wells@compass.UUCP (Ian Wells) (10/26/90)
- - -
IMPACT ONLINE 1.01
October 1990
Welcome to the premier distribution of the Boston Computer Society
Social Impact Group's online newsletter - IMPACT ONLINE. This edition
includes:
o Introduction to the Boston Computer Social Impact Group
o Perspectives about introducing computers to children:
Computers for Preschoolers?
By Ian Wells, presenting viewpoints from two educators
o Computer Literacy Education
By Dr. Ronni Rosenberg
o An Entrepreneurial Idea
Information technology helping to feed the hungry (reprinted
from BCS Social Impact Newsletter)
o Updates from the community telecommunication project known as
Community Memory
By Tom Nemcik (Director of the CM Project, Berkeley node)
Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter will be greatly
appreciated. We are striving for a consistent schedule of
distribution, and a consistent format of style and content. Please
address any and all communications to: Dennis DelDonno, Online
Newsletter editor - dendel%pro-angmar.UUCP@bu.edu or Ian Wells,
Director, Social Impact group bcs-ssi@compass.com
IMPACT and IMPACT ONLINE welcome original, uncopyrighted submissions
of articles and graphics by the author, creator, or artist.Copyrighted
works or their modifications must be accompanied by the copyright
notice and the consent of the owner prior to publication or
distribution. Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily
those of the BCS. Mention of a product in this publication does not
constitute endorsement of that product by the Society.
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THE SOCIAL IMPACT GROUP
OF
THE BOSTON COMPUTER SOCIETY
The purpose of the Social Impact group is to provide a forum for the
discussion of social and ethical concerns related to information
technology.
The Social Impact group is one of the many subgroups of the Boston
Computer Society. The BCS is the world's largest organization of
personal computer users. The Social Impact group has been meeting
monthly since 1983 and produces the bimonthly newsletter 'Impact'.
The group meets at 7:30PM the first Wednesday of each month in
downtown Boston. Our meetings typically consist of a 20 to 30 minute
presentation and 30 to 60 minutes of questions and answers. Speakers
and the audience have especially enjoyed the Social Impact meetings
because of this lively discussion period. The audience we draw is
usually from 10 to 30 in number and from a wide variety of technical
and non-technical backgrounds - industry, academia, non-profit and
computer hobbyists.
Issues occuring on the interface of technology and society often
emerge first in the Boston area, because of the high concentration of
high-tech industry and services in this area. Part of our work is to
disseminate the information from our meetings. Several of our meeting
have been taped on audio cassette and are available from the
"Powersharing Series" in conjunction with the BCS. All Social Impact
meetings are written up in "Impact". If you are a member of BCS and
want to receive "Impact", notify BCS at 617-367-8080 that you want to
sign-up for the Social Impact SIG. If you are not a member of BCS, you
can join by phoning 617-367-8080 and requesting an application form.
Notices of our meetings appear in the monthly BCS UPDATE magazine and
are distributed on netnews (ne.seminars) and on an Internet
distribution list.
Here is a summary of some previous meetings:
Marv Goldshmitt, Vice President of Lotus and Richard Stallman,
developer of GNU, debated software protection. Available on audio tape.
Fred Hapgood, science writer, described his strategy for predicting
the the directions of technological change.
Vin McLellan, journalist, Sandy Sherizen President of Data Security
Systems, and Grace Hammonds, director the proposed BCS subgroup on
Computer security, debated how we should respond to computer viruses.
Available on audio tape.
Dr. Ronni Rosenberg, with Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility, presented the results of her study of computer
literacy in schools, which suggested the euphoria about computers in
schools is unjustified. Available on audio tape.
Mario Pagnoni, high school computer teacher, and Stephen Blumquist,
teacher at Waldorf schools, debated what is the best age to introduce
children to computers.
Medard Gabel, director of the World Game Institute in Philadelphia,
described how the World Game, invented by Buckminster Fuller, is
building a Hypercard database to store world resource information.
Bob Weber, who works in the Office for Information Technology at
Harvard University, discussed the open versus closed responses to
computer viruses and how to defeat virus attacks in a networked world.
Dr.Joseph Weizenbaum questioned the rush to introduce computers into
schools.
Sherry Turkle gave a summary of her book, ``The Second Self''.
Alex Beam, who was Business Week bureau chief in Moscow for many
years, described his observations of personal computers in the USSR.
Scott Mize, an entrepreneur, described his vision for a non-profit
organization to feed the hungry in Cambridge. With volunteers from
this meeting, this non-profit is in the process of obtaining funding.
