
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994                   TAG: 9404040168
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By ANDREW COHILL
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ELECTRONIC VILLAGE STILL IN EXPERIMENTAL STAGE|

Those of us associated with the Blacksburg Electronic Village were concerned when we learned of Madelyn Rosenberg's problems with her computer and the BEV software from her column in the March 20 New River Current. What is important to understand is that if Ms. Rosenberg had subscribed to one of the commercial services like America Online or Compuserve, it is quite likely she would be having the very same problems she is having with the BEV software.

We will quite cheerfully admit that our software is not completely foolproof. And we try to let our users know that the network (the information superhighway) is not foolproof. Indeed, as we have said from the beginning of the project, the electronic village is an "experiment."

We view it largely as an education project, not as a technology project. We are educating ourselves on how to serve an entire community of networked citizens. We are educating our users on how to access Internet and how that might be useful to them. We are helping the schools to understand how to use the technology to improve the quality of education for teachers, students and parents. We are trying to help businesses understand how to provide better service for customers and create new markets.

None of this is easy, for any of the parties involved. To make the Blacksburg Electronic Village a success in the long term, it will require the energy and resources of many interested parties and groups, especially civic organizations, private businesses and volunteers. The electronic village is an experiment in community networking and it requires community support. In it's very brief five months of operation, the electronic village has attracted over 750 users and already has an active and enthusiastic volunteer organization.

One of the things that we intend to begin doing immediately is to try to make BEV users more aware of the availability of volunteer support. Rosenberg's problem has been extremely difficult to diagnose over the phone, which is why she may have felt she was not getting the help she needed. Trying to fix a computer over the phone is a lot like calling up your car mechanic and expecting him or her to tell you, over the phone, how to adjust your engine timing. It's possible, probably frustrating to all parties.

If anyone is interested in helping with the electronic village's volunteer efforts, they can send E-mail to: bev.vhelpbev.net, or call Doug Mauer at 953-0627. Anyone who needs help with BEV software can send a note to bev.helpbev.net, or call Doug Mauer.

Andrew Cohill is director of the Blacksburg Electronic Village.

by CNB