Community Networking

  Association For Community Networking (AFCN)
Charlotte's Web
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
Digital Divide Network
Free-Nets
Lists of Community Information Systems
National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN)
Public Electronic Network (PEN)
Ties that Bind Conference

1984

  • 1984-1996: National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN)
    • Fall 1984: Dr. Tom Grundner's single-phone-line, computerized Bulletin Board, "St. Silicon's Hospital and Information Dispensary," tests the effectiveness of telcomputing delivery of health information to the public
    • July 16, 1986: Cleveland Free-Net opens
    • 1991: Community Computing Networks, "If it plays in Peoria...," Video, 15 minutes — download Flash 8
    • May 1991: A collection of materials from Heartland Free-Net: Information Provider Guidelines, brochure, accessing, menus, registration form, studies
    • Cleveland Free-Net Menu Structure, April 6, 1992
    • Academy One: A National Online Educational Community
    • NPTN Cybercasting and Network Services, August 1992
    • The Blue Book: The concept, establishing a Free-Net, The National Public Telecomputing Network, NPTN affiliate systems, Free-Net mock-up (sample menus)
    • The NPTN Bluebook Addendum: Officially out of the $1-a-year software business; commercial software: FreePort ($850), CIX ($750); hardware cost information, requirement to sign an affiliate agreement, focusing on providing organizational support and cybercasting
    • Community Computing and the National Public Telecomputing Network: NPTN objectives, background, concept of community computing, potential impact
    • Cleveland Free-Net: General Information Sheet: concept, usage (23,000 registered users), equipment, funding sources, menu structure (9/26/91), fast facts (opened July 16, 1986, operated by over 300 "sysops")
    • Academy One: A National Online Educational Community: Project Summary: Objective (educational resource for schools), implementation, costs (no charge), projects (simulated space shuttle, virtual world, space colonization, space voyage, e.Club (Pen Pals)), ...
    • The National Public Telecomputing Network: Cybercasting Services: Fall 1994: Simulation Projects (Centennial Launches, Salute to Space Exploration, TeleOlymics, Virtual Worlds), numerous other projects
    • Toward the Formation of a "Corporation for Public Cybercasting": Position Paper: Proposes an agency modeled after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for developing information systems, services and training
    • The National Public Telecomputing Network: Rural Information Network: "At the heart of the project is a software product called 'FirstClass' ... will allow almost any community — no matter how small or remote — to establish a multi-user Free-Net computer system."
    • The National Public Telecomputing Network: Organizing Agreement
    • Affiliates and Organization Committees: August 26, 1994
    • Email:
      • NPTN: October 1995 - September 1996, including Grundner Wins CPSR Wiener Award, Grundner resigns as President of The National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN), NPTN shuts down
      • Free-Nets 1995-7, including LinkNet Annual Report 1995, Cisler trip reports on Telecommunities Canada Conference 1996 and Connect 96 Conference, and stories and reports from several community networks
    • Files

1989

  • February 21, 1989: The City of Santa Monica introduced the Public Electronic Network (PEN)
    • Santa Monica Becomes and Electronic City, News release October 1989: Objectives, menus, and copy of Los Angeles Times article, March 11, 1989, Plug In, Sign On, Find Out: Santa Monica Enters New Era with City Hall's Public Computer Network
    • Fighting City Hall at 2400 Baud, article October 1989, Personal Computing
    • The New, Improved, Government Input Device, article November 1989, CIO

  • September 1989: Instructions for using Info, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill electronic information service; contains menus and navigation instructions

  • IBM paper on addressing "the issue of providing better citizen access to local government," probably 1989

1990

  • October 3, 1990: Maintenance issues: Rita Saltz (Princeton PNN) "groan" message to the list cwis-l@wuvmd.bitnet describing how her staff takes information in whatever form they can get it in and installs it in their database

1991

1992

  • March 1992: TriState Online (TSO) User's Manual — free community information exchange service offered by Cincinnati Bell Directory (CBD, Inc.)

  • September 3, 1992: "The Net User Guidelines and Netiquette," by Arlene H. Rinaldi

  • December 1992: Campus-Wide Information Systems, Judy Hallman, AARNET conference, Brisbane, Australia — Video Part A and Video Part B, about 30 minutes each — demonstration using precursors of gopher and World Wide Web, formatting and maintenance issues, World Wide Web, Free-Nets, Youngstown Free-Net at end

1993

  • March 18, 1993: Douglas Schuler survey on community-oriented computer networks

  • April 6, 1993: A tour of current Free-Nets, Triangle Free-Net Meeting

  • June 7, 1993: "Free-Nets offer low cost access to vast information," article by Steve Snow

  • July 6, 1993: Use of the Internet by 6th and 7th graders: Email from Barbara Pedersen and her letter to Governor James Hunt enthusiastically describing her use of the Internet, including Academy One, in the classroom

  • November 3, 1993: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Seeks Proposals for Community-wide Education and Information Services: Email messages about the request for proposals, extensive discussion in North Carolina, announcement of winners; WUNC-FM proposal — the MS Word document has better formatting than the HTML version

1994

  • January 11, 1994: 3-year budget for Charlotte's Web Community Network, email, planning for Corporation for Public Broadcasting grant proposal — Year 1 $188,950, Year 2 $160,673, Year 3 $166,916

  • April 27, 1994: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) Hearing, Durham, NC, "Meeting the Information Needs of All Americans" — Hallman testimony HTML, MS Word

  • May 5, 1994: Ties that Bind Conference, Assessment and Evolution of Community Networking, by Mario Morino

  • July 21, 1994: Internet version of free lunch, page 2, page 3, Grant Parsons, Raleigh News & Observer (.pdf)

1995

  • February 9, 1995: Morino Institute Directory of Public Access Networks is online — announcement

  • May 2-5, 1995: Ties that Bind II Conference: Converging Communities

  • 1995-2000: Charlotte's Web

1996

1997

  • October 1997: Nurturing Neighborhood Nets: Can free access to the Internet enhance the lives of people in poor communities? An experimental system in East Austin, Texas, is showing the way, by Gary Chapman and Lodis Rhodes in MIT's Technology Review

  • 1997-1998: North Carolina Nonprofit User Group (NCNUG), Email: 1997 - 1998

1999

2000

2003

  • Community Networking Files
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