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NCF FreePlan Status
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Ian D. Allen
Wed Sep 11 11:08:03 EDT 1996

This document gives the current status of the following five major
technical components of the NCF FreePlan:

    FreeNet (FreePort)
        The Classic, text-only, menu-based community network
    FreeMail
        Internet-based "offline" mail reading/writing
        Dial-up mail service using PPP
    FreePage
        Organization WWW home pages
        NCF member WWW home pages
    FreePlace
        Internet-based public cyber-services:
        NNTP access to ncf.* news
        Full text indexing and searching
    FreeWeb
        Dial-up graphical access to the Internet

    Access methods
        Graphical access to NCF (mail, news, Web content)
        Graphical access to the Internet

Details
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    The login sequence was changed to make the line sponsorship
    message more visible.  A "go login" support menu is now available
    to help members deal with warning messages at login.

    Work by Jeff Bossert and David Sutherland culminated in a new
    partnership agreement between NCF, local firm Ingenia, and Netscape
    Communications Corp.  Netscape will supply NCF with a suite of five
    servers; Ingenia will provie us with technical support.

    Major technical parts of FreePlan are rolling out this month:

      - Home pages are being moved in preparation for "one button publish".
	A menu providing support for home page maintenance is available.

      - The dial-up modem login sequence will change to offer PPP as an
        access method for services such as FreeMail, NNTP news, and
	graphical access to both NCF and the Internet.

      - The test of the IP routing software on the modem terminal servers
	was successful.  The three servers will be configured to permit PPP
	to selected destinations.
	
      - The time limit software will be rewritten to allow it to be used
        to control PPP connections and FreeWeb connections, as well as
	FreePort menu connections.

    A major Challenge grant program starts this month.  Software
    support for this includes targeting the mail-out to avoid recent
    donors and people who responded to last month's mail-out.

    Annual renewals go into effect at month end.  Software support for
    this requires a new database that tracks account anniversaries and renewal
    transactions, and a new office program that handles account renewals.
    The Oracle database may be used here; or, we will use a temporary
    database pending the full Oracle roll-out.

    An online survey is being prepared to raise awareness of NCF's value
    to its members.  The survey will be tested on a small number of members
    before becoming mandatory for everyone during the login process.

    All the 2400 bps modems have been upgraded to 9600 bps.
    Installation of the 64 Sportster modems donated by USRobotics is
    waiting on Carleton's completion of the modem rack.  Carleton hopes
    to have that completed by month end, at which point we will take
    down the modem pool for a major re-assignment of modems and the
    creation of the new modem FreeWeb modem pool that gives NCF members
    full Internet access.