Network design: An operating manual for computer conferencing

A new communications technology has been invented — computer conferencing. Its introduction is increasingly discussed in businesses, universities, and government agencies, and various experiments have been tried. The time is rapidly approaching when this new medium will focus efforts on a larger scale designed to insure its successful implantation as a standard communications technology. At that time, it will be essential not only to obtain satisfactory hardware and software, but also knowledge of the social practices associated with the successful application of the technology. The purpose of this paper is to offer a brief summary of essential aspects of network design and conference moderating in anticipation of that need.