Dr Elaine Bernard, Executive Director,Harvard Trade Union Program
described how to demystify technology.
Peter B. Miller, director of the PACRAT Associates non-profit
organization described how PACRAT is providing desk-top publishing
technology to Non-profits.
Dr. Shoshona Zuboff,Professor at the Harvard Business School and
author, discussed her studies of computers in the workplace.
The BCS Public Service Program - What It Can be and
How Communities in Need Can Use It - A Panel and Audience Discussion
Jose Duran - Hispanic Office of Planning and Evaluation
Joe Gannon - Institute for Commmunity Based Computers
Mel King - Community Fellows Program, M.I.T.
Diana Lam - Chelsea Superintendent of Schools
Antonia Stone - Playing to Win
Moderator: Lisa Breit - Connect
Available on videocassette.
The founder of Teknica, Michael Urmann, discussed his volunteer
organization which provides technical assistance to Nicaragua.
Dr. Maud Chaplin, discussed technology and human freedom from a
philosophical and ethical point of view.
Mike Basch, of Synectics Inc, desribed how he incorporates computers
into problem solving workshops.
Social Impact sponsored a panel discussion on Home Based Enterprises
and helped form this new BCS group.
In the spring of 1990, Social Impact sponsored a series on the potential
and perils of the open networks of the nineties.
William H. Murray, Fellow at Ernst and Young spoke on Influence, Power, and
Control in the Networks of the Nineties.
Fred Hapgood, science writter, gave a talk on Networks and The American
Perestroika. Anatol Holt of Coordination Technology, talked about his book
"The Mechanics of Organized Human Activity".
Jerome Glenn, Executive Director of the American Council of the United
Nation University described ideas from his book "Future Mind: Artificial
Intelligence - Merging the Mystical and the Technology".
For information about audio tapes, phone 1-800-535-TALK or (CT and
world) 203-637-0270. For further information about the Social Impact
group or to receive our Internet email distribution, contact Ian
Wells, director, at 617-665-5136 (8:00 - 10:00pm) or by email at
bcs-ssi@compass.com.
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COMPUTERS FOR PRESCHOOLERS: CHILD'S PLAY?
Ian Wells
Boston Computer Society Social Impact Group
Carl and Naomi really enjoy playing games on my 'puter at work. Now
they are preschoolers. Will my children be better equipped for life
in the 21st century if they start using computers now? What is the
best age to introduce them to computers? A lot of money, thought and
time rides on the answers to these questions. So to find out, I asked
two excellent educators with quite different experiences to address
a meeting of the Social Impact group.
Both educators have an obvious love of teaching and both enjoy
children. Mario Pagnoni is a computer teacher in the Methuen public
school system. He has written an informative and well- reviewed book
describing preschoolers using computers called "Computers and Small
Fries". Stephen Blumquist is a grade 1-8 teacher at the Waldorf
school in Lexington, MA. Computers are not used by students in the
Waldorf system of education until 8th grade.
The school systems they teach in are quite different - Waldorf is
private and Methuen is public; the Waldorf education stresses
educating the whole child, the Methuen stresses conventional skills,
such as the 3 R's. Both speakers gave descriptions of their teaching
experiences with and without computers and both brought along examples
of students' work.
Mario has had wonderful experiences with preschoolers and computers in
his wife's Home Preschool. To provide material for his book, he set
up an Apple computer in the preschool and obtained a sampling of
childrens' software from publishers. At the Social Impact meeting, he
demonstrated the types of computer software that kids enjoy, such as
FACE MAKER, which allows children to construct a variety of faces and
then animate them (eyes wink, ears wiggle, etc) and BUILD A BOOK ABOUT
YOU, which contains everything you need to create, print out and bind
two personalized childrens' storybooks. This program creates 32 full-
color, illustrated pages that are then bound in a washable hard cover.
In the KINDERCOP game, the child pushes a key on a "Muppet Learning
Keys" (an over-size keyboard with special kid- orientated icon
uttons). The pressed letter appears dancing and changing colors on
the screen. This helps the child learn the letter. The programs were
entrancing - the antecdotes delightful. "Is this a girl computer or a
boy computer?" asks one child. Devony answered that "It must be boy
computer, because it does mistakes".
Mario works with computers and high school students everyday. He
recognizes that computers for kids are oversold, but underneath the
hype, he sees that computers will be a big part of our childrens'
futures. Mario enjoys computer technology. Nobody knows for certain
what will happen in the future, but if computers are to be a major
part of the future, we may as well start early to ease them into a
computing environment. His enthusiasm is based on the straightforward
observation that computers and small fries can be fun. Computers in
public schools can improve skill levels in specific tasks and may even
help girls maintain an interest in mathematics that many girls seem to
lose in about grade 5.
