SCN: SCN on slashdot

[Doug Schuler]

Community networks and open source -- an intriguing
combination -- mostly  unexplored.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/05/06/0139258

Community Networks and Websites?
The Internet | Posted by michael on 02:36 PM May 6th, 2002
from the potluck dept.
brendano writes "I've been doing some research into the fascinating world of
community networks and websites -- online places that can inform and connect
people of a real-life community. They typically provide news, discussion
forums, and email for local residents. There are some quite successful ones
(such as the nonprofit Seattle Community Network or the Blacksburg
Electronic Village), but also also ghost town-like failures that show how
hard it is to get a community network/website rolling. In addition, many
struggle with questions of how to get funding; whether they can be
for-profit while serving the community, or be non-profit with enough money
to keep going. Unlike the wireless community networks we hear about so much,
these types of community networks go beyond just internet access and try to
provide access to the community itself. Some, even, are being done to help
build up disenfranchised communities, such as one in a housing project, or
the three of HP's Digital Village project (one of whose projects I'm
researching for.) I was wondering if members of the Slashdot community know
of more examples of community networks, and what people think of these
projects. Can real-life communities succeed in the online environment as
well? How so?"

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