South Coast Telecommunications Alliance (SCTA)
Held at General Research Corporation, Santa Barbara CA
April 19, 1995 - Minutes of Meeting

Dale Taylor was the moderator this meeting.  He gave a brief introduction 
of SCTA and tonights topic--- What Do People Use the Internet For?

Nancy Oster gave an administrative report: Concerning the steering 
comittee meeting-- if you're there you get to make the decisions.  The 
meetings  are usually at Nancy's house - where we eat whatever she has 
created.  There will be a discussion on the scta-org-list to hash over 
the meeting content and sucess within a few days.  There will not be an 
April steering committee meeting.

Refreshments coordinator is needed-- please volunteer (no volunteers 
yet).  

Check accuracy of attendance sheet information and name tags.  Please 
check the SCTA web page for accuracy of links and your listing 
information (http://www.silcom.com/scta).

Future SCTA meetings will be held on the 4th Wednesday of the month 
(rather than the 3rd) unless there are problems reserving the GRC 
auditorium.  This is to allow people who would like to attend the MIT 
Forum meetings (held on the 3rd Weds) to also attend SCTA meetings.  Our 
next meeting will be May 24th. 

Dale and Nancy spoke about the topic for the next meeting - local 
community networking projects and examples of projects in other 
communties.  Short presentations at the next meeting from anyone who is 
involved in or knows of such efforts would be welcome.

Nancy spoke about use of the three lists.  The main list (scta-list) is 
for announcements.  The sctalk-list is for further discussion and 
interaction.  The scta-org list is for the participation in planning and 
organization of SCTA meetings and activities.

Alan Pritchard's artwork for SCTA was noted and applauded.  Eric 
Andresen  used the SCTA logo created by Alan for some colorful signs for 
directing people to the SCTA meeting room.

Dave Oster gave the treasurer's report:  We have about $100 in the 
treasury.  Donations are greatfully accepted.  The balance sheet can be 
viewed at any SCTA meeting.

Marty Rickler announced that the Community Training Bank has been a great 
success.  There is more demand than available capacity.  The first 
training bank seminar on using the Internet in February was a raging 
success with 60 attendees.  Forty people had to be turned away.    Eighty 
are expected at the next seminar, this Friday.  The Community Training 
Bank is an SCTA sponsored event.  SCTA members, RAIN and Silicon Beach 
are helping.  Marty asked for volunteers to help on Friday morning-- to 
provide technical help for those people in the audience whose anxiety 
level exceeds a preset level.  The meeting will be at Girls Inc.,  531 
East Ortega.  The intent of the Community Training Bank is to provide 
help for people/non-profits who don't know much about the Internet.

Sharon Clausen announced the "People and their Government in the 
Information Age" online meetings on 5/1-5/14.  Internet access sites are 
needed.  E-mail sclaus@silcom.com for more info.

Jan Ballard told about EarthTel, a new local phone company who will donate 
10% of your monthy phone bill to the group/individual of your choice.

John Wiley announced the  Mind-Supermind Monday presentation at Lobero, 
at 7:30 p.m.  Peter Russell will speak on "The Global Brain Awakens".  
See Johns web page (http://www.silcom.com/~john/bkmkpage.html) or E-mail 
him for more info.  (john@silcom.com).

Tom Towle announced that the county education office now has its own feed 
and server and will be providing Internet access for the entire county 
school system..

Individual introductions then took place along with any other 
announcements.  After the intros were done, the  topic for discussion was 
started by Dale Taylor.

Beginning with stories about the early days of the Internet, the topics 
went to the usefulness of the information available on the Internet, 
comments on the findability of the Internet info--a library without a 
card catalog, the Internet as a forum for debate and social change, the 
Internet as a communication media that enables creativity, and the 
Internet being about people-- and how they interact and support each 
other.  When asked how many people have used the Internet to order 
products, one person raised a hand.  More had used the Internet to find 
information about products but some of those had asked for personal 
experience

There were 36 people in attendance this meeting.

May 24 is the next meeting (4th Weds of May).

Dave Oster
doster@silcom.com