************************************************************************** NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY : June 22, 1994 ************************************************************************** Networks and Community is devoted to encouraging LOCAL resource creation & GLOBAL resource sharing. ************************************************************************** The 23rd Report of 1994 is the 29th Weekly Survey. ************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** Coverage in this issue includes: Global Community News From The World Community Viability Fund Information Institute for Global Communications Announcement- Scholastic Network Classes & Meetings ########################################################################## Global Community ########################################################################## Sorry for the lateness of the newsletter this week, I've been back and forth to San Francisco to see my niece through open heart surgery. This peppy little three year old pulled through with no problems and should be coming home this Friday or Saturday. Amazing how quickly they kick you out of the hospital these days! As the newsletter is late, and I'm a bit preoccupied with her, I'm going to spare you all my weekly diatribe! This week only!!! -steve covington ########################################################################## NEWS of the WIRED & WEIRD **** Culled from various sources ########################################################################## ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* Subject: E-d-u-p-a-g-e 06/12/94 through 06/18/94 EDITED BY MYSELF ************************************************************************* Sender: owner-net-happenings@is.internic.net ---------- Forwarded message ---------- ************************************************************************ Edupage, a summary of news items on information technology, is provided three times each week as a service by Educom -- a consortium of leading colleges and universities seeking to transform education through the use of information technology. ************************************************************************ DISKETTE DUMPING The Washington Post reports that thousands of computer diskettes are being dumped on the U.S. market by China. (Telecommunications Policy Review 6/5/94 p.1) CLIPPER CHIP DEBATE CONTINUES Clipper Chip opponent Whitfield Duffie, a security specialist for Sun Microsystems, says that "the virtue of cryptography should be that you don't have to trust anybody not directly involved with your communication." Clipper Chip supporter Dorthy E. Denny, head of Georgetown Universitiy's computer science program, says: "It was an accumulation of factors that led me to agree with Clipper, and the two most important areas, to me, are organized crime and terrorism." (New York Times Magazine 6/12/94 p.44) CANADIAN INTERNET HANDBOOK "The Canadian Internet Handbook" is published by Prentice Hall Canada and provides an extensive province-by-province compendium of Internet access providers north of the border. Send e-mail to: handbook@vm1.yorku.ca. (Internet World July/August 1994 p.12) DATA SECURITY MEETING SLATED The Clinton administration will hold a public meeting July 15 on security issues in the National Information Infrastructure. The public is invited to attend the meeting, which will be held at the Commerce Department auditorium, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Marty Ferris (202) 622-1110. Inquiries about the NII can be made by anonymous ftp to iitf.doc.gov. Access is also available over the World Wide Web. Questions can be addressed to nii@ntia.doc.gov. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 6/6/94 A12 MOBILE MARKET GROWTH The mobile messaging market will grow slowly and steadily over the next few years, according to a recent survey of more than 200 Fortune 1000 companies. Only 20% of the companies currently use remote messaging, but a growing number of out-of-office employees is driving the market. (Telecommunications June 1994 p.22) ISDN MIGRATES TO DESKTOP A Frost & Sullivan report forecasts that by 1997, workstations, multimedia terminals, fax machines and video-based products will account for the majority of ISDN equipment revenues in the U.S. ISDN revenue is expected to rise 28% from current levels by that time. (Data Communications June 1994 p.16) COMMERCIAL MOSAIC VERSIONS Commercial versions of Mosaic will be launched this summer for large technology companies by Spyglass and for consumers by Quarterdeck. The Spyglass version of Mosaic will also be bundled into most major systems from Digital Equipment Corporation. Meanwhile, Marc Andreeson, the principal creator of NCSA Mosaic and now the co-principal of Mosaic Communications, Inc., says his company is working on a "next generation version, from the ground up, that will be commercially compelling." (Internet Business Report June 95, p.1) PC WITH TV, PHONE, RADIO, FAX Packard Bell will be offering personal computers that can double as radios, TVs, telephones and fax machines. Priced at $1000-3000, the systems will use Intel's 486 and Pentium microprocessors and will come with stereo speakers; Most will also have CD-ROM drives and include 27 software titles. The systems will have removable plastic panels that allowing a consumer to make a fashion statement by adding splashes of colors such as teal or azure. "This is like adding a tie to a suit," says a company executive. (New York Times 6/14/94) COURT OVERRULES AN FCC ORDER TO REGIONAL BELLS The U.S. Court of Appeals overruled an order of the Federal Communications Commission that would have required regional Bell operating companies to provide space in their central offices to competitors such as MFS Communications, Teleport Communications, and Intermedia Communications. (Investor's Business Daily 6/13/94 A15) NEWTON NEWS By year-end, Apple will launch a new version of the Newton personal communicator with enhanced wireless capabilities and additional