DCN News - May 12, 2011

In this issue:

1. Celebrate Davis with DCN
2. Computerworld honors our Nonprofit Internet Toolkit!
3. Davisites show interest in "Cutting the Cable"
4. Local Spotlight on Yolo CASA
5. Will Improving Broadband Help Stimulate the Economy?

1. Celebrate Davis with DCN
DCN will have a booth at Celebrate Davis on Thursday, May 19, 4:30-9:00 p.m. Our theme this year will be "Celebrate Volunteers!" Come visit us!

Over the years, DCN has developed helpful Web-based tools and provided training to help nonprofits build their capacity through improved volunteer management and effective online collaboration. Ideas for many of these tools and trainings have originated from the volunteers themselves.

DCN, a mostly volunteer-based nonprofit itself, appreciates how much volunteers have contributed to the Davis community. Come join us in the celebration!

2. Computerworld honors our Nonprofit Internet Toolkit!
We're honored to report that the Computerworld Honors Program has named the Davis Community Network one of its 2011 Laureates. The awards, to quote the email we received on April 20, honor "visionary applications of information technology promoting positive social, economic and educational change." We've posted our entry here.

We won for our Nonprofit Internet Toolkit. That's the package of open-source web tools, plus support and training, that we make freely available to Davis-area nonprofits. More than 200 local groups have used the toolkit to organize their work and communicate with their members and the public.

Computerworld named about 250 laureates in 11 categories for 2011 – we were recognized in the "collaboration" category. The awards program received more than 1,000 nominations from 23 countries.

3. Davisites show interest in "Cutting the Cable"
Thanks to DCN board member and volunteer instructor Steve McMahon for an informative and humorous presentation! Thanks to the enthusiastic participants for the lively discussions! The slide presentation of the class (in PDF) is available online.

An estimated 2 million households in the U.S. will have abandoned TV for the Web by the end of this year. How to drop expensive cable or dish service and get your video from the Web? The class talked about how one can watch everything from new-release movies to network shows to city-council meetings without dishing out for the dish or cable.

The topic is also discussed in an article "Cut the Cord on Your Cable TV."

4. Local Spotlight on Yolo CASA
Yolo CASA's website using DCN's SimpleSite facility is up and running. It features current updates, online ticket purchase capability for their upcoming auction, Facebook stream and fan faces, easy event outreach via the Davis Community Calendar, donation via PayPal and more. www.yolocasa.org.

5. Will Improving Broadband Help Stimulate the Economy?
There could be a link between broadband and economic development, especially at the local level. Policymakers at all levels of government need to watch municipal efforts such as those in Kansas City, Kan. with Google's fiber network. That gigabit network could prove the link between broadband and economic development. Read more.