Technology Advisory Committee


		The Technology Advisory Committee's portfolio includes the Board’s website, broadband policy, cable services, mobile, pay phone, polling, public access cable channels, and voting technologies. It seeks to improve local communication and the decision-making process. Look around, send us your thoughts. If you'd like to dig into in the committee's work, click into the R&D Lab. No age or expertise requirements.


		Web Options


		Several options for hosting Community Board 3's web presence might soon be available. See a review and join a discussion of these options here.


		Candidate Technologies


		The committee's R&D effort seeks technology responses to community concerns and opportunities. This website and several past and present candidates have been presented to the community and board. Network Neutrality - The Internet traditionally operated under a parallel connect policy allowing everyone to send and receive information according to the speed capabilities of thier purchased line. Board 3 passed a Network Neutrality Resolution on December 14, 2006 calling for the continuation of that policy. The .NYC TLD - Board 3 passed an Internet Empowerment Resolution in April 2001 that called for the city to acquire the .NYC TLD (top level domain name). With a new TLD application opportunity approaching, we're seeking organizational relationships that might facilitate its development. Virtual World Tools - The committee is exploring ways the metaverse might be used in the planning process. Connect to the committee's experiment using New York Law Schools's Democracy Island to explore how one popular service enables modeling a new park in the Landing Lights area of the district. Internet Radio - One solution to the paucity of local media is the creation of an audio channel dedicated to local needs. Part of The Solution - This project envisions a database that matches and organizes resident resources so as to address commuity problems. RSS - See the Board's RSS resolution on networking websites.


		Recent TAC Meeting Reports


		Here are the reports from the most recent meetings of the Technology Advisory Committee. December 11, 2006 Meeting - Network Neutrality, Cell Towers November 13, 2006 Meeting - CITI Youth Program, Network Neutrality, Virtual Tools / Landing Lights Park, The .nyc TLD, Audio Services, Citizen Government May 16, 2006 Meeting - CITI Youth Program, Internet Radio March 9, 2006 Meeting - Internet Radio, Network Neutrality, The .nyc TLD, Virtual Planning Spaces November 22, 2005 Meeting - Broadband Availability, Recording, Network Neutrality, .nyc TLD, Virtual Planning Spaces October 14, 2005 Meeting - PEG Channels, DSL Availability, Recording, Network Neutrality, Virtual Planning Spaces


		Picture Request: UGLY BETTIES & Pretty Pattys

One new item (12/06) on the committee's agenda is cell towers. We're considering a contest on best and worst. Send your pictures to the committee chair. We'll post them here.


		Members of the Committee

Community Board committee members are of two types: Board Members and Public Members. Board Members request committee assignments and are appointed to a committee by the Board’s Chair. Public Members are local residents with an interest in a committee’s work who have applied to the Board’s Chair requesting membership. The following are the members of Queens Community Board 3’s Technology Advisory Committee.

Board Members

Steve Kulhanek, Committee Chair
Patrick Beckles
Vivian Dock
Grace Lawrence, Ex-Officio

Public Members

Eugene Atkins
Thomas Lowenhaupt
Jeffrey Saunders
Gene Stuart


		Links to ICT Oriented Websites

	NYC Department of Information & Telecommunications Technology
	NYS Department of Public Service
	Federal Communications Commission
	20,000+ definitions of information & communication technology terms and concepts
	A longtime electronic village - Blacksburg Virginia
	A toolkit for online communities
	Table of Communities, Governance, and other Parties of the Internet
	Internet navagation and programming tools
	Federal (HHS) Guidelines for Design of Web Materials
	The BeyondVoting Wiki
	Broadband Everywhere - on redlining by Verizon

The above links will take you to websites providing information about the online world. These sites are maintained by others and, while they were of quality on the date posted, we can not guarantee that they remain so today. If you think one should be removed, or would like to suggest one to be added, please email toml@communisphere.com.


		Technology Advisory Committee Files


		Download zip

Files / Folders		File Size	Posted By	Date Posted	Actions
	Technology Advisory Committee Meeting Report - March 31, 2005.html Meeting report contains information on RSS, QPTV, Audio Access, and Fiver Optic Redlining.	8k	tom	4/20/05
	Proposed RSS resolution Community Board 3's proposal for the use of RSS on all NYC websites.	3k	tom	3/23/05
	Technology Advisory Committee Meeting Report - December 9, 2004.rtf Meeting report contains information on the Board's website, training, blogs, Second Life, email.	22k	tom	12/21/04
	Technology Advisory Committee Meeting Report - October 20 2004.rtf Meeting report contains information on the Board's website, pay phones, consultations, effective use of the Internet, and The Great Tree Hunt Competition.	75k	tom	10/27/04


