneur in residence. This gave the start-up what is believed to be one of the highest seed-round valuations ever. Nine weeks ago, they brought on Lou Montulli and Aleksander Totic, two of the original six founding engineers of Netscape. Eight weeks ago, they moved into a second-floor gabled loft in Mountain View, Calif., and began grinding out 15-hour days, seven days a week -- but of course these guys had done that before. In a spring when it had started to seem to some Silicon Valley veterans that all the big original ideas were gone, theirs was a lightning rod for talent. The new director of business development, Dion Lim, began to cut deals with other Web sites to import their data feeds. Seven weeks ago, they started hiring category managers. Six weeks ago, it became clear to Guha that enough of the original programming was already done, and he could switch hats from coder to manager. Five weeks ago, their venture capitalist from Benchmark, Bill Gurley, came by the office for his first look-see. He was blown away: "This is, unequivocally, the fastest I have ever seen a start-up move." Four weeks ago, they began to cut distribution deals; two weeks ago, they settled on their marketing plan, and now, having reached a critical mass of 31 people, they are set to launch their Web site. In 12 weeks, the amount of time it might take an average person to decide what kind of hedge to plant in the backyard, they built a company from scratch. An instant company, or what is being called in Silicon Valley a "second-generation Web company." Not so long ago, it seemed incredible that a Web company could be born in a mere two years. But rather than going back to normal, the pace of creation in Silicon Valley now seems to be speeding up even more. Any Web company that starts out today and takes two years to get up and running is likely to be left in the dust. In first-generation Internet companies, the founder and a few college buddies moved into a garage that they decorated with Nerf guns and green army men. In second-generation Internet companies, the staff coalesces not from friendships but from respect for mutually complementary skill sets. They skip the garage phase, engage two real-estate brokers and make simultaneous bids on three office spaces, hoping one comes through. They move in over the weekend and by Monday have it decorated with Nerf guns and green army men. In first-generation Internet companies, the staff resigned from monolithic software corporations or took leave of business school or jumped ship on brand-manager positions at Procter & Gamble. Nobody had Internet experience; they learned by making mistakes, of which there were many. The purpose of the Internet was unclear. Now, companies are being formed by staff members who have years of know-how. And they see the Internet, above all, as a place to buy things. Some $301 billion was generated by the Internet economy in 1998, with an annual growth rate over the past four years of 174 percent. Because of the way high-tech employees are compensated, there are likely to be a great number of second-generation start-ups in the next year. The notorious stock options that add up to so much paper wealth usually take four years to fully vest. For the early movers on the Internet, the four years are coming up. And the golden handcuffs are coming off. This particular second-generation Internet company has managed to recruit top people who were still handcuffed -- what people in the Valley call "the unhirables." Naval Ravikant walked away from what at the time was $4 million worth of unvested @Home stock options. Ramanathan Guha walked away from probably more than $4 million (a figure he is contractually forbidden to confirm) at America Online, which had acquired Netscape. Sabrina Berry's previous employer, CommTouch Software, was planning to go public. Berry walked away from all of her shares in that company. For Lou Montulli to join, he resigned from a hot, well-financed start-up called Geocast Network Systems. At the time Nirav Tolia left Yahoo!, the unvested options he left on the table were worth $10 million. But, he insisted, it didn't matter to him if it was $20 or $20 million -- he has a dream to pursue. "People are going to think I'm nuts," said Tolia, rolling his eyes. "Can we not talk about this anymore?" said Guha. "It's painful to dwell on." Six weeks ago, the engineering team walked to In-N-Out Burger for lunch. They crossed an overpass above Highway 101 and paused at the rail. "This team has been responsible for many of the key features of Netscape Navigator," Guha said. "These guys can point to any of these cars passing underneath and say: 'That driver has almost certainly used my code. And that driver. And that one.' We want to build something that has that kind of influence. We want to build a site that everyone will use." So what's the idea that is inspiring so many to jump? Until this week, they've kept everything secret, operating under the code name "Round One." In fact, not even people who come in to interview for a position learn the idea their first day. Several hours of vague conversation seem to be leading up to the grand presentation, but alas, the applicant is sent home with a