Sometimes the question of what defines Community Networking arises.

It would be good for us to revisit the topic, ennumerating forms and debating their classification, maintaining attention to our social goals and rediscovering them. But, I'd like to start the topic from the perspective of the variety of forms that are possible and practiced through innovations in technology and human organization. Often, it doesnt require a major leap in the technology available, but rather in openness to different ways of doing, and access to the informative "how" and provision of means without significant barrier to entry. Sometimes the new ways of doing things emerge through the existence of a technology that wasnt even a part of the original concept.

Perhaps it's best to stick with some simple and concrete examples.

We all know that email has changed the way we interact, and how organizations and businesses function. Our concernis to look at how it can be the tool of an existing community or for the formation of coordinated efforts and a community of interest.

I think the tool-set provided by CitizenSpeak bears some attention.

If we consider the development of activism in a communnity or surrounding a concern that can generate a community of interest, we can all recall examples from our own experience that establish the contrast between established organizations conducting policy-work, and emergent grass-roots impulses.

How can a group without formal organization, or significant resources achieve objectives by utilizing tools of the ICT era? Every group would love a web-site, a list-serve, an advocacy-tool that mobilizes potential recruits, and more. From our organizational vantage,we know that each of these requires an investment of effort: time, money, thought. We also know that this question doesnt limit itself to the group that has no formal organization. Smaller organizations, or organizations with less resources in tech skills or $ face the same barriers. Even getting your organization wired may be a barrier, depending on geography just as much as $ resources.

This is a story that needs to be rewritten, if only in the details of where and how to start, and in the variety of ways one can start. Thats part of our task here as members of the AFCN. Establishing mechanisms and modeling and values that will facilitate entry into the possibilities for individuals, organizations and communities in the digital age.

So how basic can one get with a CN?

If a group of citizens organizes around a list-serve, or around the effort to use technology to pursue their interests through a mechanism like CitizenSpeak's email advocacy tool, they may become a thriving community or they may achieve their aim and move onto to other projects. These phenomenon are interesting to watch (and particpate in!) as they speak to the aspects of human interest in the use of technology over and above questions of formal organization and a need for hardcore infrastructure.

Some organizations and universities are working on tools to facilitate the development of community groups. I'll have to get the link later, but Ann Bishop and others at UIUC/GSLIS are creating tools that facilitate collaborative inquiry/learning.

Of course there are other tools whereby we can establish a free web presence, Geocities, is an example. Many hosting companies include a basic web page option for the individual as part of their account. Yahoo has its Yahoo Groups tool available as well.

As an aside it's interesting to observe the functional re-emergence of certain ideas in new forms, with the old forms still existing. Often I feel the original is better in some aspects than the commercial, even when the commercial is "free". I'm thinking of usenet groups in contrast to the Yahoo Groups. But you can provide your own examples.