applications. Sharp, Panasonic and other manufacturers will also be releasing products based on Newton technology, and IBM is licensing the Newton operating system and will introduce a personal communicator in early 1995. (Information Week 6/13/94 p.15) BROADER ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE POWERS The Canadian government wants a review of proposed legislation that would make it easier for police to intercept digital or computer communications. If approved, the legislation would allow police to monitor a wide range of personal data such as credit card usage, telephone calling patterns, automated teller transactions and even proposed interactive cable systems. (Ottawa Citizen 6/13/94 A4) BENEFITS OF TELECOMMUTING QUESTIONED A researcher who studies telecommunicating is skeptical of claims that productivity rises when employees are left to work at home since e-mail is often used to "impression-manage" a situation, creating the illusion of improved worker productivity. (Toronto Globe & Mail 6/14/94 B4) PC WITH TV, PHONE, RADIO, FAX Packard Bell will be offering personal computers that can double as radios, TVs, telephones and fax machines. Priced at $1000-3000, the systems will use Intel's 486 and Pentium microprocessors and will come with stereo speakers; Most will also have CD-ROM drives and include 27 software titles. The systems will have removable plastic panels that allowing a consumer to make a fashion statement by adding splashes of colors such as teal or azure. "This is like adding a tie to a suit," says a company executive. (New York Times 6/14/94) COURT OVERRULES AN FCC ORDER TO REGIONAL BELLS The U.S. Court of Appeals overruled an order of the Federal Communications Commission that would have required regional Bell operating companies to provide space in their central offices to competitors such as MFS Communications, Teleport Communications, and Intermedia Communications. (Investor's Business Daily 6/13/94 A15) NEWTON NEWS By year-end, Apple will launch a new version of the Newton personal communicator with enhanced wireless capabilities and additional applications. Sharp, Panasonic and other manufacturers will also be releasing products based on Newton technology, and IBM is licensing the Newton operating system and will introduce a personal communicator in early 1995. (Information Week 6/13/94 p.15) BROADER ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE POWERS The Canadian government wants a review of proposed legislation that would make it easier for police to intercept digital or computer communications. If approved, the legislation would allow police to monitor a wide range of personal data such as credit card usage, telephone calling patterns, automated teller transactions and even proposed interactive cable systems. (Ottawa Citizen 6/13/94 A4) BENEFITS OF TELECOMMUTING QUESTIONED A researcher who studies telecommunicating is skeptical of claims that productivity rises when employees are left to work at home since e-mail is often used to "impression-manage" a situation, creating the illusion of improved worker productivity. (Toronto Globe & Mail 6/14/94 B4) AT&T'S GOT THE BIG PICTURE ON VIDEO PHONECALLS AT&T's new Worldworx service will push for new standards on the next generation phone call, allowing talkers to see each other on computer screens while chatting, sharing files and handwritten notes or pictures. Apple, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Lotus, Novell, PictureTel and Xerox have pledged to develop products and software to work with the new service. Intel's support is notably absent. (Wall Street Journal 6/16/94 A3) AIRWAVE INTERFERENCE WITH MEDICAL ELECTRONICS Electromagnetic interference (EMI) from sources of energy such as cellular phones, metal detectors, and computers, is becoming a widespread problem that is being seen by some as needing stronger government controls. (Wall Street Journal 6/15/94 A1) MICROSOFT'S CAIRO AND DAYTONA ON SCHEDULE "Cairo," Microsoft's next version of Windows NT, will be shipped to customers in the next couple of months, and "Daytona," a new version of NT that runs more quickly and requires less computer memory, will also hit the market this summer as planned. (Wall Street Journal 6/16/94 B7) REVISING FAMILY HISTORY DivorceX offers to expunge all traces of your ex-spouse in the family photo albums, using a popular software called Photostop. The proprietor scans the photo, erases the unwanted party's image, and reprints the picture -- all for $100-200 a pop. What if you get back together? No problem. He'll reinsert it by the same process. (Wall Street Journal 6/16/94 B1) ************************************************************************ Edupage. To add your name to the Edupage distribution list, send e-mail to: listproc@educom.edu. In the body of the message type: sub edupage . To unsubscribe send the message: unsub edupage. Edupage is also available in Portuguese and Spanish: edunews@nc-rj.rnp.br. ************************************************************************ Educom -- Transforming Education Through Information Technology ************************************************************************ ########################################################################## COMMUNITY VIABILITY FUND - Contributed by Ed Schwartz ########################################################################## From: EDCIVIC@delphi.com To: civic-values@civic.net Reply-To: civic-values@civic.net Community Viability Fund: Direct Grants to Nonprofits HUD has proposed the CommunityViability Fund (CVF), an initiative of great importance to nonprofits and lower-income communities since it provides, for the first time in many years, a large federal program that would directly fund local community-based organizations. CVF is loosely based on the successful John Heinz Neighborhood Development Program which currently receives only $5 million in funding. The proposal has changed dramatically since it was first introduced by HUD. Center for Community Change (CCC), through its work with the