LA PLAZA--NEWS FROM THE MOUNTAIN Volume 1, Number 7, October 1994 >From the Editor The countdown has started. La Plaza has scheduled the first public access, at the La Plaza Telecommunity Center, to the La Plaza Telecommunity system in November, and December for public dial-in access. I bet you thought it would never happen! See you online soon. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This newsletter is available online, or in hard copy for those in Taos. If you do not already receive "La Plaza--News From the Mountain," please let me know, and I will gladly add you to our subscription list. Richard W. Bryant, Editor, and Executive Associate--Projects, R&D La Plaza Telecommunity P.O. Box 1828 El Prado, NM 87579 Direct Tel/fax: 505-758-1919 rbryant@laplaza.taos.nm.us rbryant@hydra.unm.edu ***************************************************************** Information in this newsletter may be freely distributed, but it must include a reference to the source: La Plaza--News from the Mountain Vol x, No. y, Month, Year. All rights reserved. R.W. Bryant, La Plaza Telecommunity, 1994 ******************************************************************* ******************************************************************* CONTENTS UNM--Taos/La Plaza Internet Class La Plaza Provides In-Service for UNM--Taos Faculty and Staff La Plaza To Provide Public Workshops in November La Plaza Summit Meeting II on 6 December--Flipping the Switch La Plaza To Help Local Public Schools Get Online Fielding Institute and La Plaza Telecommunity Roundtable U.S. Robotics Donates Four Courier Modems To La Plaza ******************************************************************** UNM--TAOS/ LA PLAZA INTERNET CLASS The UNM--Taos Basic Internet class, taught by Richard Bryant and Marty Meltzer, is proving to be interesting for both the students and teachers. The course is being taught as a lab course with each student sitting in front of her or his computer in the UNM--Taos computer lab. The computers are on a local area network that is connected to the La Plaza T-1 data line. These students are the first members of the public to use the La Plaza Telecommunity system. The information derived from these students is invaluable for the development of La Plaza user manuals and system development. We are able to see first hand if there are problems in the system which will need modification and clarification. Two sections have been offered, one in the afternoon and one in the early evening. Overall, the two classes have almost an equal number of male and female students, with an age range from early twenties to seniors. As the class progresses, "News from the Mountain" will provide updates on the class. During the spring semester, four sections of the Basic Internet class are expected to be scheduled. LA PLAZA PROVIDES IN-SERVICE FOR UNM--TAOS FACULTY AND STAFF La Plaza will begin providing in-service workshops for the UNM--Taos faculty and staff on Friday, 14 October. These two-hour workshops will provide a basic knowledge of the La Plaza system, how to log on and off, email, gopher, telnet, etc. Once faculty and staff have gone through the workshop, they will be registered users of La Plaza and have full access to La Plaza and its resources,including the Internet. LA PLAZA TO PROVIDE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS IN NOVEMBER La Plaza will be providing workshops similar to those provided for the UNM-- Taos faculty and staff to the public starting in November. November will be the first month that public access will be available via the La Plaza Telecommunity Center that will be house in the UNM--Taos Learning Resource Center. Individuals must either test out of the workshop by demonstrating a basic knowledge of online systems, or take the workshop before they are allowed access to La Plaza. Upon completion of the workshop, they will have full access to La Plaza and its resources. LA PLAZA SUMMIT MEETING II ON 6 DECEMBER--FLIPPING THE SWITCH The La Plaza Summit Meeting II is scheduled for 6 December. The switch will be flipped for public dial-in access and everyone is welcome to attend the party. There will be short presentations, but the principal goal is for everyone to have a good time. Members of the community can register and sign-up for a workshop. Very importantly, it will give all of us at La Plaza an opportunity to thank our many supporters in and out of the community. If any one from out of town would like to attend, please let us know by email, telephone, or snail mail, and we will gladly provide you with information on the Taos region, lodging, skiing, restaurants, etc. LA PLAZA TO HELP LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET ONLINE La Plaza is beginning to work closely with the Taos public schools to assist them to get online through La Plaza and to provide in-service workshops to teachers and administrators. The first schools in the project are scheduled to be the Taos Elementary and Middle Schools. In addition, La Plaza will be designing focused workshops for teachers in specialized areas. For example, one of the first targeted workshops will be Internet Resources for Science Teachers. If anyone has any tips on Internet resources for science teachers, favorite gopher holes, etc., please send information to: rbryant@laplaza.taos.nm.us . FIELDING INSTITUTE AND LA PLAZA TELECOMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE In early September, the Fielding Institute and the La Plaza Telecommunity held its first Roundtable to discuss issues surrounding the creation and sustainability of community networks. Although the discussions pertained to La Plaza, the theory and conceptual frameworks discussed and elaborated should be applicable to virtually all community networks. The Roundtable dealt with issues including: education, community outreach, technology, and business and economic development. The proceedings of the Roundtable is being put together now and will be available soon. When the proceedings becomes available, it will be posted on selected listservs, to the "News from the Mountain" subscription list, and on the La Plaza gopher. U.S. ROBOTICS DONATES FIVE COURIER MODEMS TO LA PLAZA U.S. Robotics Inc. recently donated five Courier 14.4 modems to La Plaza. These modems came at an opportune time, as we are gearing up for dial-in access. The La Plaza Telecommunity and the entire Taos community gratefully acknowledges your timely donation. It is most appreciated. TOWN OF TAOS SELECTED FOR CENSUS PILOT PROJECT The Town of Taos was one of four municipalities in the U.S. recently selected for a U.S. Department of the Census pilot project that will provide online access to specialized census data. It is hoped that these four sites will be able to provide valuable feedback to Census to better serve municipalities. For Taos, it will mean access to important Census information to assist in town and county planning. La Plaza will be providing the infrastructure to town and county officials so that they may telnet to the Census BBS site for information access. .