Despite the apparent urgency not to let our children miss out on the
computers, Mario supports a common-sense approach to computers. He
believes computers are not good for teaching everything. The best way
to teach reading is by reading to your kids. Mario's experience has
shown him that computers are powerful educational tools. However,
they do not replace teachers. A key factor in teaching preschoolers
with computers is the teacher. Mario's computer workstation includes
room for the preschooler and teacher to work side by side.
Stephen Blumquist teaches grades 1 to 8 (in Waldorf education, one
teacher takes the students through all grades). He uses no computers
in his classroom, not because of fear of the technology itself, but
because of the Waldorf philosophy of education. This philosophy was
developed in the 1930's in Germany by Rudolf Steiner. There are
hundreds of Waldorf schools worldwide including several in the Boston
area.
In the Waldorf view, childhood consists of three stages - children up
to 7 years old learn by imitation and applying their will; feelings
and imagination are paramount in children ages 7-14; when children are
14-21 years old, their thinking and intellect fully emerge. Stephen
described the Waldorf preschool with its emphasis on socialization,
finger plays, working with natural materials and singing.
A previous speaker at the Social Impact group, Shoshana Zuboff of the
Harvard University School of Business Administration, described the
job of a worker in the information age as "push a button and watch".
Stephen wonders if pushing a button and watching allows a preschooler
to express their will as effectively as painting with a paintbrush.
In an interesting contrast to the computer program-generated letters
and books, Stephen displayed the books that his students had written
themselves. When the children learn their letters, they spend 3 full
school days on each letter and draw several pictures associated with
that letter in their book. Later they wrote and illustrated their own
stories.
There is a fundamental question to be answered - what are the goals of
early childhood education? Alan November, computer teacher in Newton
and a winner of the Christa McAuliffe Educator award, spoke at a BCS
Education subgroup meeting I attended. He feels that education should
allow students to acquire skills needed to survive and thrive in the
21st century. The skills he considered crucial are the ability to
make decisions on the basis of limited information, communication,
accessing information, computation and teamwork.
Although Alan once had the hope that the introduction of computers
into schools would improve education, he now feels this will not
happen unless other changes first occur in schools, such as changes in
management structure, curriculum, and the role the teacher plays in
education.
Teachers must be allowed to demonstrate in the classroom the same
skills that they are teaching. Assuming Alan's list is the best list,
at what age should we help children acquire these skills? Are
computers helping children to acquire these skills? What is the best
way to introduce kids to computers? Stephen feels that it certainly
is possible to make childrean acquire intellectual skills at an early
age. He considers it more important, however, that when children are
14 years old and ready to be intellectual, they are enthusiastic to be
intellectual and their imaginations are sufficient to find solutions
to tough problems.
Young children tend to see themselves as part of the whole world
including computers. Kids hate to be torn away from an engrossing
computer game. Time is suspended. What is the effect of time
suspension on children who cannot fully distance themselves from the
computer? After I heard Stephen describing how he nurtures balanced
capacities in his students at each age, and after I heard how Mario
observed young children enthusiastically taking to preschool
computers, I thought again about what are my goals for the education
of my young children. Are computers significant to this education?
Books such as "The Hurried Child" point out the possibilities of
burnout in children who are pushed too early. Can the use of a
computer by a preschooler lead to burnout later?
Both Stephen and Mario are effective teachers attuned to their
students and they both admit they do not know the effects of early
childhood computer exposure. Where they differ is in what they see as
the important skills children will need in the next century. Stephen
asks the question "How do I provide the best possible education for
young children?" Mario asks, given that I have this marvelous
educational technology, how can I use it most effectively? For Mario,
the computer is a fun way of spending quality time with a child and to
have fun while learning some basic skills. Stephen nutures learning
by selecting topics and methods that match the child's capabilities at
each age. Stephen and Mario both demonstrate that the care they
express for their students is more important than the tools they each
choose to use.
Each parent must make their own choice. What am I going to do for
Carl and Naomi? I am a parent who cannot do everything, so I will
concentrate my time on what is most important. Computers are not most
important. I feel that "push a button and watch" will be important in
my childrens' future but this skill can be learned quickly at any age.
In fact, future computers will be far easier to use than any we have
today. However, learning teamwork and problem solving takes parental
time and attention. So I will continue to give my children some
access to computers because they are interested, but I will limit the
access. I feel the interaction kids have with any computer are
insignificant compared to their interactions with adults and with each
other.
