DINNER SESSION GUEST SPEAKER, DR. TOM GRUNDNER INSTIGATOR OF NPTN Tom gave a moving speech on the past, present and future of Community Based Networking and the impact that these networks can have on communities both locally and globally. He praised the efforts of Canadian pioneers in this field and delivered a stirring challenge to organize on a national basis. By doing so other groups around the world would be drawn together into an International Cybercasting Union that would further the efforts of community based networking on a world wide basis. HIGHLIGHTS: * Telecomputing is the fourth medium. It combines characteristics of print, radio and TV to create a new and vibrant medium of communication. * The FreeNet movement is sustained by the belief that 20 to 30 years from now there will be a public telecomputing network. * To avoid the development of two classes in the new information society you have to ensure that the "gas station attendent" has access to the network and a reason to be there. * Community Networks offer a middle ground between the BBS community and more commercial services such as Prodigy, GEnie and Compuserve. * Communities have a responsibility to build the network. If they don't add content they are just "strip mining the Internet". Communities have to build content and services. * We have to start building the settlements in the new "electronic" frontier. * NREN is not a savior. It doesn't make sense to build NREN in absence of a parallel development in community networking. * It doesn't make sense to build K-12 networks without a parallet community network to fill learning needs that span K-100. The current situation is like having obligatory Driver's Ed in a world without cars. * What is really needed is a National Community Network. * It is the turn of this present generation to take up the challenge of building the next level of public infrastructure. If the Canadians organize nationally they will have the support of the Americans, Germans, Finns and others around the world in the formation of an International Cybercasting Union -- a national movement of community based networks.