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Updated: 20 July 2000

Fenwick Webcam Hits Break Record, Flood Server!

[Picture] The new Chebucto Webcam on the top of Fenwick Place proved to be an overwhelming hit Wednesday, logging 313,810 visits in its first official open day. The camera merited a story in the Halifax Chronicle Herald and on-air mentions from at least two local radio stations.

The traffic from visitors eager to catch the view of the Harbour from Halifax's tallest building was so heavy that it threatened at its peak in mid-morning to crash the Chebucto webserver. It became necessary to lower the refresh rate on the page to once every 120 seconds to reduce the incredible load placed by almost 5,000 hits a minute.

The webcam page also marks a first for Chebucto with online advertising paying for the cost of the camera. It is hoped that future projects might be financed in the same manner, enabling Chebucto to increase its profile in the community.


New Chebucto User Agreement!

For the first time in several years, Chebucto has updated its User Agreement. The new User Agreement, available here, now includes references to new online activities not previously covered. Primarily an agreement that a Chebucto user "won't do bad things on the internet", agreeing to abide by the terms of the User Agreement is a mandatory requirement for using a Chebucto account.

Developed by the Chebucto Policy Committee in consultation with the Chebucto Board of Directors and Chebucto's Legal Advisor, the new User Agreement is also available on both text and graphical interface versions of the Individual Account sign-up page.


Record Chebucto Account Renewals

Account renewals at Chebucto are hitting record highs. 82% of 1999 Chebucto users from this period last year have renewed their accounts, a substantial increase from 67% the year before, itself a record renewal rate. User satisfaction and Chebucto's continuing support for older computer systems are seen as important contributing factors to this success.

New account signups are down 7% from the same period last year however. The local introduction of so-called "free" internet services is considered to be a significant factor in this decline.



New Chebucto Plus installation CD-ROM available

The Chebucto Technical Committee, with the help of Computer Science Co-op student Tracy Harnish, has developed an installation CD for setting up the Chebucto Plus graphical access service on users' computers.

The long-awaited CD will work with Windows 95 and 98, Macintosh, and Windows 3.1 and 3.11. The Chebucto Plus service is available to Sustaining members of the Chebucto Community Net. The CD is currently free to new Sustaining and Premium Neighbourhood Account members who may pick it up from the Chebucto Office, but there is a $10 charge to mail it out. Due to limited availability, this CD is only available to new Plus accounts.


Chebucto AGM News

The Annual General meeting of the Chebucto Community Net Society was held Tuesday, April 25 2000 at the Theatre Auditorium in the new Computer Science Building on the Dalhousie Campus. Mark Rushton opened the meeting with a presentation about his experiences in Cuba, "Community Networking in Cuba: Connecting with CSuite". Committee Chairs gave their reports (soon to be available on the Chebucto website) and six new Board members were elected by acclamation to fill the six vacant posts. Congratulations to Sylvana Buttigieg, Kelly Marney, Grace Paterson, Michael Nicholson, Mark Rushton, and Viola Winstanley.

Technical Committee Chair David Murdoch presented awards to four Chebucto volunteers: CCN-Tech volunteers Ed Dyer, David Potter and Michael Smith and CCN Userhelp volunteer Norman De Forest. Outgoing Chebucto Chair Michael Colborne closed the meeting answering user questions.


New Group Account Categories

The Chebucto Community Net is pleased to announce new account categories for both non-profit groups and for-profit small businesses. The new Neighbourhood Accounts were designed to make getting online with Chebucto easier and more streamlined. Information on Non-Profit Neighbourhood Accounts is here and information on For-Profit Neighbourhood Accounts is here.


Chebucto website update continues

The Chebucto Community Net website updating continues. A sizable portion of the Chebucto site has already been updated with the new pages, which work with SSI (Server Side Includes) for a uniform, easily updatable layout. Based on a template developed by Dalhousie University Library Science students and modified by NetCorps interns working under the supervision of Chebucto office staff, the new template attempts to make navigation on the Chebucto website easier. While designed with graphic browsers in mind, the web pages are accessible with the Lynx text browser.

New features are a standard navigation bar across the top of all pages (which you will have seen on this page) and a description of where on the Chebucto website you are, with links to the levels above you. The Chebucto website will gradually be revised to conform to the new format.

 

 

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