For information about Waldorf education, write to: Stephen Blumquist
at the Waldorf School, 739 Mass Avenue, Lexington, 02173.
For information about the "Computers and Small Fries" book or
newsletter, write to Mario Pagnoni at PO Box 608, Methuen, MA 01844.
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COMPUTER LITERACY EDUCATION
This is a writeup of the presentation that Dr. Ronni Rosenberg of
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility made to the Boston
Computer Society Social Impact group in June 1989 meeting. Reprinted
from 1989 IMPACT, the newsletter of the BCS Social Impact Group One
Center Plaza, Boston MA 02108 USA.
Dr. Ronni Rosenberg believes that computer literacy as a fundamental
skill (like reading and writing) is oversold, misapplied, basically
trivial in many applications, and not demonstrably up to its claims
for education. She believes that while computers can be useful tools,
mandatory computer education is unjustified. Many well-intentioned
schools and dedicated teachers are striving to overcome the serious
flaws that characterize computer-literacy education: vague goals,
inadequate hardware, bad software, and poor training. But in many
cases, enthusiasm for computers and education has less to do with the
educational value of computers than with a complex web of social
pressures on educators.
The euphoria about computers in schools can be a smokescreen,
diverting attention from fundamental educational problems which do NOT
have technological solutions, such as the demoralizing environments in
which many primary and secondary-school teachers work, and the lack of
"real" literacy among many graduates. Where Dr. Rosenberg's analysis
of computer literacy diverges from others is in her fundamental
question. She wants to know *whether* computers can be used
effectively to solve educational problems; she does not want to know
"how" to effectively use computers once they are in the schools. She
also wants to know what computer literacy is and she wants educators
to explain what education methodology it fits into. She questions
whether providing computer literacy is an effective use of scarce
educational resources and she would like an explanation of why the
stated goals of computer literacy are so different from what is really
happening in schools.
When Dr. Rosenberg asked educators why they felt it was important to
teach computer literacy, she found their answers fell into one of
three groups: 1. Computer jobs skills will be needed by everyone. 2.
Learning about computers is good discipline for the mind. 3. Every
informed citizen in today's society needs to know about computers.
Although these views are widely held, nowhere in the literature does
anyone offer justification for them. Dr. Rosenberg maintains that
these reasons for teaching computer literacy do not stand up to close
examination.
The Argument of Jobs: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that
the occupational outlook is for more jobs in menial areas. The number
of high tech jobs is far lower than most people think - actually
computer companies will be hiring more janitors and clerical workers
than programmers. Many so-called computerized jobs, such as grocery
store clerks using barcode readers and air traffic controllers have
jobs that depend on computers, but not on computer-literacy skills.
Studies of how automation actually occurs repudiates the premise that
increased automation will require increased job skills.
The trend is towards computerized machines that are easier to use and
that therefore require less computer-literacy to use. As for future
jobs that will require computer literacy skills, educational
proponents may wish current computer literacy courses were teaching
students how to be really skilled with data, to really understand
complex systems, and how to better refine knowledge from data. But
computer literacy courses are not teaching. Some say computer
literacy is needed to help graduates in making decisions. It has been
found that decision-making depends as much on human experience and
unanticipated events as it does on algorithmic processes. When
businesses are asked what skills they are looking for, they list
written, oral and interpersonal skills, mathematical skills and
behavioral traits and attitudes related to sound business practices.
These are lacking in many of today's graduates, whether they are
computer literate or not.
The Argument of Mental Discipline: Will electronic learners think on
higher levels than paper and pencil learners? Advocates of the mental
discipline argument believe that exposure to computers will cause
students to become *better* thinkers (i.e. more logical) in domains
other than computing. For example, using word processing to improve
writing skills will train people to organize their thoughts better.
Scientific studies have not supported this hypothesis. Students who
best adapt to word processing are those who are already accustomed to
planning before writing. Word processors are convenient tools, that
more and more people rely on, but they do not address the most
difficult tasks involved in learning to write. Several studies have
been done to explicitly find a correlation between increased mental
discipline and computer literacy, but the results are inconclusive and
contradictory.
Studies of "Logo Children" have shown that these children tend to ask
more questions and to self-correct their errors. Some researchers
believe that they do this, not because of Logo, but because of the
extra attention ( for example, videotaping of the class by MIT
researchers) they are getting in the study. This reminded me of what
one experienced educator once told me: "every educational experiment
is doomed to success". The extra attention that is given to pilot
educational projects often gives the students and teachers incentive
to make the project successful, no matter what the experiment is.
When the pilot project becomes part of the curriculum, the results are
less spectacular.
