VANCOUVER REGIONAL FREENET ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES OF MEETINGS MARCH 29, 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, Ann Doyle, Sharon Zaluski Meeting was called to order at 7:10pm 1.0 Agenda * Brian: again proposed that we only deal with the issues necessary to bring Freenet online for April 15th. Motion: (Susan/Phil) To work with an agenda that only deals with the issues of bringing the system up for launch on April 15th. 2.0 Minutes * Sharon noted that the distribution of volunteer forms was not mentioned. Motion: (Eric/Boodie) To accept the minutes of March 15st. PASSED 3.0 Policy Issues 3.1 * nothing new 3.2 User registration * electronic distribution of user form was discussed * Susan asked that the postal code on the agreement be corrected. * form is distributed in "downloadable" form. * we should add a family membership ($40) to the form. Motion: (Jacqueline/Guy) To accept the user agreement form. PASSED. * Fritz mentioned that Victoria does keep its forms, and that a legal opinion may be needed about this. * Margaret: Is there going to be a large-print form of this for the visually impaired? * Brian: how are we processing the forms after they're received? * discussion was made about forming a task force to deal with the registration issues. Motion: (Fritz/Guy) To form a taskforce on registration issues and appoint Susan, Steven and Sharon to this taskforce. PASSED. 3.3 Gopher/WWW: Steven * report by Steven on Monday's Think Bee * Brian: are we offering telnet and gopher to other freenets? * guest accounts: what are the capabilities? - discussion suggested that we allow gopher but not telnet. * Brian: there are limited resources on the Freenet machine and we should consider this in what we allow people to do. * an opposing opinion was that we only limit access by time-limit and we allow anything else that the user may want to do. Motion: (Guy/Eric) To limit resource consumption primarily by time logged on per day, other than by availability of resources. PASSED. Motion: (Margaret/Guy) That the time limit of resource availability be looked at by the Hardware/Software committee to accomodate people with disabilities. PASSED. * general discussion on the time limits allowed - some discussion about different limits for guest vs registered users etc. Motion: (Jacqueline/Guy) That we allow all users 30 minutes per session. PASSED. * discussion on newsgroups to be deferred to later this evening. * Frtiz: priority of user registration? Priority for pre- registration for members - this was mentioned last week. * pre-registration of users will be by mailed-out registration forms to users. This puts them at the front of the processing queue. * modems from Cardinal are not here yet. Motion: (Tom/Guy) That the first month after we go up be members only. PASSED. * user registrations to be manually entered for members - delegate mechanics to regsitration taskforce. 4.0 Fundraising: Brian 4.1 VanCity - some support from the Board - need followups for VanCity with Tom and Brian's absences pending. Jacqueline and Margaret volunteered to followup. We stayed with a $50,000 proposal. 4.2 BC 21 grant - to be filed tomorrow 4.3 Law Foundation - was submitted last week. * the topic of what Freenet can offer commercial entities was discussed. * Brian: we talked with VanCity about some social projects. 5.0 Treasurer's Report: Tom * we have $8804.45 in accounts * our tax number appeal has been turned down again. * Mike: asked that the budget be broken down into monthly expenses with a monthly report. Tom agreed to do this. Motion: (Tom/Phil) To allow Margaret and Eric to become signing officers. PASSED. * modems from Cardinal - 25 external 14.4K modems - has been tracked back to the company. Delivery is pending. 6.0 Committee Reports 6.1 HW/SW: Mike * work bee was held previous Saturday - the IP interface was discussed with community content people, and division of system admin duties was discussed at a technical meeting of the administrators. * Dotty is now system administrator (in charge of accounts) while George is news administrator. * ordered a custom crimper for modem cables due to non-standard plugs. * Mike was asked what needs to be done to come "up": We need to: link modems, finalize registration procedures, check the utilities, design and insert all submenus. * Mike suggested that PrarieNet had a solution to the automated registration problem and that he would get it. * we have an overline (222- 4723) which will be the Freenet public phone number, and will be put on the voicemail when we come up. Motion: (Mike/Susan) To accept the HW/SW report. PASSED. 6.2 System Design: Steven * dealt with under gopher/WWW 6.3 Community Content: Guy * Human Resource Development wants to do the same thing they're doing on edNET on Freenet, there are two apps they want to move over, how do we do this? Motion: (Guy/Phil) To accept the Community Content report. PASSED. 6.4 Public Relations: Fritz * the opening screen? who's responsible? Motion: (Jacqueline/Margaret): That Ann (and the technical writers) be responsible for the online documentation and opening screen and recruit help for these tasks from other working groups as needed. PASSED. * Fritz and Ann to work on the newsletter * suggestions for the newsletter should go to Fritz. * Thursday 7pm at Hastings branch of VPL is next PR meeting Motion: (Fritz/Tom) To accept the PR report. PASSED. 6.5 User Support/Training: Ann * RPL has 8 WYSE terminals for library trainers available * Peter Thompson of Victoria Public Library (which has 2 public terminals for Freenet) is giving $10 Internet training sessions (based on cost- recovery). * we have some docs from Victoria Freenet Motion: (Ann/Jacqueline) To accept the User Support/Training report.PASSED. 6.6 Volunteer Coordinator: Sharon * Anthony McDonald to coordinate disability volunteers * Sharon mentioned that no volunteer request forms have been submitted to her so far. Motion: (Sharon/Guy) To accept the Volunteer report. PASSED. 7.0 Library Liaison: Jacqueline * North Van Public Library has endorsed at $300. * library school presentation (by Jacqueline) may result in some people for Ann * BC 21 grant proposal being submitted by libraries Motion: (Jacqueline/Margaret) To accept the Library liaison report. PASSED. 8.0 Endorsement Coordinator: Phil * we're up to 28 endorsers now - roughly 80% are IPs * we should hit university and college libraries Motion: (Phil/Susan) To accept the Endorsement coordinator's report. PASSED. 9.0 Membership report: Susan * 12 new members for a total of 248. Motion: (Susan/Tom) To accept the Membership report. PASSED. 10.0 Volunteer Party: Fritz and Sharon * we are looking into facilities * Britannia community centre has offered their facilities to us. * at the moment we're planning for Sunday April 17th 3-7pm. * Brian: Friday night? * no host bar - Brian suggested he may be able to provide a bartender. Motion: (Tom/Susan) That Fritz and Sharon plan the volunteer party. PASSED. 11.0 Other business: * Brian: BC Freenet sustainability study met a week ago Monday. 4 other Freenets and the consultants were there. A draft report shoul be available by March 31st. Meeting was adjourned at 10:00pm.