Marin: GGCS Internet SIG Meeting
Walter Olson
The Golden Gate Computer Society (formerly the Marin / Sonoma PC
Users Group) is starting a new special Interest Group (SIG),looking
at the Internet and other emerging components of the "Infobahn"
(Information Super Highway, National Information Infrastructure).
The first meeting will be Wednesday, June 22, at the GGCS
classroom. (For directions, contact wol...@crl.com) This SIG will
explore advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced topics in computer
communications. This group will complement GGCS' ongoing
Introduction to Modem/BBS classes. The classes, aimed at beginning
communications users, will continue to provide the foundation for
access to the GGCS Bulletin Board, including Internet E-Mail and
USENET newsgroups.
The central SIG activity will be the monthly SIG meeting on the
fourth Wednesday of each month. Each meeting will typically include
an open forum for questions and answers about accessing the Internet,
tools to use on the net, and information to be found on the net and an
overview of a book or file of the month, introducing a key source of
Internet information. The core of each meeting will be a short
presentation, either by a member or a vendor. Usually, we'll have an
open on-line session, working together, exploring on the net. This
will include following up on presentation topics and questions from
the open forum.
Some possible meeting topics include:
- GGCS/BBS Internet access
- Major Internet tools (E-mail and mail readers; Newsgroups and
news readers; File resources: Archie and FTP; Gophers,
Veronica, searches and indexes; WAIS, World Wide Web, Lynx
and Mosaic; Internet Relay Chat (IRC))
- Technical topics: (UNIX commands for Internet users; security
issues)
- Exploring Internet providers (CRL, The Well, Netcomm,
Hooked.Net and Pipeline, academic connections)
- Information sources on the Internet (Government and legislative;
Recreation, humor and entertainment; Libraries; Schools)
- The net as a business resource
- "Information Highway" proposals and issues
- Connection options and technologies (28.8 bps modems
- the standards process, when to buy; ISDN and other advanced
communications options)
In addition to meetings, the SIG will be a focal point for supporting
other GGCS activities. Some possible areas include: Supporting the
Schools SIG with resources for K-12 Internet access; developing
relationships with Internet and communications hardware and software
vendors, seeking discount opportunities for GGCS members and
providing material for press releases that provide information to the
community and increase awareness of the GGCS. The SIG may also
recruit material for the GGCS Newsletter on communications and the
Internet, encourage reviews of communications and Internet books,
software and equipment within the existing GGCS review programs
and recruit communications and Internet topics volunteers for the
"Quick Questions" Contact List in the GGCS Newsletter.
Walter Olson and Joe Quigley will serve as SIG co-leaders, with
support from Roy Jensen.
GGCS SIG meetings are free to GGCS members and to first-time guests.
There is a $5 fee for other guests.
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Walter Olson
wol...@crl.com