OPN June 94 _ Oregon Public Networking Population: 782 ==| |==2400 | | __| |__2100 =opn==opn==o =opn==opn==o =opn =opnn==o | | =opn==opn==opn== =opn==opn==opn== =opn=opn===opn== __| |__1800 =opn= =opn= =opn= =opn= =o=opn= =opn= | | =opn= pn==o =opn= pn==o ==opn= pn==o __| |__1500 =opn n==o =opn n==o ==opn n==o | | =opn OREGON =opnopn PUBLIC =opn=opn NET =opn __| |__1200 =opn n==o =opn n==o =opn WORK =opn | | =opn= pn==o =opn= pn==o =opn ING =opn __| |__900 =opn= =opn= ==opn= =opn= =opn =opn | | =opn==opn==opn== =op=opn==opn==opn== =opn =opn __| |__600 =opn==opn==o =opn =opn==opn==o =opn =opn | | =opn __| |__300 =opn "There are cars backed up on |$| =opn the information superhighway __|$|__0 =opn for 15 miles! Can e-breakfast /$$$\ =opn for 500,000 be far behind?" ($$$$$) (shades of Woodstock) \OPN/ KEY ADVANTAGE COMPUTERS MATCHING GRANTS THIS MONTH! Alan McNeill of Key Advantage Computers has pledged to match the first $500 in donations to OPN for the month of June. Please help help us take full advantage of this generous offer by sending in a contribution today. APOLOGY TO JOURNALISTS (CYBERSPACE: THERE IS NO "THEM" THERE) My previous "fund-rave" waxed overly cynical in spots. Substitute "shortcomings" for "tricks" and "harder to find" for "more cleverly disguised" and my intended meaning will be clear: professional journalists are *much* better than the average net-user, but still not always perfect. I apologize for implying intent to deceive, which is the exception to the rule of journalists with high integrity such as Eugene's own Don Bishoff (donb), who gently pointed out my hypocrisy. I confess I didn't expect him to be reading my "column" too. :-) OPN DONATION AND PRIORITY ACCESS FAQ (FAQ= Frequently Asked Questions) 6/5/94 Questions to: Marc Baber (marc@efn.org) WHAT IS "PRIORITY ACCESS"? Since OPN wants to provide quality service and wishes to promote member contributions to make high quality service for everyone possible and whereas OPN expects to continue to experience rapid growth and over-utilization of any amount of resources for the foreseeable future, we reserve a varying number of phone lines for "priority access" members-- generally people who contribute $7 or more per month to OPN. There is no separate phone number to call for priority access. The 687-2996 number always rolls over to the next non-busy phone line. The first group of phone lines in the rollover sequence are freely available for anyone who connects when they're not busy. If all the lines in the first group are in use, the incoming call from your modem gets automatically rolled over into the second group of phone lines -- the priority access lines. Then, one of two things happens. First you login and the computer determines that you've connected to a priority access line. The system then checks the master list of priority access members to see if you're one. If not, the system asks you to try again later and disconnects after seizing the opportunity to inform you how to make a donation and become a priority access member. If you are a priority access user, you get to continue your session normally. Priority access has nothing to do with what services are available to you once you're logged in. At this time, we are allowing full internet access to all members and will continue this policy unless it is abused and becomes impossible to support/afford. Our current policy (which needs to be formally approved by the board) is: * Increase the number of priority access lines to the point where priority access members can connect at least 2/3 of the time on the average over a 24 hour period. * Never allocate more than half of all the available phone lines to priority access. Sometimes it is not possible to meet both goals and even priority access users get the busy signal more often than not. We are currently having difficulties getting more phone lines in OPN because there are no available extra lines in the NEIGHBORHOOD and we have to wait for cables to be laid by US West. When we have a more permanent location, we'll be able to plan to add 1-2 phone lines each week on a regular basis. A reasonable goal at this time is approx. 1 phone line per each forty members. We've achieved this for brief periods in the past and service was very reasonable. WHO GETS PRIORITY ACCESS? People who contribute $7/month or more get priority access as an incentive and as a thank-you from OPN to our supporters. Without them, none of us could ever log in. Low income individuals may make smaller monthly contributions in proportion to what they can afford and still receive the full benefit of priority access. Our feeling is that when one sincerely does the best they can to support OPN, it counts for full measure. OPN staff and the hardest-working volunteers also receive priority access so they can better do the work of providing technical support for members and realize a small benefit for their efforts. ARE CONTRIBUTIONS TAX DEDUCTIBLE? Unfortunately, money contributed for priority access is not tax deductible, because a valuable service is received in exchange. Only the amount donated in excess of $7/month is tax deductible. OPN tracks this and can give you a statement at year end if you wish. HOW ARE CONTRIBUTIONS CREDITED? In addition to tax deductible donations (DN), There are a number of services offered by OPN including dedicated SLIP connections (SLIP), UUCP feeds (UUCP), priority access (PA), and hourly technical assistance (CLIF). A price list is still being finalized for some of these, but priority access is set at $7/month. In the future a form will be provided to make it easier to use these codes. Though any contributions are gladly accepted, we would appreciate if, when you write a check to OPN, you would please write your login name in the "for" or "memo" blank at the lower left. This helps us to process your contribution quickly and accurately. Also, writing codes as in the previous paragraph helps us credit you with the right services. For example, if someone sends in a $31 check with the code (DN-$10, PA-$21), they'll get three months of priority access (at $7/month) and be credited for a tax deductible donation of $10 which will help us build the community network system faster and better. Don't worry about the codes too much. If you don't put a code on your checks, we automatically put the entire contribution toward priority access unless you already have paid for a year's priority access in advance. In that case, we designate any additional funds as Donations, unless other instructions (codes) are received. *** END of FAQ *** Please mail a check today (payable "Oregon Public Networking" or "OPN") to: OPN, Attn: Fundraising PO Box 1914 Eugene OR 97440-1914 Write your user-id (login name) on the check. Thanks for your support. +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Oregon Public Networking -- "Universal Access and a Public Fully empowered with Information" +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+