Orange Networking's (ON) main goal is to foster equal access to the Internet so that all people may benefit from the use of digital communication tools. ON shall provide support to people who live or work in Orange County, North Carolina in the use of open, safe, and accessible computer networks. It shall deliver training so people can use and maintain open wireless networks. It will work to promote public networks and the creation of connections to the Internet via wireless and other future similar technologies.

There are four areas of focus on which ON will concentrate:

Advocacy, Wireless networks, Technology support, and Technology education.

ON will act as an advocate for the people of Orange County on complicated technology issues. We will stay in touch with their needs and look into the future for new technology resources that can help them. We will work with local county and town governments to serve people in the area of digital inclusion and equal access.

ON will promote the creation of community wireless networks that are intelligently designed and community-focused. We believe community wireless networks should exist to bring equal access to underserved people by sharing the power of the Internet, computer hardware, and software. The systems must be open, safe, and secure for all to use. Closed, restricted, or filtered networks do not serve everyone equally.

ON will provide technical support for community wireless networks. We'll also provide web services including online knowledge bases, tutorials, how-tos, and security services. The majority of the street level support will be done by community members. We shall conduct support training so adults and teens can provide technology support for their own communities. We'll support the supporters by acting as a community employer, mentor, and community digital tool shed--a place where hardware and software can be obtained to serve the community.

ON will conduct regular public training on construction, support, and maintenance of community wireless networks. The purpose is to increase the number of community technology experts. The more people who know tech the more support will be available.

Information wants to be free. Information openness will serve us all more successfully and less expensively. More informed community members serve us all.

Orange Networking is a new non-profit formed in 2006.

Orange Networking (ON) is a non-profit organization working to foster equal access to the Internet so that all people may benefit from the use of digital communication tools. ON shall provide support to people who live or work in Orange County, North Carolina in the use of open, safe, and accessible computer networks.

Our emphasis is on working to bridge the digital divide by providing access and education. Especially as it relates to underserved members of our communities who:

1) Can't afford access to the Internet in their homes or elsewhere.
2) Have never owned a personal computer or device capable of taking advantage of the Internet.
3) Could use training in the use of computer technology especially as it relates to using the read/write web.

Providing and securing long-term equal access to the Internet is only the beginning. Community led education and goals for technology use must be developed and deployed for success.

• Help overcome the digital divide in Orange County
• Provide technology education to underserved persons in Orange County
• Promote the creation of wireless networks
• Conduct technical and statistical surveys to determine community need in the area of wireless networks
• Secure community networks and communication upon other networks
• Advise municipalities on the creation of open, safe, and accessible networks
• Increase network accessibility

(The word `Networks' in these documents refer to computer networks.)

<strong>Computer Networks</strong>: More than two electronic devices connected to each other. Most commonly the group of computers known as servers and clients that form the world wide web which is part of the Internet.

<strong>Open Networks</strong>: Computer networks that are available to everyone at any time without restriction.

<strong>Safe Networks</strong>: Computer networks that can be used for secure transportation of data thru encryption, and are resistant to spying, harassment, exploitation, data mining, or any personally unauthorized use of data.

<strong>Accessible Networks</strong>: Computer networks that are designed and deployed so every person can use them. Including people who are disabled, economically disadvantaged, with low technical literacy, etc.

<strong>Orange County, North Carolina</strong>: A county in the piedmont of the state of North Carolina, USA. It includes historic Hillsborough, the county seat; Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina; and Carrboro, a former railroad and mill town and the county's first wireless "downtown."

<strong>Server</strong>: A computer and/or piece of software dedicated to serving out information to client computers in the form of web pages, web applications, email, instant messaging, audio, video, voice over IP, etc. This machine is usually permanently connected to an external network like the Internet.

<strong>Client</strong>: A computer and/or piece of software used for multiple services that also connects to servers for the purpose of reading and writing to websites, email, instant messaging, etc. This machine and software are intermittently connect to external networks like the Internet. There is a strong trend towards physical mobility. (ex. laptops, phones, cameras, etc.)

<strong>Software</strong>: The various programs by which a computer controls aspects of its operations, such as those for translating data from one form to another.

<strong>Internet</strong>: The Internet, or simply the Net, is the worldwide, publicly accessible system of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP).

<strong>Internet Protocol (IP)</strong>: a data-oriented protocol used for communicating data across a packet-switched internetwork. IP is a network layer protocol in the internet protocol suite and is encapsulated in a data link layer protocol (e.g., Ethernet).

<strong>World Wide Web</strong>: The World Wide Web ("WWW" or simply the "Web") is a global information space which people can read-from and write-to via a large number of different Internet-connected devices. For example, computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, telephone kiosks, etc.