Tincan Featured On Computer Menu Free Local Access Network Begins Operations

After $305,000 in federal money and a year of work, Spokane’s free computer access network is finally up and running.

Well, jogging at least.

Most of the computers are still in boxes, stacked in corners of the network’s downtown office. The phone lines for rural areas aren’t yet working. Several of the information areas aren’t yet filled with information.

Despite the glitches, TINCAN The Inland Northwest Community Access Network - offers a lot of regional and national information for free.

With the service, anyone with a computer and a modem can learn to treat fairy ring disease, send electronic mail to President Clinton or pick a smoke-free restaurant in Spokane.

Soon, even anyone without a computer will have the same access, TINCAN organizers hope.

“We don’t really want to have a society that has information haves and have-nots,” said Karen Michaelson, founder and organizer of TINCAN and associate vice provost for research at Eastern Washington University.

That’s why the service has been gathering computers, both old and new, to put in public areas such as bookstores and community centers.

Program administrator Barry Menne just bought 40 Apple computers for a reduced price. A donated yellowed computer and keyboard, about 15 years old, sits next to Menne’s desk.

“The more pieces of equipment we have, the more public sites,” Menne said. “We could act as a clearing-house for that equipment.”

Computers are already slated for four COPS shops, Auntie’s Bookstore and the Sinto Senior Center.

“I want grocery stores,” Michaelson said. “They’re open all night, people are there, it would be a draw. It’s sort of like the bulletin board they have on the walls already.”

Auntie’s Bookstore donated a computer and an area for people to use TINCAN, although the computer isn’t yet installed.

“We’re wanting to, like everybody else, get hooked on to the Internet one way or another,” said Shannon Ahern, co-owner of Auntie’s. “It’s an easy way. It’s a free way. And, it seemed innovative.”

But TINCAN is not the Internet. The service is modeled on free-net services in other cities, such as Cleveland, Boulder, Colo., and Charlotte, N.C.

Organizers hope the service will pay for itself through donations.

TINCAN offers 18 different subject areas, including community interest and events, government, colleges and universities, health, human services and visitor guides.

Most of the information is local, such as lists of churches and restaurants. Users can learn about the Baddlands Cycling Club or look up the Spokane Arts Commission calendar through April 1996.

They can read The Bible, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Some of the spots link up with national sites on the Internet. For instance, users can look up information on the Library of Congress or read about family life in the White House.

“To relax, President Clinton plays the saxophone and occasionally, a round of golf,” the Clinton site states. “He likes to play with the family cat, Socks, as well as enjoying other leisure time activities, such as horseback riding, bike riding and boating.”

But users can’t access the pictures of the Clintons available on the Internet’s World Wide Web.

TINCAN isn’t fancy. It’s words only, without the pictures found on the World Wide Web.

“It essentially does the same thing without pictures,” Michaelson said. “It’s not as pretty.”

Its biggest draw may be the free electronic-mail addresses offered to registered users.

TINCAN can support thousands of registered users and e-mail addresses, although for now only 34 users throughout the region can use the service at the same time.

“There are hundreds of grandparents wanting to communicate with grandchildren out there,” Michaelson said.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: To access TINCAN: Anyone who can find a computer and a modem can find TINCAN. Most residents of Spokane and northeastern Washington will be able to dial into the service with a local telephone call. The Spokane number is up and running. The numbers for Colville, Republic and Newport should be operating soon. In Spokane, call 624-8986. In Colville, call 684-1273. In Republic, call 775-8933. In Newport, call 447-2385. Those with Telnet service, which allows users to connect to a remote Internet host, can type “telnet tincan.org”. New users can log in as “guest” with the password of “visitor.” To get free electronic mail, users must register with TINCAN. Registration forms are available on the service. The system can support thousands of registered users.