The WC-SG Free-Net's Impact

The Worth County - Sylvester, Georgia Free-Net (WC-SGFN) is a fascinating case to study because it seems that a set of external conditions happened to be aligned in such a way that the system has been diverted into a sort of developmental backwater.

I do not mean to make it sound like anyone has deliberately caused the WC-SGFN to stagnate; quite the opposite. System operator (sysop) Kent Guske and evangelist Michael Segers have been working very hard to renew community interest in the system. But the fact remains that somehow that interest was largely lost.

One force that I suspect was crucial, and whose influence Guske does not deny, was widespread disappointment with the NovaServer software. It has required intensive supervision from the sysop and prolonged patience from the users. Individuals and organizations who were initially excited about the Free-Net -- it was, after all, Georgia's first -- were probably turned off by its unreliability when it arrived and have likely not returned after their first few visits.

Retaining sources of funding in such a situation must be a challenge. However, even a total loss of funding and interest has been survived by a few community networks; for instance, the Tri-Cities Free-Net totally ran out of funding in March, 1993 but continued to operate through the dedication of its volunteers (McComb & Evans, ¶17).

WC-SGFN made the decision to ask the users themselves for donations in exchange for access time. Non-paying users are limited to 20 minutes per day; I have no information about the cost of additional time. Unfortunately, this condition of payment has brought the Free-Net into competition with commercial Internet service providers (ISPs) (Guske).

The NovaTerm client software used to access the Free-Net offers not only telnet capability but also a graphical Web browser. Schuler predicts that "If [a Web browser] is used to access nonlocal URLs [that is, Web pages], the distinction between local community information and information on remote sites will become increasingly blurred in the minds of the users." (p.314) Hence, WC-SGFN appears to be as much a gateway to the Internet as a local community service.

But then, the Internet access sold by ISPs is faster and richer than that provided by the Free-Net. The result is that "What you see on our system is folks who are learning. Our experience is that once they learn they are gone to one or more of the [ISPs]." (Guske)

WC-SGFN's response to this threat is inspiring: Michael Segers became an evangelist. He writes a weekly column called Worth On-Line for the local newspaper, in which he extolls the virtues and capabilities of the Free-Net and trivializes the advantages of ISPs with a hearty dose of humor. "Many of us get frequent mailings from national commercial computer services, including a couple of computer disks. I was asked if there is anything we can do with these disks. Yes, if you look at the square holes at one end of the disk, you will see that one of them has a movable square which can be pushed down over it. Then, you can use the disk to record all the great material you get on our Free-net. They also make great coasters." (Segers, Aug. 5) I think what makes his columns so inspiringly honest is that he began writing them as a new user of the system and continues to write from the perspective of a newcomer, with eyes full of wonder for the community's free electronic resource.

I believe that NPTN and the community networking field at large can learn a lot from studying WC-SGFN and other systems which have not thrived in the way that CFN and GLFN would lead us to expect they should. However, it is important that we not look at this system not as a failure but as a challenge, an example of what a Free-Net can achieve when the odds are against it.

"What I am proud of is we have provided a service for our community. We have given it a presence on the internet and the world. Do you see the community of Albany online. NO. Do you see Columbus, GA online. NO. What our board is trying to do is keep a sense of community. We may fail. If we do then the future may see no community networks. ... I think our importance to the community has just begun. I think that once the community realizes that we represent their interest then we will continue to exist." (Guske)

continuing issues

WC-SGFN has a "sense of community"

I was not able to gather enough information about the system to answer this either way. However, I know that its sysop has been working very hard to maintain its community focus even as he peppers it with links to the outside world.

WC-SGFN encourages communication between people who live far apart, not neighbors

"I HAVE HAD MORE COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE SIX MONTHS I'VE BEEN ON-LINE WITH THE FREENET THAN I HAD HAD IN ALMOST 20 YEARS PRIOR. ... IN A LOCAL NETWORK LIKE THIS, MOST OF THE PEOPLE YOU MEET ONLINE ARE PEOPLE YOU MAY BUMP I NTO ON THE STREET." (Segers Jul. 14)

small businesses can use WC-SGFN to pool their resources and compete against chains

I am not aware of any area on the system set aside for local businesses.

WC-SGFN replaces existing community institutions

As mentioned already, the Free-Net has come into competition with local ISPs. However, it seems more likely that they have replaced it rather than the other way around.

women and political minorities are underrepresented on WC-SGFN

Of the ten active users I intended to survey -- that is, the ten people other than the sysop who had posted at least once to message forums -- only three were women. I have no information about race or other criteria.

WC-SGFN is "accessible easily and comfortably with little waste of energy or time." (Sudia, p.10)

I was frustrated during my research by the 20-minute time limit, the ability of NovaTerm to do only one thing at a time, and the general slowness of NovaServer's response (although unlike First Class, NovaTerm does not easily give up on intermittent Internet connections). My experience with other NovaServer systems suggests that local users also experience similar delays. On the other hand, the text interface is slightly faster and offers almost all the same functionality as NovaTerm.

it prefers community culture to mass culture (Schuler, p.33)

I am certain that Guske would prefer community culture if it were more forthcoming, but in its absence he has added more and more links to Internet sites.

it prefers "democracy over autocracy" (Schuler, p.33) and is "on neutral ground" (Oldenberg via Schuler, p.42)

I got the impression that most of the eleven active users I encountered (including, of course, the sysop) were in some way members of the Free-Net's governing body. Whether this is considered total democracy or oligarchy is open for interpretation.

"the mood is playful" (Oldenberg via Schuler, p.42)

Segers's Worth Online column provided a much-needed shot of playfulness during my exploration of the system.

"one may go alone at almost any time of the day or evening with assurances that acquaintances will be there." (Oldenberg via Schuler, p.47)

With 190 active users (Guske), it would be a simple matter to get to know every user of the system. Many times when I logged in, however, generally on weekday evenings, no one else was there.

the system has been "front-loaded" with "talkative, diverse people" (Godwin)

I have no doubt that the Free-Net's organizing committee tried to do this. However, it seems not to have stuck in the same way as it did in the other two systems I studied.

it promotes continuity (Godwin)

Like GLFN, this system is in a state of flux, and its menu structure changed while I was in the process of outlining it. I think this constant change is totally understandable, however, and rather than confusing users it may serve to keep them interested.

the system confronts "the users with a crisis" (Godwin)

I think there can be little doubt of this. My only concern is that the crisis will continue longer than the users' concern.

it creates "far more demand than [it] can accomodate." (Two)

The system could easily handle more users. If all 190 users each called for their full 20 minutes in the same day, the six modems would still only be busy 44% of the time.

the system involves "community members and organizations in the process" and addresses "real world problems using primarily real (nonprofessional) people to do it." (Schuler, p.xiii)

Unlike the two other Free-Nets, most of the areas devoted to real-world problems on WC-SGFN contain only links to Internet resources.