The infraNET Distinquished Speaker
Seminar Series
The Next Generation of
Community Networks
Don Cowan and Colin Mayfield
University of Waterloo
Thursday, February 26,
1998
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Davis Centre, Room 1302
University of Waterloo
Abstract
Community information covers a wide
range of sources, and serves many users, encompassing government,
health and public safety organizations, businesses of all types,
service organizations, tourist attractions, historical societies, and
the general public. Communities are repositories of large amounts of heterogeneous information,
which need to be searched, read, explored, acted upon, updated, and which offer
opportunities for collaboration and other forms of two-way and group communication. The
World-Wide Web, in conjunction with interactive map interfaces and
database systems, are suitable technologies for building a community
network to exploit this information. We will describe prototype systems
that have been created within local companies and the University of
Waterloo to support community networks, including one in the Waterloo
area.
Organizing information for a community
has substantial impact on the way we create and manage the underlying
databases. In order for the community network to prosper, community
members and local businesses must be actively involved in the
acquisition and maintenance of community information. We will explore
this new model of community networking, describe our experience with
community networking in the Waterloo area, and indicate potential new
business opportunities.
Biography
Don Cowan is a Professor Emeritus,
Computer Science, University of Waterloo. He is also the Director of
the Computer Systems Group. Colin Mayfield is a Professor in the
Biology Department at the University of Waterloo. As well, he is
Assistant Director of Information Technology for the United Nations
University.
For more information
Shirley Fenton
The infraNET Project
Computer Systems Group, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4074