DCN INFORMATION PROVIDER COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES

[These are draft notes until approved at a subsequent IPC meeting.]

DATE: 02/04/98
TIME: 6:15 - 7:30 PM
LOCATION: City of Davis Computer Lab, 600 A Street.

ATTENDEES: John Batchelder, John Chiles, Anne Hance (Chair),
           Paul Healey, Richard Lowenberg, Steve McMahon,  Juliet Mende, 
           John Movius, Stewart Savage, Vicki Suter.
           
NOTE TAKER: Paul Healey


A  1. Approval of Agenda:   
        Approved.
      
B. Project Proposals for Consideration:

   1. Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence -- Don Palm
      Since the project applicant did not make it to this meeting,
      there was only incidental discussion.  Jason Coffer, in a
      pre-meeting e-mail, suggested that the project proposal for
      DCN funding of attendance at a conference would more
      appropriately made to another organization.  John Movius agreed.
      Juliet Mende proposed this (potential) project as a good focus
      point for the Volunteer Management effort, and it was suggested
      that she coordinate with Vicki Suter.  It was agreed that the
      project, if approved, would be a mini-project.
      
   
C. Housekeeping

   Approve notes of 01/07/98.
      The 01/07/98 notes were approved, and it was agreed to remove
      approval of some lost notes from future agendas.
   
D. Content Review

   1. a) What specific DCN Web content areas need to be supplemented?         
         The focus here was on on-line conferencing and means for
         stimulating community interest therein.  Steve McMahon
         described various conferencing tools and modalities
         (Hypernews, notification, tree-structured v. serial,
         listserves, etc.).  He noted that DCN has had little success
         with conferencing on general topics, citing the Davis usenet
         groups as an example.  Paul Healey proposed that notification
         (receiving e-mail of new contributions) was essential to the
         success of an on-line conference, except when people have
         reason to visit the conference often, as is the case with
         technical fora.  Richard Lowenberg suggested making another
         serious attempt in this whole area.
         
         Some of the apparent lack of interest in DCN's previous
         conferences, of whatever modality, may be due to lack of
         publicity.  There were the following suggestions:
         
         -- Implement a DCN guest book and mailing list (Stewart Savage).
            
         -- Announcements in local information outlets, e.g., The Enterprise, 
	            Aggie, Food Coop, Farmer's Market (Jason  Coffer, pre-meeting e-mail).
            
         -- K12 Ed. Tech. (John Batchelder).
         
         -- A DCN newsletter prominently linked from the homepage (John Movius).
            
         -- Division of the homepage into two sections, information and fora, 
              the latter with an index (Steve McMahon).
            
         -- Publicizing "hot" topics (Paul Healey).
         
         -- Survey local non-web discussion groups for topic ideas (John Movius).
            
         -- Measures H, I follow-ups (John Batchelder).
         
         -- DCN promotion of business technological development; 
              business roundtable on DCN (Richard Lowenberg).
        
         There was general agreement (no voiced dissent) that on-line
         conferences need moderators, and that two functions of a
         moderator (in some relative proportion) are filtering and
         guiding. Steve McMahon noted that explicit assignment of a
         filtering/editing role to the moderator could create an
         unacceptable liability exposure -- this as opposed to
         filtering for the purpose of maintaining decorum.
         
         Vicki Suter proposed that Richard Lowenberg's suggestion of a
         business roundtable on DCN be adopted.  Vicki also proposed
         that DCN point to a page inviting the public to discuss DCN's
         mission, perhaps through a listserve.  Both of these proposals
         generated discussion, but no vote.
         
         Other points or notes made:  DCN needs an interest group
         including people other than DCN subscribers (Steve McMahon);
         alternative media as a forum topic (Steve McMahon); Microsoft,
         Sony, Campbell Soup shows at Birch Lane; Steve and Stewart to
         discuss the guest book in the privacy of the Webteam, subject
         otherwise tabled; Vicki's idea of getting more input from the
         public supported nevertheless.
 
      b), c)  Tabled for lack of time.
         
E. Reports

   1. DCN Board -- Strategic Planning  
      The SPC continues to work on the mission statement, and has
      decided to discuss potential grants in light of that statement.
      
      Steve McMahon announced the departures of Board members Jason
      Coffer, Bill Diemer, Lynn Maynard and Esther Polito, along with
      the election of Paul Healey.
                      
   2. Web Team  
       Steve reported that the new organization pages are up.
      
   3. Content Policy Subcommittee Update   
      The subcommittee is organizing its materials for final writing.
      
   4. Projects   
      Yolo Basin Foundation -- Liaison Paul Healey had not yet obtained
      the promised recognition for DCN, but promised to apply more
      muscle.
      
   5. AYSO Proposal (additional item)   
      Vicki Suter reported that AYSO had allocated the funds, and that
      Joan Gargano had responded to their last-expressed concerns.

   6. Magic Wand (additional item)  
      Vicki Suter outlined the aims of the project -- high-speed
      connection of apartment complexes to the Internet, small labs
      with basic PC equipment, IP connection and notebooks.  There is a
      content aspect, consisting in the business side of
      apartment/tenant relations.
   
      
G. Meeting Adjourned at approximately 7:30 p.m.