FreeSpace in the Electronic Commons By Bruce MacDonald Realtime Online OTTAWA (1423 hr, Aug. 16/94) - Proponents of FreeSpace, the alternative community network model, place their concept in a niche between freenets and commercial services. In simple terms, FreeSpace offers the grassroots accessibility of a freenet and the sustainability of a commercial service. John Stevenson, a FreeSpace advocate, outlined the benefits of the concept for delegates to the Canadian Community Networks Conference, a gathering of up and running freenet organizers and proposed freenets. FreeSpace, unlike freenets, does involve some level of user fees but, like freenets, promises full community access. Stevenson said some of the services FreeSpace would offer users included free daily access of one to 1.5 hours, flat fee unlimited access, full Internet access at all levels, graphics interface, audio and subsidized equitable access for rural areas. "That's the beginning of the kind of services we want to provide," Stevenson said. Handling costs would be decided on by the users. The sustainability options would include flat rate fees, pay-per-use news services, subscriptions to commercial databases, entertainment packages, business services such as voice-mail or faxes and online markets. FreeSpace would be a co-operative offering members voting rights as to the operation of the service. "The FreeSpace model recognizes that community networks are not built around people, they are built with people." "What we're presenting today are a menu of options," Stevenson said. -- Realtime Online - Professional Conference Reporting Team Rosaleen Dickson, Ottawa ac174@freenet.carleton.ca. Pierre Bourque, Michel Careau, Shady Kanfi, Charles King, Andrea Kujala, Jules Lafrance, Bruce MacDonald, Robt Rattey, Natalie Roth, Michael Silvestrini, Stephen Toy.