TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ii
INTRODUCTION 1
NETWORKING AND COMPUTER NETWORKING 2
Networking 2
Computer Networking 4
YORK/HABITAT NETWORKING INITIATIVE (Y/HNI) 6
Background 6
Activities 7
Official Opening of the Habitat Office 7
Mass Mailout of Survey Questionnaire 8
IYSH Conference 9
Constituency Meetings 11
FES students 12
Local academics 13
FES faculty 15
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) 16
Private sector and government 18
Other 18
Contacts Database 18
Graduate Assistant Projects 19
Lessons Learned From Y/HNI 20
Co-ordination Resources 20
Participant Commitments 20
Motivations 20
THE NATIVE COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK (NCCN) PROJECT 22
Background 22
Project Phases 22
Development Phase 23
Conceptualization 23
Features of the NCCN 23
Users contacted 24
Hardware acquired 24
Software acquired 25
Database established 27
Conference 'priming' information gathered 27
Pilot Phase 28
Installation of equipment 28
Promotion 28
Manual 30
Training of users 31
Online Interaction 32
Skills transfer 32
Lessons Learned From The NCCN 34
Technical Development 34
Establish A 'Critical Mass' 34
Dialup Access 35
Network Development Strategy 36
COMPARISON OF THE Y/HNI AND THE NCCN 37
HABNET 39
Conceptualization 39
Objectives 39
Equipment and Access to Web 40
Contacts Database 41
Training 42
Promotion 42
Constituency Meetings 42
Newsletter Articles 43
Personal Interviews 43
Presentation at York University 44
Online Interaction 44
Habnet Conferences on Web 44
'habnet' 44
'humset' 47
E-mail 47
'Chat' Feature 48
File Transfer 48
Demise of Habnet 49
Lessons Learned From Habnet 51
Getting Organizations Online 51
Expectations 52
Network Interconnections 52
Miscellaneous Lessons 53
DISCUSSION 55
Promoting System Usage 55
Online Interactions 56
Creating Bonds 56
'Bandwagon' Effect 57
CONCLUSION 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY 59
APPENDICES 63
COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS 64
Types of Computer-mediated Communications 65
Important Items in an Online Environment 67
The Benefits of Computer Conferencing 69
Managing Computer Conferencing 72
Online Conference Moderation 76
Netiquette 79
NATIVE COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK PROJECT 83
Recommendations Regarding NCCN 84
HABNET 89
A Proposal To Create Habnet 90
Web Overview 91
Work Done For Habnet 95
OTHER 97
Historical Overview of Major Networks 98
Personal Networking 104
Business Aspects of Computer Networking 106
Factors In Use of Computer Communications 108
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