Dr. Rosenberg has heard as many stories about computer literacy
successes as failures. The mental discipline argument is a great
hope, but it remains an unsubstatiated one. The Argument of the
Informed Citizen: To participate fully in society that uses computers,
it is argued that citizens must be computer literate: "Computers are
everywhere so people must need to know about them to function".
People who are not computer literate will be "technopeasants" and at a
great disadvantage in all areas of life. Dr. Rosenberg pointed out
that, although computers may be omnipresent, it does not follow that
we all need to know how computers work. We all drive cars - do we all
need to be be automobile-literate?
The correct analogy to computers may be electric motors. These are
devices embedded everywhere but we do not need to be motor- literate.
Today's computer literacy courses may be doing "harm" by turning out
people whose model of computation is extremely simplistic but
nevertheless consider themselves computer literate. Large computer
systems are qualitatively different than the programs students
encounter in computer literacy classes. Graduates of such courses do
not help them contribute to public policy.
Why do schools start computer literacy programs? Her interviews with
computer literacy teachers indicate that enthusiasm in the class room
about computers has already begun to wane. The novelty is wearing
off. Dr. Rosenberg pointed out how the social pressures in school
environment is conducive to the introduction of computers, yet the
goals of computer literacy are completely different than what actually
happens in the classroom.
The enthusiasm for computers is often a statement of what is wrong
with schools. A typical school is a place where there is a shortage
of all physical resources - even xerox copies and paper clips are hard
to come by - and there is an attitude of rationing towards all
materials. Advertisements, parents, administrators and the social
culture pressure educators to teach children something about
computers.
Computers typically arrive in schools in a way most computer
professionals would regard as backwards. First the hardware is
purchased (often with outside funding). Then computer programs are
purchased. Finally it is recognized that all this investment is
wasted if the teachers are not trained to use it and computers are not
integrated into the curriculum, so training begins and committees are
set up to recommend how to use the equipment. Precollege teaching in
this country is a low prestige profession and teachers have little
control over their jobs. Glitzy software and hardware can be a means
to give computer teachers control and prestige in their work. College
professors who were surveyed did not find that high school students
who had had computer literacy courses were at any advantage over those
who had none. In fact, some professors complained of having to
unteach students who had been misinformed in such courses!
At the end of her presentation, Dr. Rosenberg said she is always asked
whether she supports any form of computer literacy education and so
she answered the question before it was asked. She does believe a
computer literacy course could be offered. Topics covered would
include the myth of computer infallibility, incomprehensible systems,
computer ethics, simulations and their limits, real world applications
and computer monitoring techniques. This course would not meet a
technical need and would not be mandatory.
Biography: Dr. Rosenberg is the first MIT Computer Science student to
receive an advanced degree in Societal Implications of Computers. She
received her Ph.D. degree in Science, Technology and Society February
1989 and the title of her thesis is "Computer Literacy Education".
Dr.Rosenberg is currently a NSF post-doctoral fellow at the Kennedy
School at Harvard University working on issues of computers and civil
liberties.
Further information: A comprehensive description of her work can be
found in "Computer Literacy Education" (MIT/LCS/TR-433 January 1989,
available from the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science, 545 Technology
Square, Cambridge,MA 02139). This meeting was recorded by
Powersharing Tapes and the audio cassette can be purchased for about
$8 by phoning 1-800-535- TALKor (CT and world) 1-203-637-0270.
Powersharing can be reached via email at 76146.1472@compuserve.com.
Dr. Rosenberg can be reached at Internet address ronni@ksr.com.
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AN ENTREPREURIAL IDEA
From: Boston Computer Society Social Impact Group IMPACT
newsletter, 1988
Scott Mize's well-prepared talk " a proposal for using information
technology to facilitate the redistribution of surplus food" is a
challenge to all socially minded entrepreneurs to apply their
innovative and organizational skills to the social problems of our
age.
Scott is well qualified to be called "entrepreneur". At college
he started a "young entrepreneurs" group which grew into a
national organization which has annual conferences. He started a
software company called "Strawberry Software" and is in the
process of obtaining funding for a startup in the field of neural
networks. Scott's idea for this food redistribution scheme began
when Scott met Lawrence "C.T." Butler, an organizer of the
successful 8 year old non-profit Cambridge-based organization
"Food for Free". The two immediately started working on ways that
modern information technology could be used to improve getting
surplus food and redistributing it to the hungry. This meeting
resulted in the proposal that we heard. Scott stressed that his
work is only at the proposal stage. He has yet to present this
proposal to "Food for Free" and he is actively looking for
computer people to implement this plan.
