A Free-Net represents a community-computing concept. It consists of a multi-user computer established at a central location that is connected to the telephone system through modems and to the Internet. This computer contains programs that provide it's users with everything from electronic mail services to information about health care, education, technology, government, recreation, news, weather, sports, or just about anything else of interest. The Rio Grande Free-Net was established in El Paso, Texas, and is the first of its kind in Texas. RGFN went on-line in September 1993 for testing and opened for registered users in March 1994. The Rio Grande Free-Net service area includes six West Texas counties, Dona Ana County of New Mexico and Cuidad Juarez of Mexico.
El Paso Community college, along with Providence Memorial Hospital and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), is developing the Rio Grande Free-Net. To sustain and improve the Rio Grande Free-Net, donations from individuals and organizations are greatly appreciated.
Anyone in the community with access to a home, office, or school computer with a modem, and the citizens around the world with access to the Internet, can contact the Rio Grande Free-Net 24 hours a day. The long-term goal is to have public terminals available at libraries, senior citizen centers, and other sites throughout the city. Simply dial a central phone number, make a connection, and select the information or communications service desired from the on-line menus. And like the name Free-Net implies, all of it is free.
CITIZENS - The Rio Grande Free-Net opens up information services and access to the Internet for a very large population that would not otherwise be able to afford participation.
SCHOOLS - Schools have a cost-effective means to teach telecomputing to their students. Both students and teachers have the ability to access unlimited resources such as browsing library shelves in countries all around the world.
GOVERNMENT - Citizens have a quick and easy way to contact elected representatives at all levels, and elected representatives have the ability to communicate with their constituents.
BUSINESS - Small enterprises have the opportunity to link their operations to a variety of important business databases via the Free-Net.
AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY - The agricultural community have the ability to access common information bases, share solutions, and access up-to-date crop and price information.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS - The Free- Net provides community organizations and institutions with a way of disseminating and sharing knowledge and getting feedback from the community.
The possibilities are unlimited, it only takes community involvement and support. Donations and volunteer work are the means by which the Rio Grande Free-Net can grow and evolve into a system that expresses our community to the world and allows us to contribute and participate at various levels. This is our community network and its up to us.
RGFN User's Guide Copyright 1995: You may copy this guide and distribute it for educational purposes only and not for any other purpose.
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