Meeting Room of the Terman Library (661 Arastradero)
The Dead Dog Party BBS was described by Nick Chinn, who is the sysop (system operator). All you need is a computer with a modem. Dial in at 415-968-7919. Just enter a user i.d., and a password for access.
The First Class BBS has e-mail and graphics, if you download the 1 or Windows software. The BBS is intended as a chat area where people can interface, but don't automatically get all of the official PA-Comnet messages, versus the Listserver, which is for important general information intended for distribution to all PA-Comnet members. The advantage of the BBS is that it retains the messages, and people can check it periodically as necessary. It avoids flooding people with e-mail messages. Nick Chinn provides the service on the BBS free, since it is his hobby and he wants to help out the Community.
The information sheet on DDP was distributed, and can be found on the DDP BBS under Conferences/PA-Comnet . It will be downloaded and transferred to our Home Page. A big advantage of the BBS is that there is no need for an Internet account to access the BBS. It just requires a computer with a modem. Nick Chinn found out about PA-Comnet via Kendric Smith, who mentioned it to him on the BBS.
Liza Loop will explore setting up a chat area on the Internet at an alternate site.
Palo Alto now has a Home Page for PA-Comnet on the City Home Page. Its URL is: http: anyone wants to provide graphics or icons for our Home Page, they are welcome to submit their art to the Webmasters, Sabrina Lin and Kendric Smith.
The Home Page can link us with other community networks around the country. A disadvantage of the present system is the security issue, which requires that we prepare the Home Page on our computers, and then take a disc to City Hall, where Ellie Chan posts it. This means that it will not be posted in real time, and there is more effort to add each post. Eventually there may be direct access, but that will come later.
The Home Page could be interactive, or expanded in various ways, but the City Council needs to decide what to do, and how to do it. For example, Palo Alto could be the Webmaster for many nearby cities, cities plus non-profits, or just operate a minimal system. The proposal will be presented to the Council by Dianah Neff on April 18, as presently scheduled. The formal paper will be available the preceding Friday April 14, maybe sooner. Volunteers could perform some of the functions of maintaining the City Home Page, such as putting up pages for other organizations, or conducting classes. Experts can contribute by setting up systems, or debugging problems. It's even possible that PA-Comnet may inherit and run the system if the City decides not to continue. The City Home Page is not always up to date. Currently, Liz Kniss is still listed as Mayor.
Dianah Neff messaged the Barron Park Association that there will be a Home Page for neighborhood organizations, and the BPA will participate. Others probably will be added later.
Cable Co-Op is also interested in providing Internet access. Com21 is already running a high capacity trial of 2-way data communications via cable. There is serious interest in providing the service commercially. Right now it is a 6-month trial, to be reviewed in July. The field is expanding rapidly.
It would be useful for PA-Comnet to lobby the City Council on the importance of maintaining the Home Page. All Council members don't always read e-mail, and until there's a way to assure that e-mail becomes part of the public record, there can be Brown Act violations if 5 or more Council members are contacted privately. Liza Loop will draft a letter on behalf of PA-Comnet asking the City Council to support the City Home Page.
Future meetings will be scheduled on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 AM at Terman Library. The next meeting is Wednesday, April 5. We will discuss the use of cable for 2-way communications, and have a review of the BBS, and the chat group. There also is interest in an interactive home page, if we can get a speaker, and time permits.
Free copies of Netcruiser (Netcom) were available for anyone interested.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 AM. Submitted by Bob Moss