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About the Prince George FreeNet |
| What does it do ? | Who's behind it ? | Who Participates ? | Is it really free ? | FreeNet and the Internet | FreeNet and Local Business | History |
What does it do?
The P.G. Free-Net, managed by a non-profit society, provides basic internet access to its users at no charge, as well as an ever-growing virtual community of services, information sources and discussion forums maintained by local moderators. Local information on the Free-Net is also accessible to the internet community of an estimated 30 million people, worldwide.Who is "behind" it?
The P.G. Free-Net Association owns and operates the P.G. Free-Net. It is a wholly independent, non-profit society, operated by a volunteer board of directors.Funding to purchase initial hardware and software was jointly provided by: Business, Culture and Tourism; B.C. Science Council and the Northern Interior Science, Technology and Innovations Council. Support in-kind came from the P.G. Public Library, the College of New Caledonia and VCOM Computer Warehouse.
The Free-Net's internet connection is provided courtesy of the University of Northern British Columbia. All inquires regarding Free-Net, however, MUST be directed to the Free-Net Association not the University! They've got enough of their own inquires to handle.Who participates in Free-Net?
Lots of people participate in Free-Net!
P.G. Free-Net is run by a board of directors, headed by a President, Vice-President (Technical), Vice-President (Fund Raising and Public Relatins) and Vice-President (Content). Each Vice-President heads a committee responsible for one aspect of the Free-Net's operations.
There are also three active member committees: the Phoning Committee; the Getting Connected Committee; and the Volunteer Committee.
You can serve on a committee without being a member of the board. but you must be a member of the society. For more information, please contact our volunteer coordinator (see Public Square / Volunteers... section of the menu).
Society members pay $10 to join, and are eligible to run for the board and to vote in the annual election of board members.
To become a society member, pick up a Free-Net brochure from the P.G. Public Library or the College of New Caledonia Library.
Moderators are usually society members but do not need to serve on board committees. They undertake to manage local areas on the Free-Net, donating their time, information and expertise. In order to become a moderator, you need to submit a Moderator Application Form to the Content Committee. Obtain a copy of the form which is posted on the menu in Headquarters / About the P.G. Free-Net / Becoming a moderator -- or obtain a printed form from the P.G. Public Library or College Library). For more information, contact the Content Committee by e-mail (pgfn-content@freenet.unbc.edu).
Users are people with accounts on the P.G. Free-Net. To obtain an account you must fill out the registration form, found on the Free-Net brochure (pick up a copy at the Public Library or College Library). Accounts are issued to anyone who agrees to the conditions stated on the registration form. You must sign the form, and either mail it to the address provided; or fax it to the fax number on the brochure; or submit it in person to a staff member at the Public or College Library.
Please do not submit registration by e-mail, as a signature is required.
You do not need to be a society member to use the Free-Net.
Guests may browse through Free-Net menus, either via local dial- up or over the internet, but cannot post or use e-mail until they become users.
Donors who support the Free-Net through donations in-kind, or in cash, play the crucial role of making it possible for us to be here for you.
No contribution is too big or too small. Free-Nets exist because people value what they do, and we value our supporters right back!
Users may show their appreciation by including a donation with their registration.
Please contact the funding-pr committee with fund raising ideas, offers or supporting donations. By e-mail you can reach them at: pgfn-funding@freenet.unbc.edu
Is it really free?
Free-Nets are loosely based on the notion of an electronic public library, although, unlike libraries, they receive no public funds for operating costs.All the work is done by volunteers and funding is raised through donations and, rarely, very specifically targeted grants.
Despite the lack of dollars, Free-Nets exist to serve the same role with respect to telecomputing literacy as libraries have always performed.
Commitment to free, base service for our users is therefore a strongly held conviction.
You will not be charged for using the Free-Net, nor for accessing freely provided material or contributing to forums.
Users may, however, be charged by third parties who do business on the Free-Net. For example, if you book a ticket for something over Free-Net, it is up to whoever you book it with what the charges involved might be and how they will be collected. In such cases, users must be clearly notified by the charging party.
Most Free-Net services are provided at no charge.
Moderators are not charged to operate an area on the Free-Net. Conversely, Free-Net does not pay anyone to operate an area or provide information.