		Tech Files

Links / Categories		Posted By	Date Posted	Actions
	Proposed RSS resolution Community Board 3's proposal for the use of RSS on all NYC websites.	tom	3/31/05	none
	Cable TV Franchise Renewal Cookbook NYC's cable franchises are up for renewal. Here's an excellent link to a scoping and planning document.	tom	3/2/05	none
	Redlining - Is it an issue for Community District 3? Verizon is hoping to install high speed fiber optic lines throughout its servcie areas. Some claim that the first wired are to be the wealthy neighborhoods. True or false?	tom	2/21/05	none
	43 Things - A Democratic Organization Tool? This shows an interesting way to organize disperate ideas.	tom	12/19/04	none
	No Redlining Says Verizon	tom	4/18/05	none
	Network Neutrality Should your Internet Service Provider be allowed to edit the sites and services you access? Should your phone company be able to decide who you call? There's new technology that will allow such controls. Read this paper on the issue.	tom	10/1/05	none
	On Network Neutrality and legislation 12-12-05	tom	12/21/05	none
	Persuasive Paper for the ISPs Most excellent oresentation of why full neutrality might not be in the user's best interest.	tom	4/5/06	none
	Network Nutrality	tom		none


		TAC Files


		Download zip

Files / Folders		File Size	Posted By	Date Posted	Actions
	FCC Commissioner Copps on danger to Internet.pdf A frank discussion by FCC's Commissioner Michael Copps on the danger posed by the FCC's creating "choke points."	47k	tom	10/18/03
	January 2004 TAC Committee Meeting Report.rtf Committee report covering: Historic Venue; Introductions; Website Update; Games for Governance; Cable TV & Phone Company Participation; The .NYC Top Level Domain Name.	23k	tom	2/20/04
	March 31 2004 Committee Meeting Report.rtf Report from the March 31, 2004 meeting of Queens Community Board 3's Technology Advisory Committee.	23k	tom	4/23/04
	March 31 2005 TAC meeting Report Meeting covered audio access to board information, CB 3 representation at QPTV, a proposed resolution on RSS, and fiber optic redlining.	8k	tom	6/16/05
	May 26 2005 TAC Meeting Report - format: HTML Meeting covered equipment to provide audio access to board information, Robert's Rules of Order Online, Phishing, and access to broadband for all residents, i.e., no redlining.	6k	tom	6/18/05
	November 2003 Committee Meeting Report - Draft.rtf A draft report of the Technology Advisory Committee's Novenber 19,2003 meeting.	28k	tom	12/5/03
	Technology Advisory Committee Report - October 28 2004.rtf Regular meeting of committee discussing board's website, consultations, pay phones, public engagement, and The Great Tree Hunt Competition.	75k	tom	10/27/04
	The Great Tree Hunt Game.rtf The grassroots governance level in New York City is the Community Board. With the activation of a website to facilitate local communication and decision support, Queens Community Board 3 seeks ways to make the community aware of the new communication channel and engage them in the governance process. The Great Tree Hunt Competition is one such effort.	2149k	tom	4/23/04
	Toward a Digital Master Plan for New York City's Future.rtf Comments by Thomas Lowenhaupt to the New York City Council on September 29, 2003 regarding the future of the Commission on Public Information and Communication. The comments include a recommendation to empower COPIC to become the city's master planner for its digital future.	21k	tom	9/30/03
	WSIS Platform.rtf The World Summit on the Information Society is a United Nations sponsored event taking place in Geneva in December 2003. This report presents the thoughts of civil society on the tasks before the WSIS.	33k	tom	11/16/03

----------------------------------------------------------------------- To return to the complete documents directory click here.


		Links to Communication Resources on Other Websites

Links / Categories		Posted By	Date Posted	Actions
	RSS basics + Technology behind Board 3's resolution encouraging city agencies to use RSS.	tom	2/3/05	none
	211 - The Information and Health Resource Phone Number Thsi 100+ page report reviews the status of 211 servcies on a state by state basis.	tom	1/12/05	none
	Online Privacy The Website, www.consumerprivacyguide.org, offers tips for understanding the fundamentals of online privacy: how to read a privacy policy; and advice on using more sophisticated privacy tools, like anonymous remailers and encryption. The site was launched by the Center for Democracy & Technology and other like minded organizations.	tom	12/20/01	none
	An Animated Editorial This is an example of a "serious game." It's called September 12. Some refer to it as an animated editorial.	tom	9/29/03	none
	NETFUTURE - Technology and Human Responsibility A tough read, but provides the philosophical basis for making decisions about technology and how we might deal with it.	tom	12/9/03	none
	Guidelines for community groups creating a website. A step by step description of the considerations for those creating a website for thier civic, youth, senior, or other local organization.	tom	1/6/04	none
	Effective Use of the Internet A paper by Dr. Michael Gurstein describing the digital divide as that barrier separating those who can produce or actively participate in the affairs of the digital state and those who can't.	tom	1/31/04	none
	Center for Digital Democracy A Proposed Outline for A Public Interest Media Agenda	tom	10/1/04	none
	Planetwork Journal People thinking about a network-centric world. What does it mean to individuals and organizations?	tom	10/2/04	none
	Government Games from the Gotham Gazette Games that provide information about NYC government processes.	tom	10/12/04	none


		What do you think?

What features should be added to this website?
There are an endless number of features that can be added to this website. Take a look around the internet, anything you see can out there be done here. Help us decide what to do next. Which of the following is most important to you?
More reports about the community board's activities and decisions: committee reports minutes budget recommendations etc. More maps. Processes: how to get a street closing permit - how to fix a pothole - how to get a tree planted on your street More information about upcoming decisions: land use proposals - transportation improvements the budget etc. Improve public input to the decision making process through online discussions chats - and online interactive meetings? The ability to communicate with my neighbors to organize and make improvements to the community. Information about schools. Information about immigration issues.
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