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Derek Quill - 987-4120
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Steve Bradburn - 987-4141
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Jack Clarke - 987-4141
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GENERAL TIPS
FREE COMPUTER TOOLS Here are some of the things you can do to improve & protect your computers performance without paying a cent. Please read the directions carefully before using these products. BEST INTERNET TOOLS BEST THINGS TO DO
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Manitoba First Nations people
are faced with seemingly
insurmountable social challenges,
a cycle of poverty, and poor living
conditions. These conditions are
further eroded by the high cost of living,
especially northern and remote
First Nations communities, and the
limited access to essential services. The
introduction of broadband services
could contribute to the improvement of
these conditions and begin the development
of healthy, happy, sustainable
communities. In First Nations communities, telecommunications infrastructure and its affordability are a major concern. Manitoba falls in what can be considered a special class of rural, northern, and remote communities for which connectivity is particularly difficult. Citizens living in northern and remote areas of Manitoba have difficultly getting basic telephone service, let alone sophisticated data services. Current connectivity rates are not sufficient to support existing two-way multimedia applications, therefore making it difficult to integrate electronic applications into socio-economic development undertakings. An information and communications technology infrastructure has implications not only for education and skills development, but also for social services, public administration, health, democracy, and regional fairness. It can be argued that a regional broadband network would foster the development of improved educational outcomes, cost-effective health services, and more efficient government services delivery to those residing in outlying rural, northern, and remote communities in Manitoba. POTENTIAL MAJOR USERS At present, there are high rates of unemployment, low rates of secondary school graduation, and a large population of social assistance recipients, indicating that there is relatively sparse economic activity in First Nations communities. Additionally, through historic agreements, First Nations people receive a significant amount of their socio-economic development revenue and funding from the federal and provincial governments in the form of transfers and programs and service dollars. Major industries in this region include Health Care, Education, Social Services, Emergency Services, Tourism, Construction, and Natural Resource development and management. Given the large number of remotely located programs and service providers, the institutional use of broadband will revolve around videoconferencing technology that will enable applications such as e-medicine, e-learning, e-governance, government online, and e-business. BENEFITS A widely connected community actively participating in the information economy is an essential requirement for the continuing improvement of Manitoba First Nations’ social, economic, and environmental wellbeing. Moreover, a high level of community connectivity and computer literacy is necessary for the realization of productivity and service delivery improvements in the public, private, and voluntary sectors. Through the implementation of broadband, there are significant opportunities for the development of social capital, increasing community participation within and beyond the community, and increasing the understanding of historic and cultural values. The following describes how the broadband will greatly benefit our region by meeting each and every one of our needs: • Government funding: First Nations people will be on a level playing field in regard to accessing government programs and services using an online medium, which was previously less accessible due to the lack of broadband technology limiting access, and to information consumption and transfer.For an excellent example of an online First Nations community, visit: http://www.knet.ca The solution to accelerating the deployment of a broadband network involves grassroots activity, it involves strategic partnerships, and it involves policy direction and buy-in from First Nation leaders, industry, and government. The key stakeholders and partnerships must be brought together through a consultative process to pool resources and lever other funding that will satisfy the needs of all those involved. Through broadband, the goal of achieving widespread support for a regional connectivity infrastructure for Northern First Nations communities is even closer to being attained. |
| "Our people missed the industrial revolution. We are not going to miss the digital revolution." - AFN National Chief Matthew Coon Come
The Internet can seem like an overwhelming world for the untrained and intimidating for those with little knowledge of computers. It can also be embarrassing that 8 year olds have more knowledge and confidence than most adults! It's no secret that the Internet is the latest 'must have', but is the Internet really that useful? As a matter of fact, it most certainly is. The Internet can be a powerful democratizing force, offering greater economic, political and social participation to first nations communities that have traditionally been underserved - and help developing first nations communities meet pressing needs. But unless we take concrete action to ensure that everyone has a chance to share in the benefits of the "Digital Revolution", information technology could just as easily become another resource that is denied to our people who need it most. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs puts special emphasis on expanding digital opportunity around to all Manitoba First Nations communities; by supporting innovative programs to ensure that underserved first nations communities have the infrastructure, tools and skills to take full advantage of the World Wide Web. To the AMC, bridging the Digital Age is a strategic imperative because the more first nations people come online, the more valuable the global network becomes to all first nations people. To realize the full economic and social potential of this technology, we must ensure digital opportunity for all first nations communities. What is the World Wide Web, the Digital Revolution, the Information Superhighway and what does "going online" & "surfing the net" mean? Well, first of all, It's all the same thing. We are talking about being connected to the Internet--a worldwide network of computers that connects people and information all over the world. Quick History: The Internet began in the 1960s as a U.S. Department of Defense communication network. Soon after, university researchers and professors began to use it to communicate with others in their fields. Internet use really took off in the early 1990s with the arrival of the Web, which made it easier to find and view information online. Today, millions of people throughout the world are connected to the Internet. No one--no country, organization, or company--is in charge of the Internet; it's growing and being changed by its users every day.The Internet has a lot in common with other forms of communication, such as the:
If you're thinking about buying a computer set up to go on the Internet, become familiar with computer features so you can decide what makes sense for your community members. A computer's capabilities depend on:
If you already have an older model computer you can also add UPGRADES over time. You can buy additions you want or need later and install the upgrades yourself as you learn more about working with computers. Step 2 - Connecting to the Internet To go online, you will need to use a computer set up with hardware (equipment) and software (programs) as well as an internet access. Essentials include:
When you go on the Internet, you may have a specific destination in mind, or you may wish to browse through the Web, the way you would browse through a catalog, looking for things that interest you. This browsing is called surfing the Net. There are several ways to get around on the Web.
