Community Networks

Presented in this work is the five-year evolution of the Blacksburg Electronic Village - the venture that linked the citizens of Blacksburg, Virginia, to each other and to the rest of the world, entirely through the Internet. It addresses the social, economic, technical and educational impact of living in a "connected town", based on community-wide surveys, focus groups and data-logging efforts. It also describes the essential components of a community network, and offers useful advice on designing and developing an electronic community.