Coalition for Low-lncome Community Development (CL-II~D), worked closely with HUD to improve their original language to ensure that the program was targeted to lower income communities. In addition, the definition of nonprofits was changed to ensure that community-based groups would be given a preference in receiving funds. In addition to working to improve HUD's proposed legislation, a group of 23 national nonprofits (including CCC) signed-on to a letter requesting that the House Banking Committee include CVF in its Reauthorization Bill. The House Subcommittee, through an amendment offered by Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), included much of the revised language authorising CVF. However, HUD's proposed 5100 million to fund this initiative was reduced by the House to an authorization level of no more than $40 million. The Senate is currently drafting its bill and CCC will continue to work through the ad hoc CVF Coalition to ensure that the legislative language they include is targeted to low income communities and private, community-based nonprofits. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to mark-up their bill on June 21. Community groups should contact their Representatives on the House and Senate Banking Committees and ask them to support this legislation. A Summary of the Revised CVF Language The legislation would fund community-based organizations and capacity-building organizations to carry out neighborhood development activities, provide training, and build community capacity to carry out the housing, economic development, youth development, family support, community service programs (and other eligible activities) needed to promote the viability of low- and moderate-income communities. Eligible applicants for CVF funcls are defined as either a community-based org,anization or a capacity-building organization. A community-based organization is defined as: "a private, nonprofit located in a low- or moderate-income neighborhood or area; primarily responsible to the residents of the neighborhood or area in which the organization operates, as evidenced by the composition of its governing board; an organization that conducts activities that help revitalize low- and moderate-income neighborhoods or areas in a manner that benefits persons of low and moderate income." A capacity-building organization is defined as "a private, nonprofit (could be city-wide, regional, state-wide, or even national) which has experience and demonstrated expertise developing the capacity of nonprofit community-based organizations." If no private nonprofit group is available to provide such assistance, HUD may select other entities with skills and experience to work with community-based groups. Seventy-five per cent of the funds would be awarded through a HUD-administered national competition, while the remaining 25 percent would be awarded at HUD's discretion. For more information contact Andrew Mott at Center for Community Change (202/342-0567). Electronic Editor Note: This is from the Center for Community Change June Policy Alert. The Center for Community Change has been developing grassroots community leadership and organizations for many years. Those who wish further information should contact Center for Community Change, 1000 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington DC 202-342-0519 ########################################################################## INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS ########################################################################## INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS Cooperation Through Telecommunications PeaceNet * EcoNet * ConflictNet 18 De Boom Street San Francisco, CA 94107 +1 (415) 442-0220 voice +1 (415) 546-1794 fax 404205417 telex support@igc.apc.org - email What are IGC Networks? The Institute for Global Communications (IGC) provides computer networking tools for international communications and information exchange. The IGC Networks -- PeaceNet, EcoNet, ConflictNet and LaborNet -- comprise the world's only computer communications system dedicated solely to environmental preservation, peace, and human rights. New technologies are helping these worldwide communities cooperate more effectively and efficiently. IGC, located in San Francisco, California, is a division of the Tides Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. By subscribing to any one of the IGC Networks, you have full access to the resources of any of the other IGC Networks. To help you decide which of the IGC Networks might best reflect your interests and needs, here is a brief description of each: EcoNet serves individuals and organizations working for environmental preservation and sustainability. Important issues covered include: global warming, energy policy, rainforest preservation, legislative activities, water quality, toxics and environmental education. PeaceNet serves peace and social justice advocates around the world in such areas as human rights, disarmament, and international relations. A number of alternative news services provide a range of information about these and other topics from around the world. ConflictNet serves groups and individuals working for social justice and conflict resolution. ConflictNet's resources include guidelines for choosing a neutral third party, sample case development in conflict resolution, estensive biblographies, legislative updates, educational materials and newsletters from around the world. LaborNet serves groups, unions and labor advocates interested in information sharing and collaboration with the intent of enhancing the human rights and economic justice of workers. Issues covered include workplace and community health and safety issues, trade issues and international union solidarity and collaboration. How People are Using the IGC Networks Electronic Mail Send and receive private messages -- including Fax and Telex -- to and from more than 18,000 international peace, environmental and conflict resolution users on our affiliated networks or to