[1376] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Office of Technology Assessment on the FREE-NETS 2 of 2
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter Scott/Manager, )
Fri Oct 2 10:38:03 1992
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 09:30:45 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
From: "Peter Scott/Manager, Small Systems/U Sask Lib/5920" <SCOTT@sklib.usask.ca>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
<<< ISSUE #2: GOVERNMENT SERVICES FOR THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY >>>
The general question in this area is:
What should the federal policy be with regard to supporting
K-12 and other educational access to Federal Government information
using computers and modems connected to networks (such as the Internet),
and/or to community computer systems (such as this one).
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like, but
some specific questions or issues might include:
* What computer-mediated network or information services could
the federal government provide which would make our K-12
schools better?
* What services could they provide which would enhance the
delivery of corporate training and education?
* Could any of the above be improved by direct connectivity to
federal agencies or programs and, if so, which ones?
* Does the federal government have an obligation to provide
more than access to services, must it also insure equitable
access to these services for all schools?
* Should the federal government have a responsibility to assist
in corporate and business training programs, or should it
stop at the K-12 or college levels.
* Should "telecomputing literacy" be made a mandatory part of
our K-12 and/or college curricula?
<<< ISSUE #3: NETWORK ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES >>>
The general question in this area is:
What should the federal policy be with regard to the develop-
ment and use of national networks--including the Internet, the National
Research and Education Network (NREN) and commercial networks--for
electronic delivery of Federal services?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like, but
some specific questions or issues might include:
* Should the government be involved in the construction and
development of national networks, or should this be left
to the private sector?
* If you think the government should initially develop these
networks, should they then later be turned-over for commercial
re-marketing (where users would be charged for access,
but the commercial company would be responsible for maintaining
the network over time)?
* Or should these networks be made available to any citizen--
including businesses--to use at no cost (like our national
highway system)? If so, how then will these networks be
supported and maintained over time?
* If all users should NOT be charged, who should have to pay,
and who should not?
<<< ISSUE #4: USAGE OF ELECTRONIC SERVICES >>>
The general question in this area is:
What is needed to get people online--to provide potential users
with the training, equipment, and motivation necessary to make use
of Federal (and other) information services, and should the Federal
government be involved in this?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like, but
some specific questions or issues might include:
* If the federal government provides its citizens with greater
electronic access to government information resources and
services (as outlined in the first three issues), must it then
also insure that citizens have access to the networks
necessary to make those connections?
* If so, how should the government do this? Should the government
be involved in the wholesale distribution of equipment to it's
citizens (as the French have done); or provide government funded
public-access terminals in libraries and other locations; or what?
* Should the Federal government be involved in the funding of
public access community computer systems such as the one you
are on?
* Or should the government stay clear of this medium as they have
(largely) done with radio and T.V.?
* What should or could be done to get people to use these various
governmental services if they were made available?
<<< ISSUE #5: FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, AND LOCAL COOPERATION >>>
The general question in this area is:
All of the issues so far have been about Federal involvement.
What are the possibilities and/or pitfalls of having all four
levels of government (federal, state, county, and local) involved
in the electronic delivery of information and services?
You are free, of course, to comment on anything you'd like, but
some specific questions or issues might include:
* Would having all four levels of government involved improve
the electronic delivery of information and government services
by, for example, providing economies of scale and convenience
that would otherwise not be available. (e.g. "one-stop" elec-
tronic filing of income taxes for all levels.)
* Or would having all levels of government involved likely
lead to confusion and "terf" problems.
* What kinds of roles should the state, county, and local governments
be taking in the development of networks, government service
delivery, and information service delivery.
* What kinds of state, county, or local government services, or
information resources, would you like to see developed.