preliminary offer, setting out salary and options and title -- and no clear sense of what the company will do. If the candidate is sold on the team, then she or he comes back for a second round. Only at the end of that next day does she sit down in front of a whiteboard with Ravikant and Tolia and hear something like this: As the Web becomes an infinite supply of goods and services, goes the pitch, people crave guidance on what and where to buy. So far, the great number of on-line shopping guides present quantitative, machine-sorted and machine-generated data: comparisons of product prices and specifications. But what consumers need (Ravikant and Tolia contend) is a recommendation that gets beyond that: the advice of someone they trust, someone just like them. Their solution is a Web site, Epinions.com, which they envision as a sort of Zagat-for-everything, a site consisting entirely of consumer opinions or reviews of anything you can buy. Epinions.com itself will sell nothing at all -- it has no warehouse, no trucks on the back end. The money would come from deals Epinions.com cuts with companies that do sell things: every time an "E-pinion" prompts a reader to click "Buy," the company will earn a tiny commission on the resulting sale. At the start, the E-pinions on Epinions.com will be culled from existing sources, guiding users through aggregations of expertise from the four corners of the Web. But the key to the whole idea is to make Epinions.com participatory, taking advantage of what I call the Tom Sawyer model. Write and post a short review of any product on Epinions.com, and you can earn a few pennies every time the review is read by another user. By letting readers rate the usefulness of the E-pinions, the most trusted ones will float to the top of every category. As Ebay is a marketplace for products, Epinions.com seeks to be a marketplace for ideas. If it catches on, like Ebay, then everything snowballs, and these hobbyist-reviewers function as sliver-time virtual employees who do all the work for you. "Everybody is an expert at something," they kept repeating around the Epinions.com office; they hope their site will be the place where everyone shares their expertise. Similar logic has been welling up in the collective unconscious of Silicon Valley, and most E-commerce sites are already adding some form of E-pinion to their Web pages. Productopia, Deja.com, Cnet, Amazon.com -- everyone's hiring editors and bringing back the old-fashioned, well-trusted written word. Of course, sites that both sell goods and review them are subject to criticisms of bias. Epinions.com.com would be the first company to start up doing E-pinions and only E-pinions, hoping to be as Jell-o is to flavored gelatin. And that's it. Then again, what was Yahoo! at the start but just a Yellow Pages to the Web? The point is that job recruits with demonstrable talent are buying in to give it a go. And they know that in the short and unpredictable history of Internet businesses, success has often come down to getting the details right, fast. "We don't need any more strategists," says Mike Speiser, a McKinsey consulting alumnus who learned to curtail his own inclination to heady analysis. This was 10 weeks ago. "We need closers," agrees Nirav Tolia. "We need bulldogs." "We need engineers who are execution machines," says Guha. "This is not a strategy play. This is an execution play." First-generation start-ups raise small seed rounds to develop a "proof-of-concept version," at which point the start-up has to go back to dog-and-pony shows, negotiating for more money. Again the second generation is different, faster. Prototypes, demos, alphas -- the language of the hustle -- those words aren't even in the Epinions.com vocabulary. Every minute spent dancing for investors is a minute stolen from the finished product. Ravikant and Tolia's business plan (which consisted of 16 sparse slides) had no financial projections and no budget. They negotiated for $8 million, enough that they wouldn't have to go back for more until well after launch. They had no idea what it would cost to pull together the E-pinions they would need to stock the site, but they budgeted $5 million, just to be safe. The group's biggest fear was the wrath of prominent venture capitalists who did not get an opportunity for a cut of the deal. A slightly rattled Tolia played me several phone messages left on his answering machine by furious V.C.'s. One of the advantages of combining August Capital and Benchmark is that they occupy the same two-story building. When the terms of the valuation were set with August, Ravikant and Tolia walked upstairs to Bill Gurley's office at Benchmark. Gurley had joined Benchmark only a month before, and Epinions.com would be one of his first big plays for his new employer. "I need to know if you're in," Tolia said. Gurley was calm. He recounted some of the internal discussion among the Benchmark partners. One partner, Gurley offered, had scored the idea a 6.5 and the team a 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. But he wouldn't tell them details of how the final vote was scored. "So where does that leave us?" Tolia asked. "Don't worry, it's done," said Gurley. "Should