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Computers and Social Change Conference
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Date: Thu, 17 Mar 1994 09:38:15 -0500 (EST)
From: Miles R Fidelman
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The 4th Annual New England Computers and Social Change Conference at the Boston Computer Society MegaMeeting April 9 and 10, 10AM-6PM UMass Boston/Harbor Campus
The annual Computers and Social Change Conference is a gathering for community activists, nonprofit staff, board and volunteers who use computers and telecommunications or plan to, and students, teachers, and computer professionals who want to contribute to social change. KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
** Saturday, 10:00 a.m. "The Information Superhighway: What Is It? Why Do We Care?" Steve Miller and Coralee Whitcomb, CPSR Board of Directors; Joyce Freeling, the Legazy Project
CPSR is a national leader in insuring a public interest voice in the debate about national NII policy, with ties to organizations as diverse as Ralph NaderUs Taxpayers Assets Project and Telecommunications Policy Roundtable, a collaboration of numerous community, educational, and public service groups of which the BCS is a charter member.
** Saturday, 4:00 p.m.
"The Electronic Counter Culture" Howard Rheingold, Editor, The Whole Earth Review
A writer, visionary, and activist since long before the Internet was cool, Mr. Rheingold speaks to us via the medium of live teleconference from the west coast with messages about the places where the computer and counter cultures meet, the idea of a virtual on-line community, and the implications of technology in our society.
CONFERENCE COSPONSORS: Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility Technology Educational Council of Somerville/Somerville Community Computing Center Freedom House The Lotus Philanthropy Program The Nonprofit Education and Training Program at the Filene Center, Tufts University Haymarket PeopleUs Fund CPPAX TecsChange WORKSHOPS
*Community Computing Centers and the Playing to Win Network Discussion of the past, present, and future of the neighborhood technology and community computer center movement. Organizational strategies for extending computer access to those who donUt ordinarily have it. How to start and develop technology resources and integrate into community agency programs. WhatUs happening in the Boston area and elsewhere, with representatives from the Somerville Community Computing Center and Playing to Win. Sunday 3:00
* Computerized Libraries of the Future Libraries have begun to integrate computers into their information resources, reference librarians are acquiring a growing set of computerized tools, and the information superhighway is being built right up to the library door. This workshop will be a report and discussion from those closest to the front door. Saturday 2:00* Telecommunications & Social Change: The MetroBoston CWEIS Project A number of community, educational and technology programs and institutions, big and small--from WGBH, Bolt Beranek and Newman, the City of Cambridge, MIT, the MA Board of Library Commissioners, and the BCS to Freedom House, the United South End Settlements, the Haitian Multi-Service Center, El Centro Del Cardinal, Somerville Community Access Television, and Net Daemon Associates-- have gotten together to develop a major Community Wide Education and Information Service or CWEIS, an online resource which, all agree, will go beyond the basic FreeNets which are spreading out across the country. Saturday 2:00* Telecommunications & Social Change: Introduction to Alternative Electronic Bulletin Boards. Access to global networking for like-minded groups offers a tremendous opportunity to share information and collaborate on projects for social change. Learn about the Internet and now to access its services and resources and about the many non-commercial alternative bulletin boards (IGC/PeaceNet/EcoNet, HandsNet,and the WELL). Attendees should have a basic knowledge of modems and bulletin boards. Saturday 12:00* Computers and Society: The Broad Focus and A Case Study Presentation by Michael Albert of Z Magazine on the role of computers in society for good and/or for ill, and the questions they confronted at Z in putting up their electronic Bulletin Board System. Sunday 12:00* Computers and the Third World: Presentation by TecsChange, a group that grew out of the 1991 Computers and Social Change conference. Focus on the upcoming spring elections in South Africa, the results of the recent election held in El Salvador, and the role of technology in each. TecsChange has donated equipment and technical support to both these countries to help bring democratic elections to areas where the majority has been disenfranchised or forbidden to vote for many years. Also being covered will be TecsChange's local work collecting, repairing and distributing computer equipment to progressive community groups in third world countries including Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Haiti as well as So. Africa and El Salvador. Sunday 3:00* Computers and Capitalism: Who Creates Unemployment? Recent economic trends show that the latest technological revolution is creating large numbers of unemployed people, white collar and blue collar alike. Computerization seems to make it possible to do much more with many fewer workers. Who or what is responsible for these layoffs, and what are the better alternatives? Saturday 2:00* Consultants and Contractors: Ways of Working Together Consultants serve several clients at one time, usually for limited periods of time at a stretch. Contractors serve one client at a time usually for longer periods of time and usually on one project at a time. Both are temporary workers; both earn comparable amounts; both need agents of one sort or another; both have copyright and health insurance concerns. There are many similarities. Is there a way we can all work together to improve our situation with both clients and agents? Professional associations, unions, and co-operative alternatives will be explored. Sunday 11:00* Nonprofits Getting Good Stuff Cheap Cost is often an issue when looking for equipment, programs, computer-related training or contracting the help of consultants. This workshop will provide information on where to get software, shareware, hardware, consultants, volunteers, and training cheap in the Boston area and beyond. Saturday 12:00 and Sunday 11:00* Nonprofits: How to Use Consultants How to go through the steps in successfully hiring a computer consultant: to recommend systems, help buy new (or used) computers and software; conduct staff training; develop a database management system to track clients. How does the non-profit go about selecting a consultant? What kinds of questions should the agency ask? What fees should the agency be expected to pay? How do nonprofits deal with a computer consultant? Sunday 11:00* How to Approach Foundations for Technology Grants Grantwriting and proposal development demands a special understanding when it comes to seeking funds for nonprofit technology projects. Representatives from the Support Center and local philanthropy programs discuss what foundations look for when granting money for technological innovation. Saturday 1:00
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The annual Computers and Social Change Conference is one of several major public service projects of the Boston Computer Society which also includes the NonProfit Assistance Program (NPAP), which matches technically-skilled volunteers with community agencies in need of technical assistance and provides equipment through its Computer and Peripheral Recycling (CPR) Program.
Much of the value of the Computers and Social Change Conference is gained from the informal meetings and networking which takes place among the participants, and we encourage you to drop by the Social Change registration desk and learn more about the conference, the NonProfit Assistance Program and the benefits of BCS Nonprofit organizational membership, and let people know of your general or specific areas of interest.
The 4th Annual Computers and Social Change Conference is taking place this year at the 8th annual BCS MegaMeeting. Among the MegaMeeting highlights are: 150 informative seminars Show floor featuring 150 exhibitor booths Demonstrations of new products and technologies by knowledgeable BCS volunteers The CompuFest, a display and contest for Massachusetts computer-using students in grades K-12 The BCS Teacher Training Program The Take a Byte Out of Hunger program: for every 10 canned goods or non-perishable foods you bring to the MegaMeeting lobby, you get one raffle ticket to win a computer from Digital Equipment Corporation or Apple Computer. Food will be donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank.
The Conference and MegaMeeting run from 10:00-6:00 each day. There is free parking and shuttle service from the JFK/UMass Red Line station.
The Conference is free to BCS members; $7.00 for non-members, and there is no preregistration. If you: --would like to volunteer to help; --can put up out-of-town visitors or are from out of the area and would like assistance; --want to help your group set up a table or have some display space; --simply want to catch up on recent announcements and check workshop times and presenters;
Send email to ksnow@igc.apc.org (Please don't send email to the poster of this message), call Marlene at the BCS office:290-5700, or dial the Peace and Justice Hotline 617/787-6809 and push 1.
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