Network Services

• Overview
• Services for Individuals
• Services for Groups and Organizations

• More than 10,000 members use the IGC Networks.
• Member networks of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), link over 30,000 people and organizations world-wide working for progressive change.
• Over 7,000 progressive organizations, with thousands more on the rest of the APC, range from large, international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to small, grassroots organizations.
• These communities communicate through public and private means, exchanging information, planning events and in general supporting each others efforts.
• Members of any one of the IGC Networks (PeaceNet, EcoNet, ConflictNet, LaborNet, WomensNet) have access to the resources of all, plus access to the resources of the Association for Progressive Communications and the Internet.

Over 1200 electronic conferences cover topics ranging from biodiversity to human rights and from toxics to nonviolence. These conferences have people and organizations providing information such as newsletters, reports, first-hand observations and action alerts.

Dozens of larger news services and publications post material to conferences. These include the alternative press in the United States, issue-specific publications from all over the world, and international news wires (including Inter Press Service) and smaller news services.

The IGC Networks provide an open forum for any organization or individual to "broadcast" their information via public conferences.

IGC's communications tools (summarized further throughout these pages) support the initiatives of its members.

IGC and APC provide technical assistance to people wanting to set up new networks in remote locations, especially in less developed areas.

• Electronic Mail -- transmit information all over the world quickly and cheaply, with no surcharges for high volume or special destinations; reach anyone who has an e-mail address on nearly any network; send informal and personal messages; send private and secure messages; inexpensive for international communications (compared with long distance telephone charges); address one message to many addresses (See also "Mailing Lists").

• Internet Services -- IGC supports a full range of Internet services.

• Mailing Lists -- IGC offers mailing list services using a combination of our own software (Conf-to-Mail) and Majordomo software. These lists allow you to distribute information to any Internet address, and allow subscribers to the list to add information. You can include e-mail addresses, electronic conferences, newsgroups and other mailing lists on your address list.

• Fax and Telex -- IGC Network members can send faxes and telexes to any fax or telex number anywhere in the world directly from their own personal computer while logged into their IGC account.

• User Directory -- The IGC user directory is a "telephone book" with e-mail addresses, names, keywords and sometimes phone numbers of the IGC and APC networks. Keywords describe and identify interests or expertise. Locate members with similar interests or in the same geographical area.

• Electronic Conferences -- A "meeting place" on the network for people to exchange information or discuss a particular subject. Great for disseminating information cheaply and easily. Conduct "meetings" from separate locations and time zones. Create and sustain a community of people organized around a particular issue or action. Public, Organization-Sponsored and Private conferences available.

• Databases -- Organize information so that it is easy and efficient to retrieve; search data quickly and easily; manage large collections of information. Use existing databases or work with IGC staff to make your own database available on-line.

• News Finder -- A tool to locate easily news and information in the conferences on the IGC networks; menu-based, allowing you to browse information based on issue or region.

• News of Note -- These are important announcements that appear upon logging in to the IGC Networks. They mention important system information, new features, and important news of the day. Use News of Note to publicize news, information and act ion alerts.

• Alternative News & Information Resources on the IGC Networks -- The IGC Networks have a rich resource of news and information available from the alternative media and progressive organizations.

• PeaceNet World News Service -- This is a news digest service that delivers that latest news and information from IPS and other sources directly to your e-mail box on a daily basis.

• All of the services for individuals

• Organization-Sponsored and Private Conferences -- Use public organization-sponsored conferences to publish your organization's newsletter or regular publication. Use private conferences for internal or sensitive communications restricted to a group of members of your choice. Cost: One time $30 setup.

• Putting Databases On-Line -- IGC may be able to set up a customized database for your information resource. There is no charge to put correctly formatted information that the IGC staff deems valuable to the greater IGC community into an on-lin e database. Private or controlled access databases are available (priced on a case-by-case basis). Some storage charges may also apply.

• Your own space on the Internet
  • Gopher Space
  • FTP Space -- For a relatively low annual fee, IGC members can make files available to anyone on the Internet.
  • World Wide Web (WWW) Pages -- IGC can make custom WWW "pages" for putting your organization's information out on the Internet. See the 1993 Environmental Scorecard as an example of a WWW page that IGC put together for the League of Conservation Voters. WWW page-building is priced on a case-by-case basis.

• Automatic Reply E-Mail Messages -- IGC can set up a special e-mail address that automatically returns a standard message to the sender. This is a great tool for letting people access your organization's brochure, contact/membership information , or some action item simply by having them send a message to a particular e-mail address. Your information can be "accessed" by anyone with an Internet e-mail address. It's a great way to disseminate information quickly and inexpensively, eliminating t he cost of printing, postage and staff needed for mailings.

• Access Groups -- An access group is a group of accounts on the system identified as being involved in the same issue or organization. Custom banners and announcements may be made for particular access groups. Use access groups to create mini- networks or on-line communities. Have customized conference "visit" lists. Communicate quickly with just the members of your access group.

• Custom Menus -- For large groups of users with a specific focus, IGC can design special menus that point to specific conferences, databases, documents or gophers, as well as to standard IGC services. Custom menus make specific information from our vast network easy to find, and give the group using them the look and feel of their own network. Custom menus are priced on a case-by-case basis.

• UUCP Accounts -- UUCP is a method of linking a computer system (like a Local Area Network or BBS) to the IGC Networks to exchange e-mail and conferences efficiently. There are setup charges and connect surcharges. Depending on the conference "feed", there may be additional charges. But in some cases, it can be cheaper to set up a UUCP account than have multiple accounts directly on the IGC Networks. UUCP service may also include Domain Name service, giving a group of users or a netwo rk their own internet "domain name" -- user@YourOrg.org, for example.

• Special Rates for Groups
  • Group Rates
  • Library Accounts
  • Student Accounts

• How to get someone signed up immediately