Public Access Internet - extending the audience for the Internet into the general community

Abstract

This article discusses two recent studies of VICNET, a community oriented public access provider and web site. VICNET:Victoria's Network is an undertaking aimed at providing free public access and facilitating community publishing. Two recent formal studies have examined the usage of VICNET, each from a different perspective. Based on data collected in those studies, and on other feedback and monitoring mechanisms, this paper hypothesizes that public access and community publishing can play a significant role in encouraging use of the Internet by a wide range of the general population. Implications for the organisation, content and marketing of the service are discussed.

Keywords

Community Networking, Public Access, User Surveys

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