BD: Re: SCN: "Free-Nets" in Los Angeles Times

[Doug Schuler]

I hadn't realized that the note on the Los Angeles Free-Net would
generate such excitement!

My original intent was not that we necessarily need to emulate L.A. but
just to show that some of the *old* technology, ideas, and services (from
the pre dot.com / dot.gone era) are still useful and viable.

I do want to weigh in a tiny bit on these current issues, however.

The first is related to Steve Guest's comment:

> Plus - this was not what SCN was designed to offer.  It is initialy an
> email and maillist site which grew into a major web resource for
> Seattle. We were never in the free ISP business."

When we set up SCN nearly a decade ago we knew that technology would be
changing.  For that reason we didn't put in our principles
(http://www.scn.org/commnet/principles.html) very much at all about
specific technology.  IMO SCN is in the access to information and
communication business, not (just) in the email and maillist business.

The final commitment in our principles, "Commitment to the Future" states
that "We will continue to evolve and improve the SCN" and lists the
following:

   We will explore the use of innovative applications such as
   electronic town halls for community governance, or electronic
   encyclopedias for enhanced access to information. 

   We will work with information providers and with groups
   involved in similar projects using other media. 

   We will solicit feedback on the technology as it is used,
   and make it as accessible and humane as possible. 

In other words, there is no reason to think that we are necessarily stuck
with the status quo at any point.

The second point I'd like to make is that lots of people have ideas as to
where SCN might go -- full ISP, fee-for-service, etc.

I, like everybody else have my opinions, but It seems to me that there 
has to be a better way than people making a suggestion and then other
people coming back with the conclusion that the suggestion is bad,
impossible, stupid, etc.

If there is a concept that some people think is interesting or worth
considering, why don't they put together some type of committee or group
and develop a thoughtful, well-reasoned recommendation that they can then
bring up to the board and to the membership.  

I'm not necessarily saying I'm in favor of either charging for service or
providing full Internet access but I do believe that there *might* be ways
to do either of these that still meet our needs and constraints.

Thanks!

-- Doug

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   *     SHAPING THE NETWORK SOCIETY                                *
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   * Tomorrow's information and communication infrastructure        *
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