The prediction, in brief:

the greater cost of the Internet is not the connection, but the training required to fully benefit. Friendly, responsive, on-line librarians and mentors will be key to the successful implementation of any community network. Public and federal employees must learn how they can utilize the efficiencies of electronic mail to provide such responsiveness to citizens. Public service participation in on-line interaction should be encouraged by all citizens and government employees.

Predictor: Odasz, Frank

Prediction, in context:

The 1995 book “Public Access to the Internet,” edited by Brian Kahin and James Keller carries the chapter, “Issues in the Development of Community Cooperative Networks” by Frank Odasz, the director of Big Sky Telegraph, Western Montana College of the University of Montana. He writes:”An assumption prevails that the Internet is self-teaching. In fact, the greater cost of the Internet is not the connection, but the training required to fully benefit. Friendly, responsive, on-line librarians and mentors will be key to the successful implementation of any community network. Public and federal employees must learn how they can utilize the efficiencies of electronic mail to provide such responsiveness to citizens. Public service participation in on-line interaction should be encouraged by all citizens and government employees.”

Biography:

Frank Odasz was an assistant professor of computing education at the University of Colorado and the director of Big Sky Telegraph, a popular community network of the time. He was widely known as a speaker on community networking and educational technologies. (Technology Developer/Administrator.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: General

Name of publication: Public Access to the Internet (book)

Title, headline, chapter name: Issues in the Development of Community Cooperative Networks

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 126

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne