National Capital FreeNet Strategy For 1998 ========================================== Christopher L. Cope Executive Director September 9, 1997 Preamble ~~~~~~~~ This strategic plan has been developed as a foundation for the 1998 planning process. The goal of the Organization is to continue to fulfill its mission while ensuring continued viability. The specific objectives and priorities identified below will provide a framework for the development of an Operations Plan an will serve as a guideline for the 1998 budget process. NCF Mission ~~~~~~~~~~~ The National Capital FreeNet / Libertel de la Capitale nationale is a free, computer-based information sharing network accessible in both official languages of Canada. 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. Current Situation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The National Capital FreeNet / Libertel de la Capitale nationale will mark it's fifth birthday in 1998. Since opening formally in February 1993, NCF has steadily grown and evolved into a vibrant community network serving the National Capital region. The NCF system is currently based on FreePort software, running in a Unix environment and developed over a decade ago. Considerable amendment and patching has been done over the years to facilitate greater functionality and special needs. We have embarked on a path towards replacing this obsolete technology by moving towards web-based technology. Approximately 64,000 members have registered since inception and of these, approximately 25,000 remain active, with some 11,000 logging in at least once per week. Access, which has been highly reliable, is via some 169 telephone dial-up modems (mostly 14.4 Kbps) and 23 public access and special service ports. Historically connections have been text-based but all 169 modems now also offer a PPP connection with graphical user interface enabled. Off-site mail and news readers can be used and WEB browsing is possible using graphical browsers via a proxy server. Ten of the lines ("Internet Sampler Lines") offer 33 Kbps connection and full WEB access. In 1996/97 a membership renewal process was initiated, which allowed the removal of dormant and unused accounts and provided greater financial predictability for the organization through its provision for member donations at time of renewal. NCF now operates on a member-funded financial model, with corporate and institutional sponsorship together with grant programs relied on for expansion, special projects and modernization. Most of the work at NCF is done by volunteers with "members-helping-members" an underlying theme. Content is a major issue. A significant element of both interest and success for NCF is the large amount of community oriented information available to members and the world. NCF now hosts approximately 300 information providers. Each of these community agencies develops and maintains its own dedicated space on the system, either in menu form (some 2460 menus) or on Web pages or both. Additionally, some 1250 users have located their personal Home Page at NCF. In all, some 15,000 documents are presently available to members. Challenges ~~~~~~~~~~ Community networks in general and NCF in particular are faced with an ongoing challenge to remain financially self-sustaining, while retaining relevance in the community. The division between traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and community networks has blurred, while institutional funding sources typically see themselves in the role of providing "seed money" rather than offering ongoing sustaining funding. NCF therefore, must recognize that its membership is the key to ongoing sustainability and plan to capitalize on its existing strengths, and explore new ways to enhance member usage and participation. Opportunities & Strategies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A. Operations Members of NCF have grown accustomed to a reliable system, rich with functionality and ease of use. A desire to migrate to web-based technology must incorporate the following elements: a) System upgrades must be planned to generate minimum disturbance. b) New applications should be "off the shelf" and well tested as much as possible, to enhance ease of support and to minimize downtime. c) System administrators will hold reliability and stability as their first priority. d) Develop and implement FreeNet Next Generation, a new user interface, a new way to manage mail, a new authentication mechanism, a new registration system: i) Subsystems should depend as little as possible on other subsystems. Interdependencies between machines & systems should be eliminated. ii) NCF will continue to be accessible in text mode, but having all the menus web based to make it more appealing for users who access FreeNet using a PPP connection. B. Financial Stewardship On a day-to-day basis, NCF has successfully moved from a grant dependent organization to become self sustaining through member donations. In order to grow and prosper, the organization must continue to prudently manage it's cash flow to ensure sustainability. Elements of a financial plan will include: 1) Continued use of renewal program to solicit member donations. 2) Actively pursue corporate partnerships. 3) Seek grant opportunities from Public institutions and private agencies and trusts. 4) Analyze and wherever possible streamline NCF operations to minimize costs. System administration overhead to be considered when decisions to add or delete member services are considered. 5) Seek partners to defray or participate in major costs including: hardware/software upgrades, telephone charges, Internet charges, wages for special projects. 6) Study existing membership to target services and interests accurately. 7) Plan to increase membership and thereby increase member donation revenue by: promoting NCF in the community, approaching agencies such as schools, libraries, service groups, etc. where partnerships can be created to enroll their entire membership, stimulating existing members to recruit their associates and peers. 8) Systematically and thoroughly, promote NCF to organizations, businesses and NGOs with a view to enlarging the organizational donor base. Business is an integral part of the community and therefore when consideration is given to "community involvement" in our Mission Statement, business must be included. Our strategy will be to ensure that this involvement be reciprocal with Business sharing the financial load. C. Services NCF must concern itself with more than connectivity. The services which are offered to members must continue to be useful, and sufficiently modern to have the utility required. Our continuing relevance as a community resource, will be a mirror of our ability to continue to provide a wanted service. Our plan will provide the following: 1) Implement and promote both internally and publicly, a search tool which provides rapid and efficient access to NCF hosted information. 2) Actively seek content. Promote NCF hosted web pages to organizations, businesses, NGOs, service groups, special interest groups etc. Promote Web pages. 3) Implement a webpage hit-counter, and/or other usage feedback facilities. 4) Promote PPP access: Develop tools, training materials and support systems. Consider (after extended access project is implemented) eliminating the "sampler" class of lines and have all our lines PPP accessible with Web access only restricted to known objectionable sites (as we do with spam). 5) Develop Public Download area to include most wanted browsers, e-mail clients and news readers, Internet utilities etc. (public domain or otherwise freely distributable software). 6) Provide enhanced access. Look to partnership arrangements such as the currently proposed 'extended access project" arrangement. 7) Review resource/usage constraints: promote less resource hogging PPP approach. Review system load and usage data and when increased PPP usage together with extended access projects allow it, look to adjusting scheduling of free-time window and/or time allocations. 8) Review services to organizations and interest groups: i) Implement and promote tools of particular interest to these groups including SIGs and Newsgroups, to facilitate discussion in public electronic space. ii) Implement and promote tools to facilitate discussion in private electronic space including e-mail training, listserve hosting, newsletter delivery etc. iii) Develop templates and resources to create webpages for organizations. 9) Review standard services. Where appropriate, install and promote improved or more powerful tools such as: Pine Mail Reader and TIN Newsreader, etc. D. Volunteer Coordination/Recognition 1) Develop a program to acknowledge and reward member achievement for outreach and membership and usage building. 2) Encourage francophone content and participation. 3) Encourage participation for challenged groups and minorities. 4) Encourage participation and acknowledge forward progress related to women's issues. -- *** Christopher L. Cope, Executive Director *** National Capital Freenet / Libertel de la Capitale nationale voice (613) 820-8885 -or- fax (613) 820-3982