*************************************************
The Maine Freenet Organizing Committee Newsletter
May 20, 1994 Volume 2
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Topics in this Issue:
o Agenda for Next Full Membership Meeting
o Committee Reports
_________________________________________________
AGENDA FOR NEXT FULL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
(Wednesday, May 25, 1994, 3-5pm at the Lithgow Library in Augusta)
1. Elect a Secretary/Notetaker for the Meeting.
2. Consider the recommendation of the Steering Committee to name our
organization "Maine Community Access Network: Maine CAN".
3. Consider the recommendation of the Steering Committee to incorporate
our organization as a non-profit 501(3)(c) corporation.
4. Discuss Medium and Short Term Goals:
a. Full and/or Part-time Staffing; Finance Committee to study
b. The creation of "Dog and Pony" Shows for Information Providers,
Consumers and Potential Contributors.
c. Identification of high benefit Information Providers.
d. Fund Raising
e. Others
5. Consider the recommendation of the Steering Committee to form a new
Training and Education Committee.
6. Call for Committee Volunteers.
a. Discussion and nomination of at-large members of Steering Committee
b. Call for Committee Chair nominations
c. Call for new volunteers for commitee work, especially smaller
committees
7. Discuss use of MMA Maine Town Meeting Rules in place of Roberts Rules
of
Order for General Membership Meetings.
8. Other Business
9. Schedule Next Full Membership Meeting
10. Schedule Next Steering Committee Meeting
_________________________________________________
COMMITTEE REPORTS
--> Access and Outreach Committee
*** Chair: Jim Henderson
*** hendersn@saturn.caps,maine.edu
*** Maine Archives, Augusta 287-5790
*** Notes Submitted by Jim Henderson
(Draft Notes)
The first meeting was convened May 10th by Paul Mateosian and included
Pete Hayes, Robert Stessel, Jim DaMicis, Lynn Randall and Jim Henderson.
Jim Henderson was elected Chair.
An informal discussion developed the following mission for the
Committee: Assist in distributing paper copies of the organization's
Newsletter and identify potential information provider-consumers in a
statewide network. The mission excludes any formal search for additional
individual members of the
organization.
Paul agreed, time and workload permitting, to coordinate distribution
of the Newsletter and to maintain the committee's membership database.
The committee's major project will be to identify existing information
providers and institutional information consumers (such as libraries, local
governments) in Maine. The goal is to create a "first cut" database of a)
who is now providing electronic information services (BBS's, gophers,
specialized services), b) who has information in, or readily convertible to
electronic form, who wishes to make it available but is not now doing so;
and c) who are *specific* potential major institutional consumers of
networked data in Maine (e.g., Maine State Library). Paul has volunteered
to maintain this database.
This survey/inventory would not inquire about hardware/software issues
or detailed provider-consumer issues. The goal is to establish a baseline
data set for use by other committees or for later, more informed, surveying
of capabilities and needs. It will codify the identifiable constituency
for the
Maine Community Network.
The focus will be on building this network, leaving issues of ultimate
INTERNET access aside for the moment. While the latter is important, and
not inconsistent with this project, it is not our current focus. Notice
will be given to those surveyed that we are focusing on non-commercial uses
(e.g., no for-profit advertising); though businesses could certainly
provide information and consume it through the network as could any user. A
survey would be accompanied by a brief review of possible uses of the
network to encourage thoughtful responses and discourage "computerphobia"
leading to anon-response.
Proposed fields for the provider-consumer database are as follows:
ORGANIZATION NAME
SYSTEM NAME
CONTACT LAST NAME | Several contacts possible:
CONTACT FIRST NAME, INITIAL | General, Technical, Program Content
CONTACT TITLE
MAIL ADDRESS LINE1
MAIL ADDRESS LINE2
MAIL TOWN
MAIL ZIPCODE
LOCATION TOWN
PHONE1
PHONE2
FAX
E-MAIL
SUMMARY OF ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
STATUS OF ELECTRONIC CAPABILITIES (PC, modem, expertise)
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION NEEDS (by organization, it clients)
Suggested "First Cut":
Additional Fields for Later Inquiry
(Provider)
Capability of administering and securing an information site
responsibly
(Consumer)
Detailed interest areas ("Yellow Pages,", etc.)
Emergency information: weather, fire, medical, police
(Both)
Interest in tutorials, seminars in electronic communications
NOTE: Obviously this overlaps with the Systems Services Committee's
proposed activities based their minute of 5/5/94. We need to coordinate our
activities or let them do it all! --
--> Legislative and Regulatory Issues Committee
*** Chair: None Selected
*** Notes Submitted by Janet Waldron and transcribed by Joe Medina
*** jwaldron@saturn.caps.maine.edu
*** Maine Archives, Augusta 287-5790
(Draft from Janet's Notes)
The first meeting of the Legislative and Regulatory Issues Committee
focused on the suggested charge of this committee. Discussed were:
1. Monitor and report on state and federal legislation
2. Monitor and report on state and federal regulation
3. Facilitate identification of Policy Issues for the Freenet
community
4. Determine strategy for implementing policy/legislative/regulatory
charge
5. Identify and inventory organizations and individuals who are
involved
in state and federal policy development concerning
telecommunications
6. Create a list of resources
7. Identify the opportunities for civic participation in government
decision making
8. Determine strategy for facilitating opportunities for civic
participation in government decision making
--> System Services Committee
*** Chair: None Selected
*** Notes Submitted by Bob Tolsma and Karl Beiser
*** tolsma@maine.maine.edu
*** U of M Educ Network, Augusta 621-3374
The first meeting of the System Services Committee was held May 5,
1994, in Augusta. Members present: Karl Beiser, Lisa Robertson, Rick
Speer, Bob Tolsma.
