[920] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: internet consumer reports on state-wide IP networks
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sue Anderson)
Mon Jul 8 12:57:53 1991
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 91 12:24:34 -0400
From: aq941@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Sue Anderson)
To: com-priv@uu.psi.com
Reply-To: aq941@cleveland.Freenet.Edu
bzs@world.std.com writes:
>We need to generate better questions before we start trying to
>generate answers. What question are we answering?
[stuff deleted]
>I suppose the govt might suddenly get interested in a "network census"
>and decide to measure what's out there just because it's there, but
>it's a moving target (at least now) in much more fundamental ways than
>a demographical or industrial census might be. We can tolerate lots of
>quantitative error, but the net lends itself to lots of qualitative
>error.
Relatred, I think, to what you mention above, the National Public
Telecomputing Network (NPTN), a nonprofit public computer network
headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, will be working on its first annual
"Infosphere Report" which is described below. We have formulated general
question areas to which we will attempt to respond using, whenever
possible, existing data. We expect that the report will point to many
avenues for further research, particularly in areas where data is simply
unobtainable.
Comments, suggestions, and assistance are most welcome. I can be contacted
at: aq941@cleveland.freenet.edu
------------------------
The National Public Telecomputing Network
--
Infosphere Report
In 1955 an important transition occurred in American society.
In that year, for the first time, more than half of our work force
became "information workers" -- people whose main activity was
producing, processing, or distributing information, and producing
information technology.
In the 1980's, with the development of low-cost personal
computers and high-powered computerized communications networks,
the pace of that transition both quickened and deepened. For the
first time rapid exchange of information could occur, over globe-
spanning distances, within seconds, at extremely low cost. For
the first time also, the average citizen had on their desktops the
means to tap into those resources from their homes, schools, and
workplaces.
Unfortunately, as with many preceding technologies, access to
these resources developed unequally. Some individuals and
segments of society were able to take immediate advantage of it;
others were not (and still are not). The result is a society which
appears to be entering the Information Age the way a child enters
an ocean for the first time--partly in, partly out, partly
fearful, partly intrigued, and not really quite sure what to do
next.
This summer and fall, the National Public Telecomputing Network
(NPTN), a nonprofit public computer network headquartered in
Cleveland, Ohio, will be working on its first annual "Infosphere
Report"--a research project similar to those conducted in areas
such as economics, population growth, and the environment--which
will attempt to assess the nation's capacity to effectively and
equitably utilize telecomputing as a medium for meeting its
information and communication needs. We are defining the
"infosphere" as:
the technical and organizational environment in which the
general public can remotely access computer-mediated
communication and information resources.
We expect that over-time a portrait will emerge which will
describe this nation's progress, with regard to telecomputing, as
it encounters the information age. The report will be cumulative,
comparative, and prescriptive. It will show where we have been,
where we are now, what we are doing well, and where more emphasis
is needed.
In general, we see the infosphere as being composed of three
interactive components:
People: The individuals who are (or could be) using the
technology and resources.
Technology: The hardware, software and network connections
needed to access the resources (e.g., computers, modems,
phone lines, network connections, etc.).
Resources: The communication and information facilities
that can (or could be) remotely accessed via computer (e.g.,
databases, archives, electronic mail, computer conferencing).
The Infosphere Report will attempt to gauge our progress with
regard to each of these areas. The first chapter will be an
introduction describing the scope and limitations of the study.
Chapters two through four will address each infosphere component:
people, technology, and resources. Questions that will be
addressed in these chapters include:
People
Who uses the currently available communication and
information resources?
What are the general public's communication/information
needs and desires?
Do they know what's available?
How can they find out about it?
Do they have the knowledge and skills to use it?
Do they have access to the necessary resources to use it?
Technology
What technology exists for accessing communication and
information resources?
What is its availability and cost to the general public?
What are its strengths and weaknesses? (e.g., ease of use,
reliability)
Resources
What remotely accessible communication and information
resources exist?
What are their availability and cost to the general public?
What are their strengths and weaknesses? (e.g., quantity,
quality, appropriateness)
The final chapter of the report will summarize the findings,
draw conclusions, discuss implications, and make recommendations
for improving our nation's ability to make use of telecomputing to
effectively and equitably utilize computer-mediated communication
and information resources.
The principal investigator on the project will be T.M.
Grundner, Ed.D. As an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve
University, Dr. Grundner was an early pioneer in the development
of community-based computerized information services. His "St.
Silicon Project" in 1984 provided the first data on the effective-
ness of using modem equipped microcomputers to deliver community
health information. His Cleveland Free-Net Project in 1986
developed the nation's first free, open-access, community computer
system. As a result of the success of the Free-Net, in 1989 he
founded the National Public Telecomputing Network to foster the
growth of community computer systems and to link them together
into a common nationwide communications and information network
similar to National Public Radio or PBS on television.
The research coordinator is Sue Anderson, Ed.D. (Cand.). Ms.
Anderson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Virginia
with extensive background in electronic networking and computer
conferencing. She will be supervising a staff of volunteer
research associates from around the country in the development and
analysis of the data for the report.
Persons who are interested in assisting on this project, those
seeking more information in general, and (especially) potential
funding sources wishing to participate in continuing support,
should contact the project at:
The Infosphere Report
National Public Telecomputing Network
Box 1987
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Voice: 216-368-2733
FAX: 216-368-5436
Internet: aq941@cleveland.freenet.edu (Sue Anderson)
aa001@cleveland.freenet.edu (Tom Grundner)
BITNET: aq941%cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm (Sue Anderson)
aa001%cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm (Tom Grundner)
CompuServe: 71550,2602 (Sue Anderson)
72135,1536 (Tom Grundner)