Scott feels there is a new trend in the field of entrepreneurship-- a
trend to applying entrepreneurial spirit to non-profits. Scott's
presentation is an example of this trend.It was surprising to hear
business terms such as "targeting markets", "consumers",
"distributors", even "franchising" being applied to feeding the
hungry! Conventional businesses maximize profits; non-profits strive
to maximize their "ROI" -- ratio of value to cost. Note that the
statistics quoted below are estimated from Cambridge and the proposal
deals with the redistribution of only perishable food.
The concept is based on the successful "Food for Free". Computers can
be key because the redistribution of perishable food is time-critical.
What is the profile of hunger? First Scott defined his "market" - a
typical consumer in this system is called a "GTBH" -- a person who
Goes To Bed Hungry. This is estimated to be 10% of the population.
Only 20 to 25% of the GTBHs are street people. The average GTBHs keeps
quiet about their situation, they are often single mothers with low
income, unemployed, elderly on fixed income or ill. They are
typically fiercely proud of their self sufficiency, they are poor and
under-educated. In fact, they only need assistance for 1 or 2 years
of their whole lives.
Scott defines the "Food Chain" as the sequence of organizations that
cooperate to get food from the farm to your plate. These include
farmers, farmer co-ops, packagers, distributors, retailers and finally
consumers. Food is typically discarded at each step of the chain, not
because it is unusable but for business reasons - restaurants cook
more food than is ordered, caterers deliver more food than is eaten
etc. It seems that every food organization throws away 10% of its
food. This adds up to an immense volume. It works out that only one
half of the farmers' food is ever eaten! What about the discarded
food? 60% of this is edible, 40% is inedible.
This edible discarded food then represents a vast source of supply for
feeding the GTBHs. In fact, there is more free food in our food
system than there are hungry people capable of eating it. "Food for
Free" picks up edible food that is being discarded by distributors and
retailers and provides it to churches and shelters throughout
Cambridge. An analysis of "Food for Free" demonstrates that the
average meal it provides costs 15 cents and it is now supplying 30% of
the GTBHs in Cambridge with food. The remaining 70% will be harder to
reach and probably more expensive to feed. Scott found a ROI (Value
Money Ratio) of 800% for "Food for Free".In other words, "Food for
Free" is providing meal for 1/8 the cost that comparable distributors
are.
"Food for Free" finds that 50% of the food is in excellent condition.
The key point from such analysis is that there is more than enough
food to go around. The missing elements are accessibility of the
service and real time coordination. Scott's brainwave, tentatively
called "Food Express", is an organization to expand the organization
and obtain more free food from "suppliers" and distribute it to more
"retailers" (churches, meal programs, etc). Scott sees the problem as
market penetration - how to reach those remaining 70% of the potential
market? "Food Express" would have faster on demand food collection
from suppliers, mobile processing, preparation and redistribution from
a "Hub Kitchen". The "Hub Kitchen" could better oversee quality
control of their product.Convenient retail outlets would be used to
distribute food to people who would be typically reticent to obtain
free food. These outlets would likely be churches.
Most potential consumers don't know how where to get information about
such a program so the key to "Food Express" is an information
management system. The image in mind is something like "Federal
Express", where an operator is always available with the latest free
food information.The marketers phone the service representative saying
where and when food is available; prospective customers phone in to
find where the nearest distribution point is. The computer could also
calculate optimum truck routings for food pickup and delivery. "Food
Express" would provide the increased market penetration required to
feed more of the GTBHs it would provided ease of use, more effective
use of societal resources, reduction of government expenditures by
redistributing food to other organizations.
What is needed to make "Food Express" work? People, including a
computer expert, marketing, perhaps an 800 number (how about
800-GET-FOOD?), stickers,trucks (3 to 5 for Cambridge), "Hub kitchen",
convenient outlets. Today there is little infrastructure to spread
this information.The cost estimates indicate the price per meal will
increase as the scale of the organization increases. However the
costs per meal are still so low as to make the program viable.
What are the next steps? Since perishable food distribution is
inherently local, the first step is to create a successful pilot
project and then formulate a plug-in franchise. The idea could be
replicated in any telecommunication-rich community. In fact, the
organization does not have to just distribute food, other free
materials could be redistributed to the needy by a similar system.
Email Scott Mize at mize@applelink.apple.com for further information.