1. Reviewed Joe Medina's suggested goals for the committee:
To summarize, they were:
i. Needs analysis
(1) Identify existing info services, examine
as models, query their experience.
(2) Identify/interview potential information PROVIDERS.
(3) Identify/interview potential information
CONSUMERS and/or their advocates.
(4) Identify innovative services that might be offered.
ii. Software evaluation
iii.Work w/tech committee to determine whole network,
hardware, software solution
iv. Work w/membership, publicity and finance committees
to create possible demonstration to recruit members/donors.
There was general agreement on the merit of these goals.
2. Questions to bring to the general meeting/or other committees.
a. How do we communicate between committees on issues
which affect more than one?
b. Should we develop a demonstration application for use
with potential members/donors?
Should we develop a general news release and promotional packet
for distribution statewide to the media and organizations whose
members might include potential network users and/or information
providers? The package could be a concise, pithy overview of
what
we're up to, a description of some of the potential services
which
we intend to provide, and an overview of the types of
Maine-based
information which we would like to have the types of Maine-based
information which we would like to have available on the system.
We might also have ready to roll two dog & pony shows (one
targeted
for potential users and the other for information providers) so
that we could make presentations to promote the system,
especially
for the purpose of recruiting information providers.
c. Will there be a class of membership for "providers", and are
there
specific system services they will need or that we can offer to
make
them more willing to provide and manage their information (e.g.,
statistical reports on how often their material is used,
training
for managing their info, publicity, ...?).
3. Decided to begin to identify system services that the
network/software
should offer by creating a comprehensive list of possible/desirable
features in the following categories:
a. Facilities/Services (e.g., mail, ftp, conferencing ...)
b. User features (e.g., menu vs command line, online help, ...)
c. Administrative features (e.g., security, password
management/privileges, reporting functions).
Karl Beiser is collating our individual lists into one (see
below).
4. Decided to investigate system services offered by other
"freenets", and information services. Rick Speer will
obtain a list and divide up responsibility among committee
members.
5. Discussed how to get started finding information providers.
There was some sentiment to start with a) connecting current info
services that are online but not widely available, b) people who
have
info and are eager and able to provide/manage it now, c) find high
profile, exciting applications that will help sell and promote the
system. The theme was choose stuff we can get on quickly, that
will have a big impact, and that will generate publicity
and user/donor interest.
May 20, 1994
Karl Beiser
Maine State Library
kbeiser@maine.maine.edu
Here is my transcription of our May 5 list-making:
Possible MEFREE Services
The Systems and Services Subcommittee's work consists in part of
specifying the features and functionality of the emerging system.
In order to do that, it is necessary to decide which of the
possible categories of services we intend to offer. While the
potential number of specific services is very large, they will
likely fit into one of the following categories. It is the
decision to support a particular category of service that must be
made now, not necessarily that of the particular individual
services within each service.
Information Distribution
Presentation of text materials
Mounting of searchable databases
Files available for downloading
Communications Services
Local, intra-system electronic mail
Local conferencing
Local real-time interactive communications (chat)
Global Services
Local access to selected USENET conferences
Internet electronic mail access
Remote log-in to Internet systems via menus
Remote log-in to Internet systems via command line
File transfer capability across the Internet
Access to Internet tools, e.g. Archie, gophers, WAIS, etc.
Other Services
Training and support
Help Maine-based users put up LISTSERV's for global access
User Features
User features will be based on the service categories to be
supported an will prominently involve
Administrative Features
Here is a partial list of administrative features that will
likely be necessary. A clearer understanding of service
categories and of the user features appropriate to the most effective
implementation of particular services, and a bit more time devoted
to the question and this list will be substantially enlarged.
Security
Statistics, esp by each system area
Full support for dividing responsibility among cosysops
Sophisticated password management
Automatic virus checking of uploaded files
Support for offline reader software
Support for both moderated and unmoderated areas
Menu custominzation support
Message threading
Calendar mechanism
--> Steering Committee
*** Chair: Elizabeth Frey
*** efrey@mmp.org
*** Maine Dept of Mental Health & Mental Retardation, Augusta 287-6615
*** Notes Submitted by Jim Henderson and Joe Medina
The Steering Committee had its first meeting on May 19, 1994.
Attending were Steering Committee members Elizabeth Frey, Jim Henderson,
Pat Jones, and Joe Medina. Also attending were Committee Representatives
Janet Waldron and Karl Beiser.