Free-Net and the Internet
Internet services available through Free-Net are:An example of the latter is the NASA bulletin board, maintained and operated by NASA, which can be accessed through the P.G. Free-Net via the Science and Technology Centre in the main menu. Other Free-Nets and many public services offered by universities, libraries, etc. are also available. Users need never run out of places to explore.
- a) basic e-mail,
- b) access to news groups, and
- c) selected sites and services chosen for their local interest or general appeal.
P.G. Free-Net does not now, and does not intend in the foreseeable future, to offer complete internet access to its users. This is neither the intent of our mandate as a public service, nor possible given our working arrangement with the University of Northern British Columbia.
Users seeking complete, online access, including the ability to "telnet" at will, participate in interactive games, directly access files via "ftp" commands, or view sound and graphic files, may obtain these services for a fee from any of the commercial providers in Prince George. Information about these providers is available on the menu in the Global Village / Other Internet Providers.
Free-Net and Local Business
The P.G. Free-Net obtained part of its start-up funding by volunteering to act as a pilot project for an idea which had not been tried before. The Free-Net would welcome local businesses to set up shop on board.P.G. Free-Net policy currently limits participation by for-profit organizations to those local to the Prince George area.
Businesses are treated like any other moderators. Users who visit their areas must be notified when charges may occur, and all charges must be voluntarily entered into.
As a volunteer-run service, supported by donations, P.G. Free-Net cannot guarantee uninterrupted service or a satisfactory number of dial-in phone lines. Businesses willing to accept those conditions, however, can gain valuable experience in what it is like to conduct business electronically over an internet connected service.
P.G. Free-Net expects that a developing commercial market in Prince George will quickly attract commercial quality services which will be all too happy to take on business users whose needs outgrow what Free-Net can provide.
Businesses taking advantage of the P.G. Free-Net's policies will, typically, be exploring the new medium for the first time. They will not be charged by Free-Net, but users should understand that they will not necessarily be in a position to support the Free-Net heavily, through donations, when they may not be making significant profits. Businesses, like individuals, and participating non-profit organizations, will naturally be asked on occasion to support Free-Net to whatever extent they feel justified and can afford. Responsibility for the Free-Net's growth and survival belongs to us all.
History
The P.G. Free-Net Association was founded in June 1993 to develop community computing in Prince George, provide basic Internet access to the public at no charge, and raise telecomputing literacy in the process.Founding president Lynda Williams, a member of the board of the P.G. Public Library, was supported in her efforts by Victoria Free-Net president Gary Shearman and Free-Net movement founder Tom Grundner, of Ohio Locally, senior staff at the P.G. Public Library, college library director Kathy Plett, and the Hidden Hideaway BBS operated by Joe Tailleur were instrumental in getting the association off the ground.
After a period of discussion and exploratory development of local areas on the Hidden Hideaway, the P.G. Free-Net discontinued BBS service to mobilize for provision of an internet-connected service by June 1994.
Negotiations began with UNBC. Free-Net was fortunate, soon after, to recruit the technical expertise (and slave labour) of Lyndon Nerenberg; while progress was being made on the funding front by president Lynda Williams and the Funding/PR committee, resulting in $15,000 to buy start up equipment.
A condition of that start-up funding was that P.G. Free-Net also help local businesses gain experience with the telecomputing medium, which is why you may see some doing business on our Free-Net. They are welcome, on the same conditions as other moderators. Any financial interactions originate with the moderators concerned, not the Free-Net, and are entered into freely by the user.
In addition to the major sponsors mentioned, Free-Net's own support has also come from individual board members, businessman Vic Bowman, VCOM Computer Warehouse, the Wilson & King law firm, and society members who share the Free-Net vision.
The P.G. Free-Net participates in related organizations such as the B.C. Free-Net Association; Telecommunities Canada (a federal body representing Free-Net and community computing services with similar goals); and the U.S.-based National Public Telecomputing Network.
The founding board of the P.G. Free-Net was: Lynda Williams, Kathy Plett, Lyndon Nerenberg, Edel Toner-Rogala, Joan Jarman, Michelle Splitter, Mike Benny and Joe Tailleur.
A list of current board members can be found on the menu in Headquarters / About the P.G. Free-Net / Current board and committees.