Title pages.

Title page
Abstract
Dedication
Quotations
Acknowledgements

Chapter One - Introduction.

1.0 Introduction and Rationale.
1.1 Thesis Statement.
1.2 Thesis Structure.
1.3 Definitions.
1.3.1 Community Networks.
1.3.2 Computer-mediated communications (CMC).
1.3.3 Community networks as a form of CMC.
1.3.4 Community building.
1.4 Community networks and Geography.
1.5 Previous studies of CMC.
1.5.1 Technophilic views of CMC.
1.5.2 Technophobic views of CMC.
1.5.3 Community networks as a potential middle ground.
1.6 Previous studies of community networks.
1.6.1 The need for study and the nature of this thesis.

Part I - Literature Review and Methodology.
Chapter Two - Literature Review.

2.0 Introduction.
2.1 Definitions of Community.
2.1.1 Classic definitions.
2.2.2 Ferdinand Tönnies.
2.2.3 Modern conceptions of 'community.'
2.2.4 Popular definitions of community.
2.3 Virtual communities.
2.4 Entirely virtual communities.
2.5 The place of community networks.

Chapter Three - Methodology.

3.0 Introduction.
3.1 Methodology.
3.1.1 Interview Respondents.
3.1.2 Personal Experience.
3.1.3 Interview Structure.
3.2 Interview Questions.

Part II - An Overview of Computer-Mediated Communications.
Chapter Four - Technical Background.

4.0 Introduction.
4.1 Basic technological paradigm.
4.2 Common types of CMC systems.
4.2.1 Major corporate online services.
4.2.2 Commercial Internet service providers.
4.2.3 Bulletin Board Systems.
4.3 Community networks as distinct from commercial services.
4.3.1 - i) Local.
4.3.2 - ii) Universal Access.
4.3.3 - iii) Community Outreach.
4.3.4 - iv) Non-commercial and Diverse nature of Content.
4.3.5 - v) Information as a community good, not a commodity.
4.3.6 - vi) Community Participation.
4.3.7 - vii) Social goals.

Chapter Five - History of Community Networks.

5.0 Introduction.
5.1 Early Community Networks in the US.
5.1.1 Community Memory - the 1970s.
5.1.2 The early 1980s.
5.1.3 The Cleveland Free-Net - the mid 1980s.
5.1.4 The NTPN.
5.2 Community networks in Canada.
5.2.1 Other Canadian community networks.
5.2.2 Telecommunities Canada and the federal government.
5.2.3 Telecommunities Canada and the NTPN.
5.2.4 BC Community Networks.

Part III - Empirical Findings and Analysis.
Chapter Six - Description of Selected Community Networks.

6.0 Introduction.
6.1 Campbell River Community Network.
6.1.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.1.2 The technology.
6.1.3 Local information.
6.1.4 User Structure.
6.1.5 Commercial content.
6.1.6 Public Access.
6.2 The Mount Arrowsmith Community Network.
6.2.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.3 Nanaimo Online.
6.3.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.4 The National Capital FreeNet - Libertel de la Capitale nationale.
6.4.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.5 Nechako Access Network Organization (NANO)
6.5.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.6 Prince George Free-Net.
6.6.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.7 The Vancouver CommunityNet.
6.7.1 Historical background to the community network.
6.7.2 Charitable Status.
6.8 The Victoria Telecommunity Network.
6.8.1 Historical background to the community network.

Chapter Seven - Analysis.

7.0 Introduction.
7.1 Local community service.
7.1.1 Mission Statements.
7.1.2 Respondents' Views of Community building.
7.1.3 Lack of clarity and consensus.
7.1.4 Specific community-related activities.
7.2 Political and Ideological Goals - Public space on the Net.
7.2.1 Concerns over growing corporate control of the nets.
7.3 National and international connections.
7.4 Conclusion.

Chapter Eight - Challenges and difficulties facing community networks.

8.0 Introduction.
8.1 1 - The challenges and difficulties in providing community service.
8.1.1 Funding.
8.1.2 Motivating community groups.
8.1.3 Questions of scale and geography.
8.1.4 Involving the community.
8.1.5 Meeting community needs.
8.2 II - Rural and Urban Community Networks.
8.2.1 Successes of smaller community networks.
8.2.2 Problems in rural communities.
8.2.3 Difficulties with larger community networks.
8.2.4 Staffing of organizations.
8.3 III - Inherent qualities of online discourse.
8.3.1 Positive aspects of online discourse.
8.3.2 Negative aspects of online discourse.
8.3.3 bc.general.
8.3.4 Online Harassment.
8.3.5 The net as a social insulator.
8.4 IV - Communications technology: a Faustian bargain?
8.4.1 Networking technology as democratic - some criticisms.
8.4.2 Vulnerability of CMC Technology.
8.4.3 Centralized control on UNIX systems.
8.4.4 Access to multi-user systems.
8.5 Conclusion.

Chapter Nine - Conclusion.

9.0 Introduction.
9.1 Future directions of community networks.
9.1.1 Internal consensus.
9.1.2 Community Needs.
9.1.3 Financial Costs.
9.1.4 Provision of Dialup.
9.1.5 Changing Technologies.
9.1.6 Local information content.
9.1.7 Defining attainable goals.
9.1.8 Training.
9.1.9 An examination of the technical capacities and limitations of CMC in general.
9.2 The Niche of Community Networks.
9.2 Summary.

Appendices.

Appendix A - Questions asked of each respondent.
Appendix B - List of community networks and organizing committees in British Columbia.
Appendix C - Selected Online Resources.

Glossary of Computing Terms relevant to Community Networks.
Bibliography.
Footnotes.