No.16   October 1, 2000   Local-Area Intranets and Community Solutions:The CTTH Ryokuen Toshi Experiment   Chikashi SHIMURA        The CTTH Ryokuen Toshi Experiment was a social experiment conducted in a housing development in Yokohama's Izumi ward between August 1998 and March 2000. It entailed constructing a local-area network linking residents, schools and the local post office, and involved 441 households (just over 10% of those living in the area), 960 residents and three schools. Over the course of 18 months, the experiment achieved the following results and demonstrated the potential of local-area intranets.    First, the ability of such networks to combine both real and virtual aspects enables them to attract a wide range of people. This is helped by the entertainment element inherent in networks. Second, such networks make people more aware of others living in their neighborhood as well as of local groups. By enabling people to network, they help local communities to be more active and to deal with local issues. Third, the "community solutions" approach, which involves forming communities as a way for people to associate with others and to deal with local issues, can serve as a model for dealing with issues that will face all communities in the 21st century (such as how to improve local education facilities and how to share information with local authorities as they prepare for electronic government). Contents I The Next Stage Is Cyber to the Home II The Object and Aims of the Experiment 1 The Experiment Location and Those Taking Part 2 The Experiment's Three Aims III Capabilities Needed by a Local Network IV The Network as a Stimulus to Community Involvement V Impact on the Local Community 1 Examples of How the Network and the Servers Were Used 2 A Means of Linking Distant Neighbors VI Helping to Solve Local Problems 1 Three Experiments 2 Interaction Between Local Schools and the Local Community 3 E-Commerce in the Local Community 4 Bringing Local Government and Local Communities Closer Together VII Working Together to Achieve Community Solutions 1 The Role of the Neighborhood Association 2 Management of Personal Data 3 Involving Local Residents in the Management of the Network VIII Devising a Community Solutions Model 1 A Virtual Forum for Realizing Individual Potential 2 Community Intranets as a Means of Solving Community Problems GO to PDF