Computer Networks and Anarchy Communication using computers is possible because information may be transferred between two computers using a variety of methods: a physical wire, the telephone, or even radio waves. To get from a computer in Glasgow to one in California, a message is sent from one computer to another, then to a third, and so on, until it reaches its destination (to cross the Atlantic Ocean, two computers communicate via a satellite, or possibly a fibre optic cable). The next time the computer at the destination is used, the message from Glasgow is waiting and can be saved on the computer's disk, printed out, or a reply sent. These "networks" of computers have proliferated in the past twenty years; many of them are connected to form the biggest network, called the Internet. The Internet connects at least ten million people around the world. The growth and operation of these networks act as one of the most significant examples of a functioning anarchy. There is no centralised control; you join the network by cooperating with the nearest computer site already on it, which will forward all messages for you. Although governments sponsor and indirectly run the parts of the Internet which transfer a high volume of information, many networks are completely independent. For instance, Fidonet is a worldwide network of home computers run by computer hobbyists, and the European Counter Network is a network of activists in Europe. One of the most popular ways to use the networks is to send messages to a particular person or organisation; this is called "electronic mail". An important point is that it costs no more than a phone call to the nearest computer to do this, even though the message could be destined for California. Also, the message is sent after you have finished typing it, typically at a rate of page a second, so slow typing doesn't cost you more. On the Internet, such a message could take as little as half an hour to reach California, allowing a reply within an hour. The message could contain an article from a magazine produced by computer, which could be printed out and distributed locally. There is great potential for keeping in touch and working together. Many organisations can be contacted by electronic mail: the IWW, WSA, Love and Rage, the Autonome Forum, Infoshops, the Anarchist Communist Federation, the German FAU, the SAC, and anarchists in the U.S.A., Europe, Russia, Japan and elsewhere. Users of the computer networks maintain a strong tradition of the free exchange of information. This can be traced to links between the counterculture and those involved in the early development of computers. There is a vast amount of information available on a wide range of subjects - not only concerned with computers. Much of this is generated by discussion groups centred around "Bulletin Board Systems", or BBSes. With BBSes, anyone who wishes can join a discussion group by sending messages to a specific computer which sends the message to everyone else, thus simulating a real discussion. The Internet currently has several discussion groups on anarchism, anarchosyndicalism and anarchist activism. The information available is stored on particular computers' disks and can be accessed by several methods. Nowadays, text, pictures and even sound can be transferred. There are several computer archives of anarchist material, including the Fast Breeder BBS in London, Love and Rage, and Spunk Press. The last two can be contacted on the Internet. Love and Rage distribute their bulletin as electronic messages. The Spunk Press archive currently has over 400 articles from publications such as Here and Now, Libertarian Labor Review, Counter Information, Wind Chill Factor, Warrior, Mother Anarchy, works by Emma Goldman, Bakunin, Kropotkin, and articles from the Glasgow group and others around the world. A current project is to add back issues of 'Anarchy, a Journal of Desire Armed' to the archive. Any magazine produced by computer desktop publishing (DTP) on a PC or Apple computer can be added to the archive without the effort of retyping the contents. Spunk Press is run by a collective of members in the U.S., U.K., Sweden, Holland, Italy and elsewhere, using electronic mail to discuss, coordinate and develop the archive. Is all this secure? It isn't difficult for governments to monitor messages, though there is a vast amount of traffic and methods of encrypting messages have been developed which make it almost impossible for eavesdroppers to read them. There maybe someone in your group who has free access to the Internet through work or study. In this case, they can act as the Internet contact for the group. Otherwise, what do you need? A computer, a modem - which is used to transmit messages via telephone - and a 'service provider', an organisation that allows you to connect to the Internet. The service provider usually supplies you with the software for your computer and instructions on how to connect and use the Internet. Computers are still not as straightforward to use as they could be, though things are improving, so it is best to find someone who has already done this. How much does it cost? The service providers should charge less than 10 pounds a month - shop around. Telephone bills depend on how much you use the system, the speed of your modem (the faster the cheaper) and whether your nearest computer is local or long distance. You can continue to use your computer for DTP and other purposes, too. Good books on computer networking include "The Whole Internet User's Guide & Catalog," by Ed Krol, published by O'Reilly & Associates, and "EcoLinking: Everyone's guide to online environmental information," by Don Ritter, from PeachPit Press, 2414 Sixth St., Berkeley, CA 94710. There is lots of free information about the Internet itself, once you are connected. If you have material for Spunk Press, contact them c/o the Glasgow Anarchists. Once you get on the Internet, send a message to Spunk Press and the Glasgow group at their electronic mail addresses: spunk.@lysator.liu.se and cllv13@ccsun.strath.ac.uk respectively. Don't forget that computer communication is an addition to meeting people, using the telephone and writing letters, not a substitute!