millions of users on other networks. Electronic mail is quick, inexpensive, reliable and easy to use. Conferences IGC's conferencing services offer easy-to-use tools in group communication and event coordination. Geographically dispersed people can communicate inexpensively on any subject. Whether you are administering an organization or distributing an urgent action alert, IGC conferences are an indispensable tool. Private conferences can be set up to facilitate internal group decision-making, task-sharing processes, or sensitive communications. Public conferences are great for information sharing, newsletter distribution, legislative alerts and news services. Information Resources IGC's several hundred public conferences also include events calendars, newsletters, legislative alerts, funding sources, press releases, action updates, breaking stories, calls for support, as well as ongoing discussions on issues of global importance. IGC is also an access point for the USENET system of interuniversity bulletin boards. IGC's capabilities allow you to search lists of speakers, U.S. Congress and world leaders, media, grant-making foundations or bibliographies. International Programs & The Association for Progressive Communications IGC regards international cooperation and partnership as essential in addressing peace and environmental problems. IGC maintains a major program to develop low-cost access to computer networking from outside the United States, especially from non-industrialized and Southern hemisphere countries. The result of this program has been the Association of Progressive Communications (APC) which now includes low- cost computer networks in eight countries. IGC has played a major role in starting the Alternex (Brazil), Nicarao (Nicaragua) and GlasNet (Russia) non-profit computer networks, as well as in providing technical support to all of the partner networks. Current projects include developing computer networks for peace, environmental and international development organizations in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Uruguay and Kenya. The focus of the work is to empower local, indigenous organizations by transferring expertise and capacity in computer networking. Operation and management of a local APC node becomes the full responsibility of the local organization. All APC partners are independent organizations, and retain full control over their network. IGC collaborates with the United Nations Development Programme in work in Latin America. The International Programme is supported entirely by grants from major Foundations and individual donors. Contributors include: The Ford Foundation, General Service Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Join Our Global Community Participate in a range of discussions and find information resources on such topics, including: Activist Resources, Africa, Air & Climate, Central & South America Community, Conflict Resolution, Development, Disarmament, East -- West Economics,,Education & Research, Energy, Environment & much, much more. Communicate with people who don't have access to computer networks by sending them a telex or fax directly from your IGC account! IGC Rates After a one-time $15 sign-up fee, the monthly subscription is $10, which includes one free hour of off-peak time (after 6 p.m. and on weekends) and phone support. Domestic connect time is $5/hour for off-peak and $7 for peak time (M-F 7 am to 6 pm). 800 number access is available for rural, Alaska and Hawaii users at $10 per hour. Internet connectivity is available from many locations for $3 per hour. International connect rates vary with each country's public data network. A growing number of countries have direct SprintNet connections at $21 per hour. Some gateways and storage space are extra. How Can I Join? Fill out this coupon and send/fax it to us immediately! Or sign up online by having your computer dial (415) 322-0284 (N-8-1) - - have your credit card ready!. Type 'new' at the LOGIN prompt hit at the PASSWORD prompt, then follow the step-by-step instructions. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPECIAL OFFER -- When you sign up online, it * * saves us administrative costs, so we offer one * * free hour of connect time if you choose this * * alternative. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Select one: [ ] EcoNet [ ] PeaceNet [ ] ConflictNet [ ] LaborNet Name Organization Address City, State, Zip Telephone Major Areas of Interest Referred by May we list your address in our online directory? Y/N May we list your phone number? Y / N Charge my subscription directly: Name as it appears on card Acct #/Exp. Date Signature I prefer to be billed monthly; enclosed is a refundable deposit for $50. ########################################################################## ########################################################################## Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: SCHOLASTIC LAUNCHES NEW INTERNET SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENT SCHOLASTIC LAUNCHES INTERNET SERVER AND NEW K-12 SERVICES The most trusted name in learning offers new resources to the Internet community New York, NY--June 12, 1994-- Scholastic Network today announced the launch of Scholastic Internet Services, Created to offer K-12 teachers and students an easy-to-use, high-value destination on the coming 'Information Superhighway, the Scholastic Internet Services are accessible to all Internet users and include a K-12 net site running Gopher, WAIS and WWW.. The new Scholastic Internet services announced today are: Scholastic Internet Libraries, four electronic curriculum libraries with a myriad of resources and over 5,000 full-text articles offered for site licenses; the Scholastic Internet Center, a free Internet site offering information, lesson plans, and electronic newsletters; and the Ultimate Education Store, a searchable, on-line catalog of educational books, magazines, software, curriculum kits, and more. "These Internet Services are an effective first step in bringing Scholastic's