THEME SESSION I - HOW TO START AND RUN A FREENET: THE ORGANIZATION OF FREENETS Wednesday, August 18 10:15 - 11:15am Gareth R. Shearman, Victoria Freenet WIRING THE WEST - FREENETS AND MORE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA Mr. Shearman outlined the development of the various public-access networks that have been unfolding in British Columbia since the early 1980's, and offered reasons why they have been successful building these networks. The single most important factor in assembling a successful FreeNet, he says, is committed, enthusiastic people. Every FreeNet is dependant on the dedication of its volunteers. These people are what will in the end make or break the endeavour. Mr. Shearman cites the close personal contact between the FreeNet's administrators and users as another reason for the success. By helping new users directly, either by explaining the technical issues clearly, or by simply outlining what services are available and where to find them, helps build a strong user base. The idea of "Personal Human Networks" is also an critical one, he says. Building a comprehensive network of people is important to be able to resolve technical, administrative, and financial problems quickly. Networks are by their very nature dependant on strong links between people. Sam Sternberg, Toronto FreeNet Treasurer and Committee Chairperson for Data Resources and Fund-Raising. FUNDING FREENETS Sam Sternberg addressed the issue of raising funds when starting FreeNets. To begin, he summed up his estimate of the likely success of this fundraising in one word: "Cakewalk." It is his experience that raising resources for FreeNets is indeed relatively easy. One point that he stressed was to recognize that money is only one of many resources that a FreeNet should try to acquire; equally important are actual computer hardware donations, and the personal knowledge and technical expertise that many people have to offer. Mr. Sternberg described four main sources to tap when fundraising: INDIVIDUALS. This is the primary source of income to the Toronto FreeNet. They offer a stable source of funds, and are often willing to donate relatively large amounts of money. "Major" donors have contributed hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars towards the FreeNet cause. GOVERNMENT. Government resources are plentiful - but they are often not very well documented. He suggested that list be compiled to outline some of these resources to people trying to start FreeNets. Government funding can be difficult to deal with for FreeNets, as uncomfortable political issues may arise. Mr. Sternberg suggests that financial contributions from government sources be limited to contracts, where the FreeNets are paid for providing specific services, as opposed to general "goodwill" donations. Government funds should not be relied on as "core" funding. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. These are often overlooked sources of funding. Many such institutions are willing to donate to services like FreeNets, if they are informed of what they have to offer to the community as a whole. CORPORATIONS. The corporate world has vast financial resources, and requires that relatively little "red tape" be cut in order to take advantage of them. Also, it is Mr. Sternberg's experience that the higher up the corporate ladder a contact is made, the faster the results will be. In general, Mr. Sternberg noted that it is important to be creative when fundraising. Also, it is vital that research be performed to discover where sources of funding may be found. Finally, it pays to recruit well-spoken individuals to approach possible sources of funding. David Loan, Chairperson, Community Relations Committee, National Capital FreeNet. IF I HAD TO START ANOTHER FREENET, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW: Part I David Loan offered general advice on the process of starting a FreeNet, with respect to fundraising and publicity. When approaching possible sources of resources, says Mr. Loan, it is important to explain fully the resources that the FreeNet will offer the community. It is essential to note the FreeNet's capacity as an information service, as a personal email service, and as a forum for public discussion. Mr. Loan also addressed the balance between users and information providers that must be maintained while encouraging the FreeNet to grow. Each depends a great deal on the other. Users are attracted to the FreeNet by the services offered by the information providers, and the information providers are attracted by the large potential audience of the users. An excess of either side, though, will cause that side to atrophy. Publicity is an important aspect of building the population of a FreeNet. To this end, Mr. Loan suggests a close alliance with the media. The National Capital FreeNet, for example, has built a close relationship with the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. By explaining the eNet could offer the Citizen, in the form of a two-way dialogue with it's readers, the NCF forged a link with the paper. This link has helped to put the NCF on the front page of the Citizen three times already, and there is now a possibility that the Citizen will feature an entire column on the Internet. David Sutherland, Director, Computing and Communications Services, Carleton University; and President, National Capital FreeNet Inc. IF I HAD TO START ANOTHER FREENET, KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW: Part II David Sutherland, while not scheduled to speak at this theme session, added a few remarks on the issues involved with launching a FreeNet. It is vitally important, he notes, to focus on the content of the Freenet. The information services provided by the FreeNet must be well-developed before an attempt is made to build the number of users on the system. Also, there is a strong temptation to concentrate on offering "gee-whiz" features -- fancy interfaces and tools -- without backing up these superficial trappings with real substance. One must not lose sight of the fact that a FreeNet's primary function is to distribute information. Like the other speakers, Mr. Sutherland noted that the keystone on which a FreeNet is built is the core of dedicated people that run it. With this in mind, it is extremely important to choose the organizing committee very carefully. These are the people that will ultimately determine the success of the venture.