I contact your lawyer or something? Draw up term sheets?" "We don't do term sheets here," Gurley responded, offering his palm. "We do handshakes." In those first crucial weeks, the Benchmark investment was like having a Hertz Club Gold pass. Every service provider is overbooked in Silicon Valley -- realtors, phone-system installers, furniture suppliers, headhunters. Dropping the Benchmark name was the way to impress vendors without sharing the idea. Everyone wants to do business with what may become the next Ebay, dreaming they'll be rewarded with friends-and-family shares when the time comes. Of course, they can't do everything. There was that first weekend in their new digs, when the parts for their desks arrived from Home Depot -- 25 solid wood doors, 100 4-by-4 legs and 400 metal braces. Despite this formidable team of engineering talent, in eight hours of off-and-on tinkering they couldn't correctly assemble any desks. Finally they called a carpenter who had done this before, and he started building two desks an hour. Fortunately, what they don't know about desks, they do know about code. Hiring staff with seasoned Internet experience has allowed Epinions.com to delegate like crazy. "We need to be told what to do but not how to do it," said Luke Knowland, who had done it before at Wired Digital. "It would take four very bright first-generation engineers a full year to program this site," Guha estimated. "But because we've done it before, we can write most of the code in six weeks." Everything is faster. Zero drag is optimal. For a while, new applicants would jokingly be asked about their "drag coefficient." Since the office is a full hour's commute from San Francisco, an apartment in the city was a full unit of drag. A spouse? Drag coefficient of one. Kids? A half point per. Then they recognized that such talk, even in jest, could be taken as discriminatory in a hiring situation. On the business-development side, "I no longer have to waste months evangelizing," says Dion Lim, who has been cutting deals to aggregate opinion material from existing Web sites. A couple of years ago, the process would have been slow and painful. "Now, I just call, and they have a syndication rate scale and a preferred data-feed format," he says. Meanwhile, Epinions.com has kept up constant reconnaissance on the competitors it will be jockeying with this fall, despite those competitors' best efforts to keep their strategies secret. The Valley has what it calls the "whisper circuit," which is not so much wild gossip as the ability to call in old favors and threaten to pull people's teeth. A lot of whisper-circuit surveillance leaks out the back door of companies through their engineers, who often refuse to lie on principle or are very bad at it when they try. Through the whisper circuit the company learned that one potential competitor was trying to wiggle out of a partnership so that it could overhaul its product toward something like Epinions.com. The team learned that a top job applicant, on the verge of accepting its offer, had been grilled so hard by another venture capitalist that he cracked and spilled the Epinions.com idea. (The offer was retracted.) Another V.C. was trying to discredit Epinions.com by telling people he'd turned down its deal, which he'd never seen. And it was on the whisper circuit that the Epinions.com team learned that Amazon.com had started flying writers and editors to Seattle and offering them positions as category editors to cover a wide range of products -- food, video games and so on. The whispering was specific -- that Amazon.com was offering a $65,000 salary, a 10-percent signing bonus and options that could be worth $1 million in four years. (Amazon declines to confirm or deny those details.) The entrance of Amazon.com onto the scene seemed like bad news for Epinions.com. Everyone lost sleep that night. But their exuberance returned with dawn. "Amazon is supersmart," said Naval, marching out of Benchmark Capital's Sand Hill Road offices with his teammates in tow. "But we're a start-up. We've got focus. Nobody will be able to move as fast as us. I pity the fools!" Other than that first night with Amazon, I haven't lost a single hour's sleep over our competition," Nirav Tolia said four weeks ago, when he was only rationing himself four hours a night anyway. "All the sleep I've lost has been over our internal conflicts." Indeed. By hiring so many bulldogs and execution machines who were all used to being No. 1, Tolia feared the competition between employees would tear the company apart. For the first month, without a product to obsess about, they focused on their responsibilities, and the closest proxy for their responsibilities was their title. That they had given up so much money to be here made them a little testy -- they wanted constant assurance that their career decision wasn't a mistake. Everyone kept demanding an org chart, preferably with his or her name in a box near the top. In first-generation Web companies, the premise was that no task was beneath you: you did whatever it took to succeed. This wisdom seems not to have been passed down. "How do we go from a team of champions to a championship team?" Tolia kept asking. Bill