Note: This project could also be developed into a senior thesis -- contact Dr. Borning for more information.

The database would be for Seattle
Community Network (SCN).  SCN is a computer system run by volunteers that
provides free computer accounts (currently there are over 10,000 accounts).
It also provides web space for around 120 community groups to make their
information available on the Internet.  Physically the machines are Suns,
housed in the Seattle Public Library, so this would be a unix-based
application.  Look at http://www.scn.org to see what's on SCN.

SCN sorely needs a database system to aid in user registration, setting up
accounts and web space for community groups, and other tasks.  The project
is to build such a database on top of some existing database software
(probably public domain INGRES, but part of the project is figuring out
what would be best to use).  Much of the work will involve talking with
various SCN committees and volunteers to understand what is there and what
is needed; this is likely to be more work than the actual database
development.  You'd also need to write documentation; if things work out
the database system could be made available to other freenets as well.  So
I'm particularly looking for a student or students with excellent
communication skills and an interest in community-based projects, who would
be willing to listen to and talk with a wide range of people -- as opposed
to super hackers who would want to just build what they think SCN needs
without closely involving the users.
 
  Alan
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