Other commercial services, such as Excite and Yahoo , are making it possible for anyone to start their own online communities for free. These communities may have places for photos, public and private areas, lists of contacts, and a group calendaring system. Cisler talked about the past and future of community networking. On the local level, he thought community networks were working. Since there is not a long tradition of community networking, Cisler believes the movement at this point may be driven by hope of what can be.
Community networks can have a significant impact on the local economy and culture.
Cisler concluded his presentation to the class by raising the issue of universal access to the Internet. He emphasized that even home telephone connectivity is still a luxury outside of affluent countries in North American and Europe. Many people in other countries rely on centrally located businesses or phone company offices for use of a telephone, supplemented by individuals who allow use of their phones for a fee. While, as Cisler said the previous evening, the United States and Canada are leaders in the online world, many countries, like Ireland, are starting to collect and categorize their own sites. They want to define their own identity rather than allow people from another country to do it.