Share CCNA History! There's still time to send in your favorite Community-Net / Free-Net remembrance! It could be something or someone you discovered on the Internet -- a helpful moment -- or an event that made you laugh, or feel proud, or glad that the Community Net was there. E-mail your tale to the CCNA Newsletter Committee at ccnanews@calcna.ab.ca. The best stories will be included in the May 15th issue.

In the Beginning How the CCNA Got Started Dateline July, 1993, the Canada West Foundation initiated the grass-roots movement to build the Calgary Free-Net Association. The first organizational meeting was held in November. All the committee members and Directors were volunteers, however, plans called for the eventual hiring of three full-time staff members. At the time there were 150 BBS systems. (See Where Have All the BBS' Gone? further in this issue!) The focus of the Free-Net was to provide Calgarians access to these information networks, to show the usefulness of this new technology, and to give organizations a cost effective way of promoting themselves. Testing, testing . . . By October 15, 1994, the Calgary Free-Net had nearly 350 members ready to test run the new system. The server (RS/6000) was provided by IBM. Modems for were provided by the University of Calgary, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and HomeNet. Later, Capella Networking gave discounts on equipment such as rack-mount modems, terminal servers and a router.

First Information Providers: * Canada West Foundation * Distress Centre * Calgary Status of Women Action Committee First Business to offer Discounts to Members: * Hasmarc Computers

Look at Us . . . A luncheon for 50 was held. The Honourable Jon M. Gerrard, Federal Minister for Science, Research and Development gave a speech enthusing on how knowledge - which had been the purview of the elite few - would increasingly become available to everyone. Dr. David Elton, of the Canada West Foundation, then introduced the Calgary Free-Net. Booths were set-up at Chinook Mall's Science and Technology Week and at the annual computer show held at the Round-Up Centre. A 10 minute animated and live action video was produced by Keith Henning and the staff at Keizeus Pictures to promote the Calgary Free-Net and to introduce Calgarians to the concept of the Information Super-Highway. More to come . . . In the next issue view the history highlights of the CCNA including the first Board members and why our name was changed from Free-Net to Community-Net! References: * http://www.calcna.ab.ca/pubworks/free-net/jun94.txt * http://www.calcna.ab.ca/pubworks/free-net/sep94.txt * http:/www.calcna.ab.ca/pubworks/free-net/nov94.txt * http://www.calcna.ab.ca/pubworks/gerrard.html

The number of Electronic Bulletin Board systems that are currently in operation in Canada is increasing daily. In essence, tracking down the information that is being distributed currently would be a full-time occupation in and of itself. For those who are trying to distribute their information using electronic bulletin boards there is the problem of how to make your service known to as many people as possible. The fragmented nature of this system impedes attempts to distribute the information and inhibits those who are seeking the information from finding it.

There are advantages to creating and using a BBS over a web page or the Internet. For example, businesses are providing services and hobbyists are sharing and expanding their information.

For details:

• BBS FAQ
• Basic Uses of a BBS
• Local BBS listings
• How to create your own BBS
• Types of BBSs (Telnet BBS, Web BBS)

Wanted! Do you like meeting new people? If so, here is the volunteer position for YOU. PUBLIC ACCESS TERMINAL (PAT) ASSISTANT Program Area: Calgary Public Library 616 Macleod Trail S.E. Time Commitment: Minimum shift 3.5 hrs. Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday 5:00 to 8:30 PM Job Summary: to provide the Calgary Community with public access to information networks and to educate the public in the use and value of information technology. For further details please contact Dusica, PAT Co-ordinator: Tel: (403) 263-8080 or Fax: (403) 263-8083, E-mail: office@calcna.ab.ca Newsletter Open up your creative side! The Newsletter Committee is looking for a few inquisitive minds. At the May 24 Annual General Meeting the current newsletter group will be moving on to other adventures. The opportunity is wide open for anyone interested in keeping the Calgary Community-Net newsletter going. For more information contact Wanda Martin, CCNA Newsletter Chairperson at ccnanews@calcna.ab.ca

Get Gardening! Calgary Horticultural Society Canadian Gardening Family Gardening Regina Horticultural Society The Virtual Gardener Majorie Harris - personal garden page (editor of a canadian gardening magazine) Mom's Special Day Mother's Day - History (a good US site) Mother's Day on the Net (Not too text friendly, I'll guess). Mother's Day @ Biography.com Profiles of Famous Moms from Notorious to Royal Mother's Day @ Carolyn's Universe

Did You Know? The Calgary Community Network Association is a designated Donors Choice with the United Way of Calgary and Area. This program enables donors to designate their gift to Calgary Community Network Association,a registered charitable organization. Thank you Shirley Barwise for this issue's Did You Know. May Day

The CCNA Newsletter Committee is: Heather Richards, Peter Williams and Wanda Martin Join us!

Email us at: ccnanews@calcna.ab.ca

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