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COMMUNITY MEMORY
>From Social Impact Newsletter 1989
Philosophically Speaking On March 27, 1884, the first long-distance
telephone call was placed by branch managers of the American Bell
Telephone Company between Boston and New York City. Social observers
at the time asked: What does Boston have to say to New York? In 1990,
Community Memory Project's experiments with public access
community-based computer networks are often received with similar
puzzlement. The cohesion of local communities, based on economic and
cultural interdependence has been significantly eroded in contemporary
urban settings. Community Memory links people and their ideas to
create new bonds based on shared interests, commitments and goals.
What is The Community Memory Project? The Community Memory Project is
a California non-profit corporation, dedicated to studying and
promoting the use of new technology in community development. We have
developed a unique model for a community-based information utility,
designed from the ground up as a tool for full participation. Full
participation means removing economic, educational, and cultural
barriers to the use of the system, and allowing each user full
expression. We have named this model Community Memory.
Our Commitments: Insuring all members of the community are able to
participate by providing public access to the Community Memory
network: All of our terminals are in public locations such as
libraries, senior centers, and laundromats. Users may access
information at the terminals for free, and contribute their own
messages for a mere 25 cents. Therefore, use is not limited to only
those who own terminals and modems. Extending anonymity to all who
publish their views and ideas: Authors can write messages using their
real names or pseudonyms. All author names are password protected,
therefore all messages are the property of their authors. Authors are
free to edit or erase their messages at a later date. We provide
users the opportunity to respond to all information found on the
network. This gives rise to the fullest range of expressions and
viewpoints on any subject. Providing access without requiring
registration or subscription; The system is designed for casual, "drop
in" use. People use Community Memory on an "as needed" basis. This
contrasts with the subscription approach of most on-line information
systems. Making telecommunications tools elegant in their simplicity
and usability.
Community Memory has a simple, intuitive, visual interface. People
can operate the terminals without prior computer experience.
Community Memory is designed as a database, so that information on any
subject from a wide variety of contributors can be located quickly.
Expiration dates on messages can be designated by the authors.
Leveraging technology to maximize utility while minimizing costs and
resources: A workstation/server architecture using local intelligence
to handle all user interface functions delivers a high quality user
interface at a low per-user cost. Community Memory software supports
two to five times the number of users as conventional architectures
running on the same hardware. The user interface is stored as part of
the database, and multiple simultaneous interfaces are supported.
This feature can be used to provide the interface in a number of
languages, or to customize versions for particular applications.
Indexing systems for different interest areas are also independently
customizable.
Community Memory is supported by funds from the Telecommunications
Education Trust, established by the California Public Utilities
Commission.
THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION IS NOW AT YOUR LAUNDROMAT, and
other Berkeley locations
By: Tom Nemcik 415/841-1114
(Tom is the project director of the Berkeley node of CM )
Everyman's Network
A grass-roots nonprofit group in Berkeley is leveraging inexpensive
computer hardware and unique software designs with public placement of
terminals to counter the two fundamental barriers associated with
computer-based telecommunications: lack of access , and the complexity
of the tools.
Unique design and implementation features are making it possible for
everyone in the community to participate in on-line dialogue. On an
average day, 150 people read and write messages on a wide range of
subjects using publicly placed terminals at locations as varied as
libraries and laundromats. The group is the Community Memory Project
(CMP), the network is called Community Memory (CM).
CMP board and staff believe that computer networks can help bridge the
division and isolation existing in many geographic communities,
provided those networks are designed and implemented specifically for
that purpose. The diversity, richness, and uniqueness of a community
goes mostly unrecognized and unchronicled because traditional social
and economic bonds have weakened or disintegrated. Community Memory
is designed specifically to give rise to new bonds and connections
based on interests and needs. Individuals in the same geographic
community who may otherwise never meet, now have an opportunity to
connect around issues, common concerns, and interests.
What's Online In Berkeley? The network is a mere six months old. As
with any infant, it is far too early to predicts how its character,
personality, intelligence, or even size will develop. Practical uses
of the network have been the first to attract a following. People are
using CM to find housing, sell cars and household items, and pose
questions like: "Where do I find a good chimney sweep?" A visit to the
services forum where free-lancers, odd-jobbers and the home employed
list and describe their wares can provide one with house cleaners,
gardeners, painters, a roofer, a sign maker, an auto mechanic and a
number of computer programmers.
One finds lively discussions on a variety of subjects, ranging from
literature, to the legalization of drugs issue, to whether leaf
blowers should be banned in the city. Several city departments are
using CM to publish information. Short of going to City Hall to
pick-up an agenda, CM is the only way to find out the scheduled
proceedings for upcoming city council meetings. There are calendars
of community, environmental, school and literary events. A social
services directory includes listings for emergency housing, food, and
medical care a well as a wide range of available non-emergency
assistance programs.