Gurley had turned Naval Ravikant on to complexity theory. "Truly alive systems exist only at what is called 'the edge of chaos,"' Ravikant said in one meeting. So though it was causing him to lose hair, he was running the company on the edge of chaos, rallying people to risk making mistakes. "I don't want to be a company that plays it safe." He gave his employees an org chart, and then another one every week. Their titles became vague, more fungible. Going through the start-up experience usually bonds a team together. There are those occasional "Breakfast Club"-like days when workers' inner lives get revealed to each other. This bedrock of goodwill gets the team through hard times later. Going through it at second-generation speed only allows brief bonding moments. Mike Speiser covered Internet companies as an investment-banking research analyst, but he hadn't worked at one before Epinions.com. A few weeks ago he said: "You know what I miss? I miss those good old days, when we had the run of the place at August Capital, hanging out and brainstorming." Those halcyon days, six weeks earlier. Nirav Tolia came up with what he thought would be a solution to distract the champions from their fiefdoms. At the all-hands meeting five weeks ago, Tolia announced that he would shave his head if the company met its offical launch date. This is a guy whose E-mail was "the-face at yahoo.com" for a good reason -- a hair is never out of place on his head. "When you're wondering why you're here at 2 in the morning, think about my cue ball," he said. Everybody howled with laughter. Then Aleksander Totic went over to his computer and pulled up an ancient Web page, from way back in 1994. Digital photographs were posted from the period when the original Netscape engineers shipped Navigator 1.0. There at the top of the page was a picture of Lou Montulli -- who is even more of a sharp dresser than Tolia -- with his head completely shaved. Then everyone really laughed. "If we're going to be a second-generation Web company, Nirav's going to have to come up with something better," Totic chuckled. Watching an instant company get built has been slightly disorienting. Silicon Valley is sustained by the myth that you can come here from anywhere with sheer smarts and a firm handshake and make good. Second-generation Internet companies seem to seriously tip the favor to those already here. Four weeks ago on the whisper circuit, Tolia learned that an entrepreneur from Arizona was in town to shop a business plan for a company, called Publicopinion.com, with some of the same basic concepts, like rating reviews. Tolia took the challenge seriously -- Publicopinion.com already had a prototype on line and needed financing to take the next step. But the truth is that if the guy from Arizona is only now trying to get an audience with venture capitalists, he probably doesn't have a chance to catch up. After Ravikant left @Home, he would still see old colleagues at parties. The comment he heard from them time and time again was: "It's amazing you walked away from all that money. I wish I was brave enough to take the chance." So why did they walk away from all that money? Take it as a given that they all believe in the commercial viability of the idea, but beyond that, their comments are all over the map. One guy talked blatantly about wanting "plane money," and how you weren't even a player in the Valley with less than $100 million. A few plead that they just want to live the start-up experience, and the money they've earned has bought them the unconditional freedom to pursue that dream. Now they are at the takeoff point, and their first-generation experience can't help them. The next 12 weeks will be an even greater challenge: the goal now is to turn a brand-new site into a hive, one that has 80 percent of all E-commerce categories covered well in advance of the crucial Christmas buying season. They are blindly gambling that they have the right incentives and the right filtering mechanisms in place. Ready. Fire. Aim. Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From bb140 at scn.org Thu Jul 29 19:02:27 1999 From: bb140 at scn.org (Barb Weismann) Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 19:02:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Looking for a few good board members... (fwd) Message-ID: SCNers into TV please note: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 10:49:01 -0700 From: Robin Oppenheimer Subject: Looking for a few good board members... Hi, I just wanted to pass on this information. The City of Seattle and TCI are now forming a new non-profit cable public access channel and I'm on the core group to get it up and running (and I'll continue on as a board member). If you know anyone who is interested in being a part of redefining what public cable access can be in the digital 21st century, please have them call me at 654-3148 or email me. I'm hoping to make this channel a media production and education resource for artists, arts organizations, and the non-profit sector in this region, linked to other digital resources like 911 Media Arts Center and community computer centers. We have the unique opportunity to be one of the only cities in the