R3: Networks as Empowering Technology

Friends and Partners: Building Global Community on the Internet

Cole, Greg ( gcole@solar.rtd.utk.edu)

Bulashova, Natasha ( natasha@ibpm.serpukhov.su)

Abstract

Developed by two people who had never met one another, the service has provided an intensely rewarding learning experience in which the authors have had to deal with an enormous variety of technical issues, information management problems, communications difficulties, and cultural differences. The authors hope that 'telling the story' behind its development might be enlightening for others - both in terms of what we have learned about the capabilities and limitations of the Internet for supporting such international services, but also the challenges of working across traditionally difficult geographic, political and cultural boundaries.

Our motivation in beginning this service was to help build a community of individuals interested in furthering active partnership between people and organizations in our countries. From the beginning, we concentrated on two primary services: (1) an information base which would attract people from both regions of the world; and (2) a mechanism for encouraging and promoting active communications. We have discovered that the combination of the World Wide Web (with associated WAIS databases) with an e-mail listserver has provided a good foundation which we have extended with the use of such 'live' interaction tools as Internet Relay Chat, CuSeeMe, mBONE, and Sun ShowMe.

"Friends and Partners" was designed to be a framework of information and communications services. Therefore, the focus has been to help others develop and publish content material specific to their interests and areas of expertise. We enjoy active cooperation now with many organizations from the government sector, higher education, business and private industry, the 'third sector' and non-profit organizations, supra-governmental organizations (such as NATO) and private citizens. The challenge has been to help enable individuals from these groups become information providers and support them in their efforts - working across a wide variety of computer platforms, levels of network access, and computer/information literacy. We propose to discuss our role as the creators and maintainers of the basic infrastructure which enables communication and information sharing among this growing community.

The proposed paper will be comprised of the following sections:

1. A general history of how the service has developed and a description of the information services available.
2. Technical issues.
3. Information Management Issues.
4. Opportunities and new partnerships.
5. Principal problems. The issue of metered or "tariffed" Internet traffic in Russia has proven to be one of the most serious impediments to our work. We have learned first-hand the value of the flat-rate method of paying for Internet connections common in the United States. Obviously, the issues of ubiquitous access (or lack of) and network bandwidth are problems we deal with constantly. Getting people "connected" continues to be the most important issue we deal with.
6. Cultural and Language Differences. Besides the obvious language barriers involved in any joint US-Russian endeavor, we have had to deal with two cultures whose fundamental differences have led to interesting opportunities.