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Transitioning NCF to a WWW environment
    Status Report February 1996
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aa610  Ian D. Allen
TH 15 Feb 1996

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What is the WWW project?
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To move the NCF from an old, proprietary, FreePort menu technology to the
current WWW technology.  The move happens on these fronts:

  1) NCF content
     - upgrade FreePort menus and content to standard HTML documents
     - upgrade from the FreePort menu browser to standard WWW browsers

  2) NCF services
     - move from custom Unix utilities to WWW forms and CGI/Java scripts

  3) NCF access
     - move from text-only telnet and dial-up access to graphics-capable
       connections such as pseudo-SLIP
     - move from full NCF-hosted access to increasing client-server
       capability where the user's home computer becomes more involved

The above terms and issues are described in detail in the "NCF Strategic
Direction for 1996" prepared by the Board Planning Committee in the
Fall of 1995 and approved by NCF Board motion in December 1995.

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Why is it necessary?
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NCF's mission is:

    The National Capital FreeNet is a free, computer-based information
    sharing network.  It links the people and organizations of this
    region, provides useful information, and enables an open exchange of
    ideas with the world.  Community involvement makes FreeNet an
    important and accessible meeting place, and prepares people for full
    participation in a rapidly changing communications environment.

The in July of 1995 the NCF Board approved a Planning Committee
recommendation "that NCF implement increasing access to, and visibility
from, the World Wide Web" as a means to accomplish this mission.  The
"NCF Strategic Direction for 1996", approved by the NCF Board in
December, provides further detail.

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How is the transition coordinated?
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Lisa Donnelly (am412) NCF's Executive Director is coordinating the
overall transition, using direction provided by the NCF Board and
Planning Committee.  Ian Allen (aa610) will be managing the specific
details of the planning, design, and implementation process.  NCF's
System Design task force and Hardware/Software task force will be
revitalized to provide guidance.

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Status of the transition
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  - Spring 1995:
     - Board forms Planning Committee

  - July 1995:
     - Board mandates increased NCF WWW visibility to support mission

  - November 1995:
     - Planning Committee tables "NCF Strategic Direction for 1996"

  - December 1995:
     - Board adopts the 1996 Strategic Plan to focus transition plans

  - January 1995:
     - Board approves 1996 budget to support Strategic Plan
     - new sysadmin hired to start replacing Ian

  - February 1996:
     - Lisa establishes new NCF organizational structure
     - Ian assigned to draft WWW plans and coordinate the WWW transition
     - System Design task force being restructured and given mandate to
       assist staff with the transition
     - Six-month work plan being created

  - March 1996: (projected) First review of planning process