Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Freenet Needs Information

The Prescott Community Freenet Association (PCFA) is asking every local club, civic organization, church, business, school and government organization for a few paragraphs of information.

PCFA is ready to expand the amount information on its worldwide web server, PCFA.ORG, to include every aspect of the county. The information may be sent to PCFA Secretary/Treasurer Danny Stewart, at 615 Oak Street in Prescott.

When the information is placed on PCFA.ORG, it becomes available to anyone using the Internet's World Wide Web when the user asks for `http://www.pcfa.org/'. Many local resources are already on PCFA.ORG, including a community profile, information on several organizations, and local newspapers.

"This is a large on-going project and requires a tremendous number of volunteers to contribute articles and information," Stewart said. He compared the effort to an electronic book about Nevada County written by the community as a whole. The book is always evolving and changing to outline the present, as well as the past.

When anyone, for example an industrial plant manager, is interested in the area, they can use their computer to quickly and easily "visit" Nevada County through PCFA.ORG. They learn about the people, social and business environment. With enough information there is a favorable impression which can lead to new business, new jobs and a better community.

In addition to the local electronic resources, PCFA.ORG offers free access to the Internet. Users with a computer and modem make a local telephone call to the PCFA.ORG computer.

There are no monthly, hourly or per MegaByte fees. PCFA obtains the internet connection from a dedicated line run to the Prescott Schools by the Arkansas Public School Computer Network.

PCFA asks for contributions from civic clubs, businesses, industry and individuals to pay for the local telephone lines which allow "dial in" to PCFA.ORG.

Sponsors and contributors include several individuals, Bank of Prescott, Prescott Motor Company, GTE, Rotary Club and Tri-Service Club. The Prescott Lions Club challenged all other civic organizations to match its $540 a year contribution to pay for a telephone line.

Persons interested in obtaining an account on PCFA.ORG should get an account application at Auto Parts and Supply or Taylor's Grocery, by logging in as `new' at 887-1842, or by sending a self-addressed and stamped envelope to Stewart.

So far about 65 persons are using PCFA.ORG. Two phone lines are installed, with a third on order to relieve the number of busy signals. The project has reached about half its funding goal for the first year, which is to pay for the computer and install four telephone lines. Additional lines will be installed when funds are available.