Public Acesss and Outreach to the Under-enfranchised Currently, seven
terminals are operating throughout Berkeley. Sites include: four
libraries, a senior center, a student dormitory, and a 24-hour
laundromat. Ten sites in all are planned in the first year. While
there are plans to eventually make the network accessible to PC
owners, for the time being it is a closed network. Participation is
through public terminals only. To attract broad usage, training is
held for members of the community least likely to be familiar with
this technology: seniors, at-risk youth, and low income families.
CMP's Education Director, Evelyn Pine conducts workshops at the public
sites and maintains schedules for staffing the terminals with
volunteers who assist new users. The network and accompanying
educational activities are supported by funds from the
Telecommunications Education Trust, established by the California
Public Utilities Commission.
Friendly Look and Feel
People least familiar with computers, often view them with the
greatest apprehension. To make CM as non-intimidating as possible,
the appearance of the computer was significantly downplayed by blond
wood cabinet enclosures for the hardware that serve as freestanding
kiosks. Modified keyboards feature candy-colored keys: yellow, red,
green, lilac, and blue. The colors accentuate the arrow keys, enter,
f1, f2, and f3 - the basic keys needed to operate the system.
Accompanying explanatory text is printed on the same colors and is
mounted above the keyboard for quick reference. Users can also take
the same instructions with them in a fold-up wallet size.
A coin slot, similar to ones found on pay phones is perhaps the most
curious part of the kiosk. While reading messages on CM for any
duration is absolutely free, writing a message costs a quarter.
Without the quarter, the terminal will not send the message to the
database for storage. However, once a message is written, the author
may return to it at a later date and edit it for free since all
messages are password protected. The coin box serves two important
functions: it is an effective "nonsense filter," and an attempt at
making terminals self-supporting. Ten new messages ($2.50) need to be
added each day at a terminal in order for that terminal to be
self-supporting. This not only defrays phone line costs, but also the
amortized hardware costs of one terminal.
The Personal Touch
CM staff, in addition to other responsibilities, add the personal
touch to training. They are involved with teaching people who have
never touched a computer; what a cursor is, the uses of the enter key,
the importance of a password, and the like. In 45- minute training
sessions, people learn how to navigate throughout the system, how to
find messages in a topic of interest to them, how to reply to an
existing message, and how to write and index a message. This is the
area in which a great deal of work needs to be done if anyone even
wants to begin to speak of public access or critical mass.
Take Me to the Forum
All writing on CM is in the form of messages. Messages are the basic
units of information on the system, and are grouped by topic in
"forums." A message can be included in more than one forum. Since
anyone may start a new forum, there are no restrictions on what
subjects or topics people discuss. Anyone who starts a new forum
becomes that forum's host, and gains the authority to purge messages
from his/her forum, thus keeping it topical and pertinent. Forum
hosts also establish recommended indexes for their forums. Authors of
messages can use the recommended index words, or specify their own
index words for the messages they write. Messages may be added
directly to any forum(s), or may be attached to a specific message as
a direct response to that message. This opportunity to "talk back" to
any message gives rise to feedback, controversy, questioning,
de-bunking and lively debate in general. Since responses can
facilitate further responses, long and fascinating branches of
messages can evolve from a single root message. One gets the feeling
of navigating through a neural network instead of a linear arrangement
of information.
What has been the first message most people write about? It is almost
always a request for a service, assistance or advice that hopefully,
another Community Memory user will respond to. Here is a system that
enhances and facilitates face-to-face encounters rather than
supplanting them. A safe generalization is that people who use
Community Memory really desire contact, and since the system is
readily accessible, easy to utilize, and geographically restricted, it
CAN serve as a source for human connections rather than being a
conduit for random information from throughout the country/ world.
For the Technically Curious
A workstation/server architecture using local intelligence to handle
all user interface functions delivers a high quality user interface at
a low per-user cost. Community Memory software supports two to five
times the number of users as conventional architectures using the same
hardware. XT clones are used as terminals, and a 386 machine using
the UNIX operating system serves as the database. The user interface
is stored as part of the database, and multiple, simultaneous
interfaces can be supported. This feature can be used to provide the
interface in a number of languages, or to customize versions for
particular needs. Indexing systems for different interest areas are
also independently customizable. The goals and ideas behind this
unique on-line environment are now being tested by an entire city. We
will be reporting our findings and surprises as they happen.
For those interested in being on the CMP mailing list can write the
project at 2617 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702, phone
415-841-1114, or Tom Nemcik email at cdp!tnemcik@labrea.stanford.edu.
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