country that is currently laying down this kind of digital infrastructure down NOW, before broadband technologies really arrive, and making sure that the arts and non-profit community as a whole have the access and resources to participate in the next level of the Internet that will include image, sound, text and animation. Here's the press release. Feel free to pass it on. Robin Oppenheimer Project Manager, Open Studio Seattle Art Museum NEWS NEWS ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 28, 1999 SUBJECT: New community television nonprofit organization forming FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Natalie-Pascale Boisseau - (206) 684-0252 Chris Coy - (206) 233-5104 Lynne Masters - (206) 386-0031 Newly formed community television network seeks board of directors applicants The newly created Seattle Community Access Network (SCAN) is looking for seven to 13 people to form its initial board of directors. Beginning in Next year, the nonprofit community-based organization will operate and further develop public access television and other media in one or more access centers in the greater Seattle metropolitan area and participating jurisdictions in King County. TCI currently manages public access cable television in Seattle under its cable franchise agreement with the City of Seattle. TCI and City officials are working together to shift the management of public access cable television to SCAN by the beginning of 2000. SCAN will offer its services under a contract to the City and TCI will provide operational funding as part of its franchise agreement. In addition, SCAN will seek a tax exempt status from the IRS, allowing new sources of funding and donations for additional programs and activities. "Prospective board members should hold a broad vision for the potential and development of community access television and new media," says Natalie-Pascale Boisseau, Volunteer Programs Coordinator for the Office of Cable Communications. "To ensure the smoothest transfer possible to the newly formed organization, applicants must have strong skills and experience in the implementation and management of a nonprofit organization at a start-up stage. They should also have proven skills to govern a public access television center and facilities." Earlier this year, the City facilitated the formation of a core group of citizens to develop SCAN. These participants possess significant experience with nonprofit organizations, public access television, media literacy, new media, and community development. This core group will appoint the initial board of directors , most likely by the Fall of 1999. The initial board of directors will consist of a minimum of seven and maximum of 13 people who will reflect the racial, ethnic, geographic, social and economic diversity of Seattle the organization core group of citizens. To apply, prospective board members must send a completed application, resume and a cover letter describing why the candidate qualifies as a board member and what contribution she/he can make. The application deadline is August 31, 1999. To request an application packet, contact Natalie-Pascale Boisseau at (206) 684-0252 or email (nataliepascale.boisseau at ci.seattle.wa.us), stop by the Cable Office at 810 Third Ave., Suite 442 in downtown Seattle, or visit the web site (http://cityofseattle.net/scan). -30- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * * From steve at advocate.net Sat Jul 31 10:16:51 1999 From: steve at advocate.net (Steve) Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 09:16:51 -0800 Subject: Net fragmentation Message-ID: <199907311620.JAA11865@scn.org> x-no-archive: yes ===================== Metcalfe's Law in Reverse Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox 7/25/99 Current attempts to split the Web into many isolated mini-networks undermine the long-term potential of the Internet which depends on universal interconnection: ...AOL trying to prevent customers of Microsoft, Prodigy, and Yahoo from communicating with AOL customers through "instant messages". This is reminiscent of email in the 1980s when everybody had five email addresses listed on their business cards; one for each of the main services. ...Universal Studios fighting movie websites that want to link to film trailers on Universal's site. ...A similar story last year where Ticketmaster did not want Sidewalk to bring potential ticket-buyers to the Ticketmaster page that sold tickets to events the users had read about on Sidewalk. ...Owners of sports teams trying to prevent other websites from covering the sport so that fans will be left with no other coverage than the "official" sites sponsored by the National Basketball Association and the like. ...Cable modem services preventing users from downloading video clips beyond a certain length from sites outside the span of the cable service. In the future, cable services may slow down or prevent any access to unaffiliated sites. The long-term implication is that MP3-like video-on-demand services may not be available to cable modem subscribers except for a small amount of tightly controlled streams from their own servers. ...The proliferation of distribution deals where portals give