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Thinking About the Future:

Started in November of 1991, the National Capital FreeNet (NCF) , based in Ottawa, Ontario, is now Canada's largest FreeNet and the second largest FreeNet in the world. The Network began when, inspired by the Cleveland FreeNet, two members of the Carleton University School of Journalism, George Frajkor and Jay Weston, approached the Director of the University's Computing and Communications Services, Dave Sutherland, with the notion of bringing a FreeNet to the National Capital Area. Joined by other interested members of the community, these first three members attended and facilitated many public meetings, enticing sponsors and kindling community interest. By February 1993, the Network was up and running.

Although not beautiful (the site contains very few graphics and images), the NCF is well-organized and clearly laid out. The NCF is committed to providing community information to all those in the National Capital Region free of charge. In April of 1995, in an effort to ensure that the growing stream issues were resolved, the Board created a "Planning Committee" to clarify and communicate areas of consensus. In June of 1995 the NCF adopted a statement of values which outlines its major goals and objectives. The major components of this document are that the NCF will:

• Remain free and equal
• Be participative
• Provide physical access
• Be easy to use
• Have relevance and significance in the community

About the Community

The NCF serves communities on both sides of the provincial boarder: Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (RMOC) in Ontario and the Hull area in Quebec. Because its service area straddles both sides of the Ontario/Quebec boarder, many of the NCF's members are French-speaking. The areas are made up of the cities of Ottawa and Hull and surrounding townships and towns in Ontario and Quebec including: Cumberland, Goulbourn, Gloucester, Kanata, Nepean, Osgoode, Rideau, Vanier, Rockcliffe Park, West Carleton, and Gatineau. In addition, according to RMOC fact sheets the area has one of the most highly educated, highly skilled work forces in Canada and is home to almost a million people.

Accessibility

With numerous methods of access available, anyone is eligible to become a member of the NCF. Residents of the National Capital Area can dial-in, gain access through the Internet, or use any of the computers available at the Ottawa Public Library and its branch locations and other township and community libraries throughout the Ottawa-Hull area. In addition to the public access sites at libraries there are computers set up at municipal buildings, Community Centres, and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has freenet access for the blind at its Ottawa office. A full list of access sites is available online.

Because one of the items the Board has reached consensus on is to provide physical access, the NCF has agreed upon several requirements to ensure broad range access. Those requirements are as follows:

• Modest equipment requirements for its users (a requirement met in the simplicity of its electronic design),
• Availability of public access stations (a requirement met due to the NCF partnership with the Ottawa Public Library),
• Available and responsive to member needs.

Funding and Collaboration

Because its mandate strives to continue to provide free access to all members of the community, funding and sustainability presently comprises one of the NCF's most pertinent issues. In a document entitled National Capital FreeNet Development Strategy the board members of the NCF have committed themselves to "increasing donation and contributions substantially." Most of the NCF documents can be easily accessed on-line and explain in detail the Board's 1996 Strategy for increasing funding and remaining competitive. Although the NCF does receive some government support, much of its funding is obtained from members and partners with cash donations and donations in kind.

The NCF has many Key Partners. Among these are Carleton University, the Ottawa Public Library, and local computer and technology corporations and businesses. These partners provide funds, equipment, expertise, and time. To celebrate the contribution of its most high profile Partners, the NCF sets aside a special area called ShowCase.

Content

A highlight of the content of the NCF are its numerous Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The SIGs are like newsgroups and the area is designed "to accommodate a diverse collection of discussion groups where NCF users can meet to discuss and define topics that are of common interest." These topics vary from discussion of games, to those aimed at professionals, to those for people interested in arts and literature. While many SIGs are unmoderated, several are moderated, and the postings are sent to a single authority who then determines their value and appropriateness to the discussion. Because the SIGs are meant for community interaction and many of the topics are locally based, the contents of the NCF are more locally centered than nationally used.

Another large portion of NCF's content is provided by local businesses and organizations and grouped under the heading Information Providers. These Information Providers range from cancer support groups, to local chapters of the United Way, to reviews of area restaurants. NCF users seeking information about community support groups, entertainment, and activities can check out the Information Providers menu for something which catches their fancy.

Special Features

Bientôt disponible en francais. Many of the National Capital Area residents are French-speaking and, in an effort to meet the needs of the entire community, the NCF will soon be available in Canada's other official language - French. An all-French main menu has been set up and the NCF hopes to offer all its information in both official languages as soon as possible.

For more information about the NCF, an independent body has conducted a survey and written a report evaluating user satisfaction of the NCF.