US/ND-4: Re: voice e-mail for the homeless
Re: voice e-mail for the homeless
Ronda Hauben (rh120@columbia.edu)
Mon, 16 Sep 1996 07:19:06 -0400 (EDT)
Responding to Emilio_Gonzalez@ed.gov (Emilio Gonzalez)
> Many libraries are providing e-mail access for the homeless. It is
> possible to use schools (after hours) and community centers for
> providing email access. Washington State and New York City are
> examples of communities that are providing public access through
> libraries. Homeless person have as much right as anyone else to use
> PUBLIC facilities.
The Nov. 1994 NTIA (National Telecommunications Information Administration)
conference discussed providing email access for the homeless, and Usenet
and lynx access as well. (There is a summary of the online conference
in vol 7 no. 1 of the Amateur Computerist which is available from me
if you write me at ronda@umcc.umich.edu for a copy of the issue)
I wondered where e-mail access is available for the homeless in
New York City however, as there is a need for something like a
Free-net or community network to have an e-mail account. In NYC
the New York Public Library makes netscape available but not any
email accounts so unless someone has an email account elsewhere,
the access at the NYPL doesn't help make e-mail available. It only
helps to read email where one already has an account.
Ronda
rh120@columbia.edu
------------
Netizens: On the History and Impact
of Usenet and the Internet
http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/
See chapter 11 "The NTIA Conference on the future of the Net"