featured placement to those services that pay them the most and not the ones they would really want to recommend to their users. Of course, portal users are not customers, but just eyeballs, which explains why user needs get so little respect on the Web today. All misguided attempts to achieve short-term advantage by locking in users or preventing the natural growth of the Internet. Having other sites link to specific pages (so-called deep linking) is usually considered attractive, and many sites run affiliates programs to attract as many links as possible. Users who follow specific links are more likely to be hot leads who are interested in buying a specific product or service. It is unproductive to insist that such interested users be dumped at the home page and required to find their own way around the site. Targeted links are one of the most effective Web marketing methods, so it is extremely short-sighted to prevent other sites from establishing inbound links. Attempts to build walls around isolated sites will fail in the long term because of Metcalfe's Law which states that the value of a network grows by the square of the size of the network. So a network that is twice as large will be four times as valuable because there are four times as many things that can be done due to the larger number of interconnections. Because of Metcalfe's Law, the largest network always wins over smaller networks, even if the smaller network has some larger initial value due to some special-purpose feature or benefit. As the networks grow, the square factor ultimately tips the hand in favor of the large network. And since the Internet is the largest network of them all, it will ultimately win over any proprietary network. Metcalfe's Law provides much of the explanation of the success of the Web relative to earlier hypertext systems like HyperCard, Intermedia, and NoteCards. They were all much better than the Web and had features ten years ago that we are still sorely missing on the Web. But the Web was universal and the other systems were proprietary. You know who won. The law is usually quoted in terms of growth of the network, but we can run Metcalfe's Law in Reverse and use it to characterize the effect of cutting a network into pieces: The value of partitioning a network into N isolated components is 1/N'th the value of the original network. This new law follows directly from the original Metcalfe's Law. Each of the new components has a size of 1/N'th the size of the original network. Thus, its value is 1/(N2) of the original value. At the same time, there are N of these new mini-networks, so the over-all value is N * 1/(N2) = 1/N The value of the full Web is currently about $300 Billion according to an analysis published by Cisco. In three years, the value will likely be around $1 Trillion. Let's assume that the various attempts to split the Web succeed to the extent that it is split into 5 parts soon and 10 parts in three years. The current value of the Web would be reduced from $300 Billion to $60 Billion - for a loss to society of $240 Billion Each of the current "mini-nets" would be worth $12 Billion The future value of the Web would be reduced from $1 Trillion to $100 Billion - for a loss to society of $900 Billion Each of the future "mini-nets" would be worth $10 Billion The short-term interest in partitioning the Web lies in the hope of gaining supreme dominance of one of the resulting mini-nets. Capturing most of $12 Billion can surely be more attractive than capturing a small part of $300 Billion, even if your actions lead society as a whole to lose $240 Billion. In contrast, the long-term prospects of proprietary strategies are dim, with the value of each mini-net dropping over time from $12 Billion to $10 Billion. Let us use the Reverse Metcalfe's Law to analyze the potential impact of a proprietary communications system for AOL. Assume that AOL succeeds in capturing 20% of the world market for Internet services. Further assume that the remaining 80% of the market can agree on a single, open standard (hopefully one defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force). Relative to the theoretical value of a single, universal network, we find: The value of AOL's share is 0.22 = 4% The value of the other companies' share is 0.82 = 64% The loss due to the partitioning is the remaining value that is captured by nobody: 100% - (4%+64%) = 32% In other words, AOL ends up owning a 4% share (which could be worth a good sum, of course) and a third of the full potential is simply lost to society. In contrast, assume that AOL joined in the single open standard and then succeeded in capturing the same share of the new value as the hypothetical 20% I have assigned as its over-all share of the future Internet. Then AOL would realize five times as much value as they do under the proprietary scenario. The only downside is that they would have to compete on quality of service to win their 20% share instead of simply being guaranteed a proprietary 4% share. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe scn ==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ==== * * * * * * * http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/ * * * * * * *