VANCOUVER REGIONAL FREENET ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES OF MEETINGS MARCH 15, 1994 Vancouver Public Library Present: Tom Hansen, Margaret Coates, Phil Lyons, Eric Yung, Brian Campbell, Jacqueline Van Dyk, Steven Chan, Guy Thomas, Mike Hrybyk, Boodie Arnott, Susan Pendakur, Fritz Radandt. Guest: Ann Doyle, Sharon Zaluski Meeting was called to order at 7:05pm 1.0 Agenda * Brian: proposed that we scrap the existing agenda and only deal with the issues necessary to bring Freenet online for April 15th. Motion: (Phil/Fritz) To scrap the existing agenda and deal only with the issues necessary to bring Vancouver Freenet online for April 15th, but include the issues of Board Membership and Minutes of the previous meeting. PASSED. 2.0 Minutes Motion: (Jacqueline/Margaret) To accept the minutes of March 1st. PASSED 3.0 Board Membership * Brian: Janet Askins has resigned due to personal reasons. * Ann Doyle introduced herself and offered to take up ther User Training portfolio * Sharon Zaluski introduced herself and offered to take up the Volunteer Coordinator portfolio. Motion: (Tom/Eric) To accept both Ann and Sharon for the respective roles of User Training Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator. PASSED. 4.0 Committee reports 4.1 Hardware/Software (Mike) * have almost finished port of Freeport software to Solaris system - it should be finished Monday (March 14th) and George deserves thanks for his efforts. * our machine ID is "freenet.vancouver.bc.ca" but you can also try "freenet.ucs.ubc.ca". * Freeport is operational on the new IPX - files were moved from poplar to the IPX as of Monday night. (March 14th) * SCICO terminal servers need to be hooked up * phone lines installed, modems to be mounted (should be done by end of the week). * modem donation in "limbo" * additional phone lines need to be ordered soon * place for this Saturday's work bee (Saturday March 19th) to be announced, but we can meet in room 400 of CSCI at UBC. * Brian: are newsgroups available? Mike: Geroge has to port the news client over, but this should not be a major obstacle. * registration - unknown status, we are waiting on a report from Vic. * newsgroup content - needs to be decided at next Board meeting. Motion: (Tom/Jacqueline) to get 8 more phone lines. * discussion about allocation of additional phone lines. Suggest that first 2 lines to library, but finally decided that add 6 lines to existing phone number and add 2 lines on a separate phone number for the libraries. Motion was passed unanimously. * additional points of information (sites to be "pointed" to) were discussed. We agreed that telnet to other freenets (all NPTN Freenets) should be made available, as well as VPL, SFU, UBC, and BCIT (Guy promised to forward a list to Mike of the BC sites and NPTN Freenets). * questions were raised about government information via gopher. * Mike: we should have Board access by this weekend and volunteer access shortly afterwards. * questions were posed to Mike about moderated newsgroups. * Ann asked about training and documentation for the IP stuff. - Eric replied that the interface stuff isn't documented yet and would love some help on it. Mike had to leave early and left at 8:07pm after giving his report. 4.2 System Design (Steven) * The Freenet user agreement was distributed. Motion: (Jacqueline/Tom) That we accept items a-g of the user agreement, but not include item (d) on objectionable language. Vote was 6 for, 1 against (Eric). PASSED. * Brian: we should work on a positive code of ethics that is at the beginning of the user agreement. Motion: (Eric/Phil) That item #3 of the agreement read: "I agree the Association has the right to review, edit or remove, public information stored in the system.". PASSED. * the user agreement should go to a lawyer, and should include a clause on confidentiality of the user information. * questions were raised whether the other freenets keep the signed, paper copies of the user agreements. * additional things to be added to the agreement: don't need to be members to be users, and remember to complete the electronic version of the agreement FIRST. 4.3 Public Relations (Fritz): * April 12th, at SFU Harbour Centre at lunch hour, Brian and Fritz to "rescue" the media event. 4.4 Fundraising (Brian): * We currently have proposals into VanCity, BC 21, Law Foundation, Real Estate Foundation and others. * we are working with the tax department in regards to our charitable tax number. 4.5 Library Coordinator (Jacqueline): * issue of children (minor) access to the Freenet was raised and discussed. * libraries have a proposal to BC 21 to get onto the Internet. 4.6 Volunteer Coordinator (Sharon): * are we having a launch date party (and should it be coordinated with PR?) The final discussion was that we were having a party for Freenet volunteers and that it may not be held in conjunction with the PR public launch. * we need representation from the disabled. * we need a manual for volunteers * Sharon requested the mission statement. 4.7 User Training (Ann): * busy assimilating new information tonight. * we should probably work on some training brochures to prepare libraries for Freenet launch. 5.0 Other Business: * BC Freenet - Roger Hart and Gary Sherman have had a meeting with Brian. PRATT (Roger's group) to be disbanded and assets given to BC Freenet (around $10,000). * A constitution has been proposed for the Canadian Freenet Association from Ottawa via the CanFreenet mailing list. * Gopher and W3 was discussed. Motion: (Eric/Guy) That we philosophically accept that we want Gopher and WWW access via Vancouver Freenet. PASSED. Motion: (Eric/Jacqueline) That we refer this issue to System Design to deal with the technical problems and the presentation of information, and bring back to us short-term and long-term effects of setting up Gopher and WWW. PASSED. Meeting was adjourned at 10:05pm.