Published October 13, 1998
A halfway house for Internet wayfarers is our own public library, and the Livingston Internet Group that meets there twice monthly. Qualified speakers inform, amuse, and delight the attending public on subjects of Internet and computing.
Every meeting a dozen or more people gather for LIG meetings to socialize, ask questions, and see demonstrations relating to this amazing communication tool. We associate to learn from each other, because no one person can know it all.
Of an estimated 900 individual and business connections to the Internet from the immediate Livingston area, and more from elsewhere in the county, 354 participate in this free community service. Nowhere else in Montana, with the exception of Libby, is the rural interest in Internet so intently focused and organized.
LIG, so far this year, has presented 17 talks to beginners that also fascinate the more experienced users in this land of hocus-pocus. Some who come to listen and ask questions don’t have computers (yet).
In early December last year, Michael McLaughlin demonstrated specific Radio Shack gadgets for telephones, modems, computers, and accessories. Michael Behr and Brenda Hutzenbiler taught us the questions to ask that long-distance companies don’t like to answer.
Bill Berg fascinated listeners with his business success story. Starting from nothing, Bill has built and promoted Cool Works, a now prominent mainstream Web site for seasonal employment.
Chris Dimock, drove in from Billings one evening in March to inform the attentive assemblage about his Internet Service Provider business, Western Technology Partners. WTP had purchased Alpinet Communications Inc., the first ISP to offer local Internet connection in Livingston (May, 1995).
Peter Rybaczyk, author of the recently published Novell’s Internet Plumbing Handbook and experienced lecturer with Learning Tree, talked to the Internet group in April. Peter showed devices called routers and, with humor, simply explained protocols, the building blocks of the Internet.
Library Director Milla Cummins, in July, described how to more effectively search on the World Wide Web. “Somewhere in that long list is something I need,” someone would sigh. Milla taught the group how to bring the more relevant computer addresses to the top of the list.
Educator and Internet Technology Specialist Gene Shea recently gave a most impressive, amusing, and informative “low-tech” slide show presentation to the Internet group. Gene, with the help of many named individuals, has wired the schools’ classrooms and interlinked between buildings with wireless bridge to the Internet.
Ken Berman dispelled all the popular myths about his favorite operating system, an alternative to Windows. Ken demonstrated IBM’s OS/2 Warp 4 and how it had solved the many problems of Microsoft’s operating systems like NT—particularly more stable, fewer unexpected instances requiring a restart of the computer.
Steve Gameon told the Internet group about UseNet Newsgroups. Usenet is an increasingly popular area of the Internet liken to a bulletin board. Thousands of topics on various subjects are refreshed daily. Newcomers usually find Newsgroups after learning to use E-mail and the World Wide Web.
Blaine Fleming, another experienced young man with computers, in September demonstrated the fascinating capability to communicate live with others over the Internet. Using a keyboard, much like an Amateur (Ham) Radio Operator uses radio teletype, Internet users can engage in ICQ (I-Seek-You), similar to Internet Relay Chat (IRC).
Most notably, Dr. Nick Lawrence, of Lawrence Technologies, a spring/summer resident of Paradise Valley, entertained, amused, jested, and informed the group with his many talks during four months from May through August. He spoke to the group about: Basics of the Internet; Computer Viruses; the positive things teenagers do online; and current events gleaned from various Internet sources.
Nick conducts his advanced computer research business over the Internet. His company fulfills contracts from Small Business Innovation Research, primarily for the Department of Defense, and corporate industry.
Of the six informal discussions, Nick’s most memorable evening was on June 24 this year. That night, Dr. Lawrence demonstrated how networks work, using string, twine and rope between the chairs of the audience to signify large and small connections on this network of networks. He passed paper messages to demonstrate how Email and other processes worked, and occasionally didn’t work. A video tape was made of that meeting, thanks to Christopher Rudy, and two copies are available for check-out at the public library.
The LIG meeting last week was a send-off cake-n-coffee party for the Lawrence’s who are now en route to their winter haven somewhere in Texas. They have promised to return to Livingston again next spring.
What do you want to know about the Internet? Come to the Livingston Internet Group meetings and listen-in and participate. We are here for you.