These are my personal notes and references relating to the Project,
as Anglia's representative.
The Project is steered by the larger group, representing a wide range of
interests, with the details handled by a smaller group.
[ 2nd meeting
| 3rd meeting
| 4th meeting
]
News
The Central Library access point, the sixth, was opened by Anne Campbell on Monday 29-Jan-1996.
Mill Road Library campaigners are suggesting it host a point as a way of
saving the 100-year-old Library (CEN 31-Jan-96).
August 1996
"Marketing: Anglia and the Web" section
The Phase I information set:
- Community Information
- A to Z of Council Services
- Job Vacancies
- Benefits Information
- Residential Lettings
- What's On in Cambridge
Progress
- "Employment Services" replaces "Job Vacancies" as there is insufficient time
to organise real-time vacancies.
- Similarly "Lettings" will be a list of agencies.
- The North City site will be Arbury Court Library.
- The prototype will be at the City Homes South office in Cherry Hinton Road - a dual
launch on 30th June. Cambridge Cable, Pipex and CMS (supplying a PC) are the sponsors.
- The Central Library site is due in July.
- Other sites: Citizen's Advice Bureau, Addenbrooke's Concourse, DSS.
It is vital that each site feature a trained supervisor of the access point: someone
to watch over it, help new users and prevent abuses.
Demo
Bill Thompson of Unipalm Pipex showed Netscape, Pipex Dial software and some ideas for pages.
He recommends 17" screens. The PCs will have the floppy drive disabled. The modems will support 28.8K.
Development
- New technologies
Much development in progress: touch screens, booths, etc.
Online Media & access from homes.
- New subject areas
E.g. transport, skills development.
- Other places (not necessarily Web-based)
Many use Council networks.
- South Bristol Learning Network
- Newham - many multilingual access points planned, videoconference links to central point.
- Powys
- Humberside VIC - video
- Ealing
- Kent Infopoint
- Nottingham Jobcentres
- Link to Anne Campbell's Child Care project:
Child care, jobs & educational opportunities for women returners.
- Funds
Chris Webb of Cam Training(?) is an expert in finding funding.
Chris Curry has offered his expertise.
Next meeting will be in September.
- Progress
- Four sites now set up, six info sets.
Addenbrooke's concourse and the Central Library soon.
- Plan for Phase II
- Anne Campbell's Child Care project
- Will have Web pages consolidating info on childcare provision in Cambridge
- Later will have related info such as jobs v. benefits
- Anderson Consulting keen to build into multimedia form, e.g. for
Online Media Interactive TV trial
- Online Media I-TV trial
- James Nightingale demoed the set-top box and talked about the project in general.
- It is thought to be using the cheapest and most advanced technology in the world for I-TV trials.
For instance the Orlando trial kit costs ten times as much.
- Many schools are connected and some are contributing.
- Web interface should be available soon.
- Netherhall School and Anglia's MPD are hoping to provide multimedia materials.
(Anglia Telecomms are to provide the necessary 2M fibre link between Cambridge Cable and MPD).
The European Commission is impressed (meaning funding may appear).
The DG III Commissioner is visiting OM about 14th Dec.
OM are going to the Stockholm challenge on 6-8 Dec.: Stockholm has challenged cities
to demo working I-TV systems.
- Next
- Key themes
- Public bodies + private bodies + individuals - as stakeholders and beneficiaries
- Open architecture
- Empowerment, equity, access
- CVS initiative: 6-8 training PCs
- Another six outlets
- Benefits Agency system link
- Kiosk technology
- Info handling mechanisms
Original URL: www.worldserver.pipex.com/cambridge/
Cambridge Online City Project article
at East Cambridgeshire On-Line News.
Ian's home page
: Other Online Community Initiatives
: The City of Cambridge: Past, Present and Future