information resources onto the Internet," said Susan Mernit, Director of Network Development. "All the Scholastic Divisions contributed to this effort.". "As more schools connect to the Internet, Scholastic Internet Services provide a simpler method for teachers and students to get access to libraries of information on science, language arts, and technology," said Richard Robinson, President, Chairman, and CEO of Scholastic. " When we launched Scholastic Network with America Online last fall, our goal was to help K-12 teachers and their students work interactively with a variety of information. With the introduction of our Internet services, all educators with Internet access gain the ability to connect to Scholastic materials." "From a national perspective, the emergence of electronic information delivery presents new opportunities for all sectors of society," said Linda Roberts, Secretary's Advisor on Technology, U.S. Department of Education. "The Internet offers educators access to information that was previously difficult to reach. With a growing number of teachers on the Internet, this use of technology clearly allows teachers to better serve the needs of students." Using technology developed by Wide Area Information Services (WAIS), Scholastic's technology partner in this effort, parents and teachers can easily search and retrieve what they are looking for in the Scholastic libraries as well as the aisles of books, magazines, newsletters and other educational products in the store, without leaving their home, school or office. Consumers and educators can order information and materials directly from the company using credit cards and purchase orders online. The WAIS technology allows Scholastic Internet Services users to browse and search without typing long commands. For example, a student is able to ask for information about "volcanoes" and immediately see a list of all the data available relating to volcanoes. This technology makes the Internet more accessible to computer-users who often find the Internet difficult to navigate. One of the new services, the Scholastic Internet Libraries, is available to state education networks, regional telephone companies, and regional internet providers for site license for their account-holders. These content-rich libraries offer curriculum resources in four areas--middle school science, reading and language arts, integrating technology into the classroom, and teaching with seasonal activities. Subscribers to the Scholastic Network on America Online have full access to these Internet resources without additional charge. Education-related networks, gophers, MOSAIC sites, etc. are encouraged to connect to the Scholastic Internet Center For more information on the services, including the URL and Gopher addresses to link to, send email to sninternet@aol.com. A special effort is being made to provide appropriate and relevant resources and pages for students as well--stay turned!) Scholastic Network is the first full-service online network designed exclusively for teachers and students. Scholastic Inc. (NMS:SCHL) , headquartered in New York, is among the leading publishers and distributors of children's books, classroom and professional magazines, and other educational materials. The Company also publishes educational computer software and produces children and family-oriented video and television programming. Scholastic operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. For press information, contact Todd Friedman,Scholastic, 212-343-6878 email: toddotodd@aol.com For Internet Services information, contact Susan Mernit,Director of Network Development, Scholastic Network, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012; phone: 212-343-4940. email: Susanim@aol.com ########################################################################## Classes & Meetings ########################################################################## From: "chere campbell gibson" TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING AT A DISTANCE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON AUGUST 10-13, 1994 GENERAL INFORMATION Who Should Attend The conference attracts over 350 participants from throughout the United States, Canada, and other countries. Included are teachers, trainers, administrators, managers, instructional designers, producers, researchers and others involved in or exploring distance education. Participants are experienced professionals as well as newcomers. They represent a variety of organizations in secondary, post secondary, K-12 education, continuing education, business, industry, the military, government, health care and telecommunications. For additional information, contact Chere Gibson cgibson@macc.wisc.edu ########################################################################## ########################################################################## NETWORKS and COMMUNITY is a result of the work of people located throughout the global Internet community. Net facilities for the preparation of this newsletter are provided by NETCOM On-line Communications Service, Inc. Editing is done by myself. Back issues are archived through the kindness of the staff at the WELL : gopher ---->gopher.well.sf.ca.us ->community --> civic nets... ---> networks & community; & the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA : gopher ----> gopher.nlc-bnc.ca "Subscriptions" are available through the generosity of the Listowner for the RRE NEWS SERVICE: subscribe by sending e-mail to: rre-request@weber.ucsd.edu) with a SUBJECT LINE reading "subscribe ", OR by e-mail to myself, cvington@netcom.com requesting to be put on my mailing list for the newsletter. Additional distribution is assisted by the managers and owners of NET-HAPPENINGS, COMMUNET, & the CANADIAN FREENET listservs. This newsletter is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN, with the exception of Global Community or where noted, and may be used as you see fit. To contribute items or enquire about this newsletter, contact Stephen Covington .