June/July 1983 RAIN Page 17 ACCESS: Information/Communication Community Memory in San Francisco has resurfaced with a newsletter describing the group's current activities in developing a community information and communication system. For more information, write to Community Memory Project, 916 Parker St., Berkeley, CA 94710.. .. In related news, the Journal of Community Communications, which suspended publication last year, announced they will be resuming quarterly publication of the journal starting in July. Journal of Community Communications, PO Box 996, Berkeley, CA 94701.... If you are interested in reaching other people involved in computer activities, you might want to get the list of Micro/ Personal/Home computing mailing lists—including computer periodical subscribers, Apple owners and users, computer clubs, and many others. Write for list from: Resources, Box 134, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02238. . .. TRANET and several other groups involved in appropriate technology and third world development issues have been working on designing a microcomputer-based information and communication system; it is also the subject of an article to be published in the TRANET newsletter. For more information, write to BiU Ellis, PO Box 567, Rangeley, ME 04970.. .. Rumor has it that the Whole Earth Catalog/Co-Evolution folks have landed a contract with a publisher to publish a catalog of software for microcomputers. . .. The Baltimore Information Co-Op is another in the growing number of community computer services. The 30-member co-op offers services such as mailing list maintenance, has a unique phone tree service, and is planning to develop a community calendar. The phone tree service uses mailing lists of groups to call people, asking them, for example, if they are going to attend a meeting. They may respond yes/no using their touch tone phones, and their answers are recorded on the computer.... Basic Telecommunications Corporation of Fort Collins, Colorado, has developed a computer terminal that incorporates both voice and data capabilities. This system further dramatizes what may be the trend of the near-future; the merging of technologies we have considered as separate, for example, the telephone, computer, and television.... A preliminary bibliography on microtechnology and its impact has been issued in rough draft form by the Computer Project of Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice (947 Queen St. East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4M1J9). A good start on rounding up the information about social impacts/microcomputers/community applications. . . . The Catalog of Public Domain Software for CP/M, in its third edition, has just been published. The catalog describes hundreds of software programs that are available for microcomputers with CP/M operating system—yours more or less for the asking. The software is also available on diskettes. The catalog is available for $11.00 from New York Amateur Computer Club, PO Box 106, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008. -SJ Community Affairs Program Apple Computer Company 20525 Mariani Avenue M/S 9L Cupertino, CA 95014 408/996-1010 The primary goal of the Program is to support the formation of microcomputer networks between nonprofit organizations by providing equipment, software, and training. For purposes of the Program, microcomputer networks are described as cooperative groups which share information (called databases) by connecting computers through the telephone system. It is aimed at groups using computers in a communication environment, where they can use electronic mail, conduct teleconferencing, share databases, apd create community bulletin boards, and other services. A description of the requirements and standards for submitting proposals is available from the Community Affairs Program. Grant deadlines are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15. All in Order: Information Systems for the Arts Mary Van Someren Cok National Assembly of State Arts Agencies 1010 Vermont Ave., NW, Ste. 316 Washington, DC 20005 202/347-6352 $7.95,1981,192 pp. This is the primary report issued by the National Information Systems Project, a federally funded program established to develop a standard for information systems for public arts agencies. The report spells out the nature of information needs for public arts agencies. definitions of information systems (manual and computer-oriented), and a detailed description of standards that might be applied to make information sharing between agencies more efficient. Hoiv to Buy a Personal Computer Carlton Shrum Aired Publishing Co., Inc. PO Box 5964 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413 $2.95,1982, 64 pp. Here is a hand booklet with a right price for people wanting to purchase a computer without knowing everything there is about the electronic revolution, the insides of a computer, etc. Most of the vocabulary you will need to talk intelligently to salespeople is here, and it includes a chart that compares a number of the well-known microcomputers. ------------------------------- --------- Implications of Electronic Mail and ^ Message Systems for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Technology Assessment Washington, DC 20510 $5.50,1982,113 pp. Advances in communication and computer technology provide new ways to convey messages and carry out financial transactions. These are called electronic mail and message systems (EMS), and electronic funds transfer (EFT) systems. These systems are being developed in the private sector and are already having an impact on the business of the U.S. Postal Service. While there is disagreement on how fast EMS and EFT services may develop, it is clear that two-thirds or more of the current mailstream could be handled electronically. The Postal Service is already using some of these new systems. For example, it provides a portion of Western Union's Mailgram service, and in January, 1982, introduced a domestic service called "electronic computer-originated mail" (E-COM), which receives "letters" in electronic form, and then translates that back into a printed form for delivery. There are many prickly policy issues tackled by the report, part of the general need to re-divide the communication and information pie.
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