I. Introduction
Inexpensive and free resources are readily available to neighborhoodassociations and community groups to aid in communications and consensusbuilding. This will outline some sources which may help you betteruse the Internet to meet your objectives.
II. Access to tools: Hardware
a. Multnomah PublicLibrary - All you need is a library card to access the Internet.
b. Equipment donors - FredSmith, a Sabin-based volunteer has started a computer club to rebuildold PCs for community use.
III. Access to tools: Software
The Internet Explorer program shipped with Windows (except versionsbefore 95) works well for internet access, as does the Netscape Communicatorpackage of programs, which can be downloaded for free from http:/www.netscape.com. The latter includes the Netscape Composer program which allows you to createsimple websites starting with documents from your word processor. Many free web site services also have on-line web site building programsfor free.
IV: Access to tools: Education
The Multnomah CountyLibrary has free classes, and the Dummies books on computersand the Internet are excellent.
V. Basic Internet service: Free access vs. paying for an ISP
If you will allow advertisements to be placed on your screen, you canget free basic ISP (Internet Service Provider) connectivity. Suchproviders include http://www.nocharge.com,http://www.freewwweb.com, http://www.worldshare.com,http://free.lycos.com, http://www.worldspy.com,http://www.bluelight.com, http://www.freei.net,http://www.mypoints.com, http://www.thesimpsons.comand http://www.altavista.com. Almost all for-pay ISPs also allow you to have a small web site as partof the basic cost of service, as well as email with one or more email addresses. Teleport for many years has offereda 50% discount for local non-profits, but with their recent buyout, thatmay change. Inexpensive ISPs like http://www.peoplepc.comand http://www.xprt.net cost $9.95/monthfor unlimited service.
VI. Free web-based email
You can obtain a free email account, reachable over the web, from manyproviders, including but not limited to http://mail.yahoo.com,http://www.hotmail.com, http://www.email.comand http://www.mail.com. When youestablish an account, consider selecting a name for the account which connnectsto your association (like king-neighborhood@go.to).
If you already have an ISP account, you can use such an address (an'alias') to help handle your email. Have your email.com or mail.comaccount forward your email to your original account, and have your emailprogram (like Messenger, included free with Netscape Communicator ) 'filter'your community email so it goes into a separate mailbox.
VII. Free web sites
You can get a free web site, at (including but not limited to): http://www.oregonlive.com/cc/, http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/public/howton.html,http://www.freeyellow.com, http://www.hypermart.net/index.gsp,http://www.angelfire.com and http://www.freewebsites.com. The first two are specifically oriented to providing web sites for communitygroups, and I chose the first one for the KingNeighborhood web site after finding the second was too 'busy' and confusingto novice Internet users. Other sites don't have the predetermined format,but instead put ads at the bottom of the web site or add other kinds ofadvertisements.
VIII. Web site names
You can get a different name for your neighborhood's web site, onewhich is shorter, easier to remember or otherwise more suitable. http://go.to(yes, web sites don't have to have www in front of the name) allows youto create a new, more memorable name and then automatically forward peoplefrom the memorable name (like go.to/king-neighborhood)to the original name (like http://community.oregonlive.com/cc/kna). Again, this is advertising-sponsored, you do not need to pay for it. If you want, you can purchase a 'domain' (like <www.yourassociation.org>)for up to $75 for a two year 'registration'.
IX. Search engines to further your knowledge of the Internet
Web sites such as http://www.google.com,http://www.metaeureka.com and http://www.mamma.comhave 'search engines', programs on their computers which will search theInternet for you and return with web sites which may have the informationyou need. Once you get on line, seach for tutorial and the name ofthe thing you want to learn, and the Internet itself will guide you.
X. Searching for your web site
Search engines need to be told where your web site is before they canfind it. Web sites which teach you how to do this, and how to modifyyour web site for better search results, include http://www.101searchengine.com/#& http://www.evandelay.com/freeinternet/fpromo.htm.
XI. Email lists
You can quickly set up a list of everyone in a community, and includestakeholders from outside that community, and then with one email messageto one special address send one email to all of them; and their repliesto that same special address automatically go to everyone on that list. This works very well for community organizing. If your ISP does not offer a 'listserv', you can subscribe to thisfree, advertising-sponsored service at sites like http://www.egroups.com,whose options include:
a) Limiting participation to only those you allow on the list,or leave it open to all.
b) Every email be approved before it appears to others, or leteveryone post what they wish.
c) The list can be unlisted, or it can appear in a list of listsand be searched for
d) Automatic archiving of messages for later retrieval
e) A calendar of events viewable by the Web, and
f) Automatic reminder notices of calendared events.
XII. Protection
If you do have your own computer, please do these three things to keepyourself less unhappy about computing:
1. Always back up your data. Always. At the very least,get a $75 Iomega ZIP drive or a Sony TapeStation drive and copy your datato disk or tape. Windows is a self-breaking system, and it will,sooner or later, lose data for you. Mac systems are not immune, either.
2. Keep the computer and its surrounding area clean. Themost frequent cause of computer failure in the Pacific NW is dust accumulatingin the computer, which not only causes mechanical wear but also stops theinternal airflow needed to keep the PC's parts from cooking and burningup. (Cleaning your own PC is NOT recommended until you're read BuildingA PC For Dummies 2nd Ed. or other similar books, available by on-line reservationfrom the Multnomah County Library http://www.multnomah.lib.or.us/lib/).
3. Purchase a surge protector which meets both the UL 1449 standardfor surge protectors at the 330v level and also meets the UL 587B standardfor telephone line surge protectors. (The 330v figure is the highestover-voltage it will allow, so one rated at 330v is better than one ratedat 500v.) The Oregonian has documented damaging telephone line surges,and KGW has shown that old and inferior surge protectors can catch fire(one was even found in the offices of the Portland Fire Bureau). Make sureto plug them into grounded wall sockets. A surge protector connectedby a no-ground adapter will not work, and the exposed connector icreasesthe fire hazard. Many little surges (such as those from air conditioners,electric stoves and dryers, toasters and refrigerators shutting off) havethe cumulative effect of one large surge.
XIII. Online backup:
You can back up your data to free ad-sponsored web sites, and retreive it from them when away from home or office. On-line storage sites include:
http://www.juston.com/ - 50 MB
http://www.freedrive.com/ - 50 MB
http://www.freediskspace.com/ - 300 MB
http://www.idrive.com/ - 50 MB
http://www.xdrive.com/ - 100 MB
The latter is even accessible from palmtop computers by wireless modem.
XIV. Learning more
PCC and MHCC offer a dazzling array of computer courses, but a verysimple and practical way can be to attend the meetings of the PortlandPC User Group or the Portland Mac UserGroup. You can attend as you have time, with no need to registerand you can quickly find folks with just the knowledge you need, not farover your head. The City of Portland's ONI has also offered a course in the past; contact them and see if they willoffer it again in the future.
XIV. Conclusion.
If I created go.to/king-neighborhoodwith just a BS in Journalism, you can build your own web site!