[comp.society] Infosphere Report Update

aq941@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Sue Anderson) (06/28/91)

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   Below is the final version of our "Infosphere" report summary. 
We wish to thank everybody who responded to our original "Save the
Infosphere" posting (and apologize for not being able to respond
personally to everyone).  We have incorporated many of your
suggestions with our own ideas to formulate general question areas
to which we will attempt to respond using, whenever possible,
existing data.  We also expect that the report will point to many
avenues for further research, particularly in areas where data is
simply unobtainable.

   Computer networking is often heralded for its capacity to
facilitate collaboration among researchers, scholars, scientists,
authors, etc.  We would like to capitalize on this potential... 
Therefore, if you have any comments on the summary below, would
like to offer assistance (by making suggestions, locating/supplying
information, or providing funding), or if you want more information,
please feel free to contact us (addresses and phone numbers can
be found at the end of the following summary).

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             The National Public Telecomputing Network
                                --
                         Infosphere Report 

   In 1955 an important transition occurred in American society. 
In that year, for the first time, more than half of our work force 
became "information workers" -- people whose main activity was 
producing, processing, or distributing information, and producing 
information technology.

   In the 1980's, with the development of low-cost personal 
computers and high-powered computerized communications networks, 
the pace of that transition both quickened and deepened.  For the 
first time rapid exchange of information could occur, over globe- 
spanning distances, within seconds, at extremely low cost.  For 
the first time also, the average citizen had on their desktops the 
means to tap into those resources from their homes, schools, and 
workplaces.

   Unfortunately, as with many preceding technologies, access to 
these resources developed unequally.  Some individuals and 
segments of society were able to take immediate advantage of it; 
others were not (and still are not).  The result is a society which 
appears to be entering the Information Age the way a child enters 
an ocean for the first time--partly in, partly out, partly 
fearful, partly intrigued, and not really quite sure what to do 
next.

   This summer and fall, the National Public Telecomputing Network 
(NPTN), a nonprofit public computer network headquartered in 
Cleveland, Ohio, will be working on its first annual "Infosphere 
Report"--a research project similar to those conducted in areas 
such as economics, population growth, and the environment--which 
will attempt to assess the nation's capacity to effectively and 
equitably utilize telecomputing as a medium for meeting its 
information and communication needs.  We are defining the 
"infosphere" as:

     the technical and organizational environment in which the
     general public can remotely access computer-mediated
     communication and information resources.

   We expect that over-time a portrait will emerge which will
describe this nation's progress, with regard to telecomputing, as
it encounters the information age.  The report will be cumulative,
comparative, and prescriptive.  It will show where we have been, 
where we are now, what we are doing well, and where more emphasis 
is needed.

   In general, we see the infosphere as being composed of three 
interactive components:

     People:  The individuals who are (or could be) using the
     technology and resources.

     Technology:  The hardware, software and network connections
     needed to access the resources (e.g., computers, modems,
     phone lines, network connections, etc.).

     Resources:  The communication and information facilities
     that can (or could be) remotely accessed via computer (e.g.,
     databases, archives, electronic mail, computer conferencing).

   The Infosphere Report will attempt to gauge our progress with 
regard to each of these areas.  The first chapter will be an 
introduction describing the scope and limitations of the study. 
Chapters two through four will address each infosphere component:  
people, technology, and resources.  Questions that will be 
addressed in these chapters include:

People
     Who uses the currently available communication and
       information resources? 
     What are the general public's communication/information
       needs and desires?
     Do they know what's available?
     How can they find out about it?
     Do they have the knowledge and skills to use it?
     Do they have access to the necessary resources to use it?

Technology
     What technology exists for accessing communication and
       information resources?
     What is its availability and cost to the general public?
     What are its strengths and weaknesses? (e.g., ease of use,
       reliability)

Resources
     What remotely accessible communication and information
       resources exist?
     What are their availability and cost to the general public?
     What are their strengths and weaknesses? (e.g., quantity,
       quality, appropriateness)

   The final chapter of the report will summarize the findings, 
draw conclusions, discuss implications, and make recommendations 
for improving our nation's ability to make use of telecomputing to 
effectively and equitably utilize computer-mediated communication 
and information resources.

   The principal investigator on the project will be T.M. 
Grundner, Ed.D.  As an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve 
University, Dr. Grundner was an early pioneer in the development 
of community-based computerized information services.  His "St. 
Silicon Project" in 1984 provided the first data on the effective- 
ness of using modem equipped microcomputers to deliver community 
health information.  His Cleveland Free-Net Project in 1986 
developed the nation's first free, open-access, community computer 
system.  As a result of the success of the Free-Net, in 1989 he 
founded the National Public Telecomputing Network to foster the 
growth of community computer systems and to link them together 
into a common nationwide communications and information network 
similar to National Public Radio or PBS on television.

   The research coordinator is Sue Anderson, Ed.D. (Cand.).  Ms. 
Anderson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Virginia 
with extensive background in electronic networking and computer 
conferencing.  She will be supervising a staff of volunteer 
research associates from around the country in the development and 
analysis of the data for the report.

   Persons who are interested in assisting on this project, those 
seeking more information in general, and (especially) potential 
funding sources wishing to participate in continuing support, 
should contact the project at:

   The Infosphere Report
   National Public Telecomputing Network
   Box 1987
   Cleveland, Ohio 44106

   Voice: 216-368-2733
   FAX: 216-368-5436
   
   Internet: aq941@cleveland.freenet.edu (Sue Anderson)
             aa001@cleveland.freenet.edu (Tom Grundner)

   BITNET: aq941%cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm (Sue Anderson)
           aa001%cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm (Tom Grundner)

   CompuServe: 71550,2602 (Sue Anderson)
               72135,1536 (Tom Grundner)


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