Free-Net

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For other uses, see Freenet (disambiguation)

A free-net ^[1] was originally meant to mean a computer system which provides public access to a large number of resources including community information through text-based dialup. Once registered, users can typically access e-mail, Usenet newsgroups, chat rooms (typically IRC), telnet, and often other services.

In 1989 a non-profit organization called the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN) was founded to promote the creation of free-nets. It distributed the FreePort software from Case Western Reserve University.

Unlike most modern ISPs, Free-nets originally provided direct terminal-based dialup instead of PPP. The increased availability/affordability of PPP dialup connections, and more recently cable and DSL has largely obsoleted the original free-net community, and so a number of the free-nets, including the original Cleveland Free-Net, have shut down or changed their focus. Free-nets have always been locally governed, so interpretation of their mission to remove barriers to access and provide a forum for community information, as well as services offered, can vary widely. As text-based Internet became less popular, some of the original Free-nets have made available PPP dialup and more recently DSL services (as a revenue generating mechanism) with some now transitioning into the community wireless movement. The most comprehensive (unfortunately out of date- some still functioning) list of Free-nets is found here.

Several Free-net systems continue under new mission statements. Rochester Free-Net (Rochester, NY), for instance, focuses on hosting community service organizations (over 500 to date) as well as seminars about Internet use to the community at no charge.

[edit] See also

• Community network
• Community informatics
• National Capital Freenet

[edit] Notes

1. ^ The hyphenated word Free-Net^® is a registered Trademark of the National Public Telecomputing Network. The status of this word as trademark has always been controversial - see Trademark of Free-Net.

[edit] External links

• The NPTN Blue Book (1993) is a manual on how to create a free-net and also describes the history of community networking.
• A Critical Study of Three Free-Net Community Networks (1996)
• An example of an existing Free-net is the Los Angeles Free-Net.
• National Capital FreeNet is the second oldest freenet.
• Tallahassee Freenet has been in continuous operation since 1993.
• Hamilton Community Net one of the original Free-Nets, was an early contributor to an alternative to the Freeport software providing a web/text interface to community information. It has been in continuous operation since 1994.
• Ocean State Free-Net has been in continuous operation since 1994 - expired? June 2006.
• Toronto Free-Net has been in continuous operation since 1994.
• Rochester Free-Net (a/k/a The Genesee Gateway) has been in continuous operation since 1995.
• German Free-Net the second Free-Net in Europe
• Miami Valley Community Network The Miami Valley Community Network in Dayton, Ohio. Preceded by the Dayton Area Free-Net.