1. Incorporation as a 501(3)(c) non profit:
The members present agreed on the merits of incorporating the
organization as a non-profit 501(3)(c) including:
o the ability to remain closer to the constituency we are suppose to be
serving and not be beholden to any specific organization
o the ability to offer potential donors a tax incentive for donations,
thus
providing fund raising help
o the opportunity for the organization to be recognized as distinct
with a
specific purpose unique in the state
Discussion focused on advice of Sam Humpert, a lawyer in Waterville who has
consented to help the Organizing Committee incorporate. His advice was as
follows:
o we need to raise approximately $500 to pay for filing fees
o we need to choose a name for the organization
(Steering Committee recommends "Maine Community Access Network: Maine
CAN")
o we need to fix on a corporate structure
(Steering Committee recommends the current structure)
o we need to have a list of incorporators
(Steering Committee recommends the Steering Committee members)
o we need bylaws that the IRS approves of
(Jim Henderson will send our draft bylaws to Sam for comment)
o we need an IRS application
(Joe Medina will contact Lou McIntyre and other freenets for help)
o we need an accountant/treasurer
2. Need for a brochure about the organization
Members present agreed that a well designed, short and accurate
description about the organization are needed for potential members,
potential donors, information providers and consumers. These documents
should be prepared in both electronic and paper format and would be
designed by the Publicity Committee.
Additionally, it was agreed that a "dog and pony show" highlighting
current available capabilities would be of great use to many of the
Committees for fund raising, membership and outreach, publicity and
education.
3. Need for Permanent Staffing
Members present agreed that there is now a great need for some type of
permanent staffing. There are not enough hours in the day for steering
committee members to accomplish all they need to and deal with the daily
interactions with membership and interested parties (as well as hold down
permanent positions). A director and administrative help seem the most
pressing. Also needed are an address (office) and a phone for the
organization. Members agreed with Pat Jones' recommendation of the Finance
Committee studying the issues of staffing.
4. Committees
Pat Jones reported that the Finance Committee fully endorsed the backing
of the University of Maine system application for the NTIA Planning Grant
and also the decision for the Maine Freenet Organizing Committee to not
seek an NTIA demonstration grant. She said that the Finance Committee is
now actively seeking other grants and funding.
Discussion about the goals of the other various committees made it very
plain that many of the committees are planning surveys. The Steering
Committee agreed that a possible plan of action would be to first allow the
Outreach Committee to do a preliminary survey of Information Providers in
the state in which they would obtain the names of contacts for the
Technical and System Services Committees. Also discussed was the
possibility of asking for a small donation from potential information
providers -- no vote on this was taken.
5. The Maine Telecommunications Forum
There was an explanation of the purpose of a new consortium called the
"Maine Telecommunications Forum". Karl Beiser and Janet Waldron sit on
this advisory committee funded by NYNEX which is studying the regulatory
structure for Maine telecommuncations and is charged with drawing up
recommendations to help bring Maine into the 21st Century on
Telecommunications regulation.
============================================================================
====
"The Maine Freenet Newsletter" is a semi-monthly publication of the Maine
Freenet Organizing Committee and is an effort to help our membership and
interested parties follow the developments of the creation of a Maine
Community Access Network. Editing is done by myself. Back issues are
archived in the MEFREE-L listserv, courtesy of the University of Maine
System, and can be obtained by issuing the following commands (in the body
of the message) to listserv@maine.maine.edu
//JOB
database search dd=rules
//rules dd *
s 'Newsletter' in MEFREE-L since 94/01/01
list
/*
where you replace the date '94/01/01' with the date which you want to
search from in the form 'yy/mm/dd'. You will receive a message back from
the listserv which will give you a list of possible documents and will look
like the following:
> s 'Newsletter' in MEFREE-L since 94/01/01
--> Database MEFREE-L, 3 hits.
> list
Item # Date Time Recs Subject
------ ---- ---- ---- -------
000004 94/05/03 11:47 118 News Update and various items
000018 94/05/18 10:18 53 Re: Wanted: list of community networks
000019 94/05/18 15:41 29 Steering Committee Meeting
You then send a message like the following to retrieve the "items" of
interest to you (this example retrieves items 4 and 19).
//JOB
database search dd=rules
//rules dd *
s 'Newsletter' in MEFREE-L since 94/01/01
print 4 19
/*
"Subscriptions" are available through the generosity of the Listowner, the
University of Maine System: subscribe by sending e-mail to
listserv@maine.maine.edu with a body of the message reading "subscribe
mefree-l <firstname> <lastname>". I am the list administrator and will
endeavor to answer any questions about the list.
This newsletter is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN and may be used as you see fit. To
contribute items or enquire about this newsletter contact:
Joe Medina
Vice-Chair, Maine Freenet Organizing Committee
jmmedina@colby.edu
207-872-3586
End of forwarded message.
--
James A. (Jim) Hart jhart@vip.auburnschl.edu
107 Winter St.
Auburn, ME 04210-5186
USA
© 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Androscoggin Valley Community Network