Just as we tell our children to beware of strangers they meet, we need to beware of strangers on the Internet. Most people behave reasonably and decently online, but some are rude, mean, or even criminal. Remember to:
Glossary of Common Internet Terms
ADDRESS: The unique location of an information site on the Internet, a specific file (for example, a Web page), or an email user. BOOKMARK: A saved link to a Web site that has been added to a list of saved links so that you can simply click on it rather than having to retype the address when visiting the site again. CD-ROM: A computer disk that can store large amounts of information and is generally used on computers with CD-ROM drives. CHAT ROOM: A location on an internet service that allows users to communicate with each other about an agreed-upon topic in "real time" (or "live"), as opposed to delayed time as with email. DOWNLOAD: To copy a file from one computer system to another. From the Internet user's point of view, to download a file is to request it from another computer (or from a Web page on another computer) and to receive it. EMAIL (Electronic Mail): A way of sending messages electronically from one computer to another, generally through a modem and telephone line connected to a computer. HARDWARE: A term for the nuts, bolts, and wires of computer equipment and the actual computer and related machines. HOME PAGE: The site that is the starting point on the World Wide Web for a particular group or organization. For example: http://www.firstnationsonline.com LINK: An easy method for retrieving information by choosing highlighted words or icons on the screen. The link will take you to related documents or sites. HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE (html): The standard computer programming language used by Web servers to create websites and webpages on the Internet. ICON: A small picture on a Web page that represents the topic or information category of another Web page. Frequently, the icon is a hypertext link to that page. INTERNET: A worldwide collection of computer networks that allows people to find and use information and communicate with others. ISP (Internet Service Provider): A generic term for any company (Shaw, MTS, AOL) that can connect you directly to the Internet. MODEM: A device that allows computers to communicate with each other over telephone lines. Modems come in different speeds: the higher the speed, the faster the data is transmitted. MOUSE: A small device attached to the computer by a cord, which lets you give commands to the computer. The mouse controls an arrow on the computer screen and allows you to point and click to make selections. NETIQUETTE: Rules or manners for interacting courteously with others online (such as not typing a message in all CAPITAL LETTERS, which is equivalent to SHOUTING). ONLINE SERVICE: A company such as America Online that provides its members access to the Internet through its own special software as well as additional services such as chat rooms, children's areas, travel planning, and financial management. SEARCH ENGINE: A program that performs keyword searches for information on the Internet. SOFTWARE: A computer program. System software operates on the machine itself and is invisible to you. Application software allows you to carry out certain activities, such as word processing, games, and spreadsheets. URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The World Wide Web address of a site on the Internet. For example, the URL for the Assembly of First Nations is http://www.afn.ca NEWSGROUPS: A system of thousands of special interest groups to which readers can send or "post" messages; these messages are then distributed to other computers on the network. VIRUS: A piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause some unexpected and usually undesirable event, such as lost or damaged files. Viruses can be transmitted by downloading programming from websites or be present on a diskette. The source of the file you're downloading or of a diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. The virus lies dormant until circumstances cause its code to be executed by the computer. WEB BROWSER: A software program that lets you find, see, and hear material on the World Wide Web, including text, graphics, sound, and video. WORLD WIDE WEB (Web or WWW): A hypertext-based system that allows you to browse through a variety of linked Internet resources organized by graphics-oriented home pages. |