Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Network use by non-nerds?

[NEVETS2 (NEVETS2]

Catherine Kehl, Hi!  :)

Your advice was great.  An Internet node would be fabulous.  But........

As weird as it sounds, for a group of novices (no computer nerds among them)
the really easiest ting would be to convince everyone who wanted to
communicate via cyberspace to subscribe to the same Online Service or to the
same local BBS.  The former would probably be more exciting in terms of what
else would be available but would cost $10 per month extra per family.  A
commercial service (I'm partial to America Online)would offer Internet access
and constantly updated software and........  Also unlimited Email and file
transfer between members as a throw in.

A local Buletin Board would put the group at the mercy of sometimes
unreliable local folks.  but you'd have to survey the local scene.  Something
terrific might just be there waiting for you to use it and have much the same
funcitonality as a commercial board at much lower prices, including Internet
access.

But given the level of sophistication needed to even evaluate the local
BBS's, I get back to my initial suggestion.  Just have everyone who wants to
get into cyberspace sign on to America Online.  It's just so simple.  After
using it for six months to a year, then everyone will be much more
sophisticated and can make intelligent decisions about using a cheaper
alternative.  The cost for the steep learning curve - $60 per family for 6
months on AOL - would seem to be eminently worth it.

Steve W.