It wasn't attractive for visual artists, photographers, filmmakers, etc, but it was really a paradise for writers. They were the first users. These people were targeting their self identification especially in the field of language and literary culture. And probably nobody knows, because statistics only describe the number of machines and users in the territory of the Russian Federation. Of course most of the facilities and connected people are in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Some small cities are completely computerised but they're surrounded by desert.
The aim was to support non-commercial organisations in St. Petersburg, Moscow and 33 Universities in the Regions. Ordinary students don't have mailboxes at universities and professors as well. And those students that have access use free web mailboxes, they're not hosted by the university. Actually I'm a child of the Soros foundation's policy to provide computers instead of money. So, in February 1996 we found a provider and were wondering how to start.