ONE OF THE BEST ways to get a better understanding of the development of differing NII visions is to access the companies, foundations, and policymakers who are drafting these potential networing architectures. (If you prefer, you can also look at a list of telecommunications companies.). Here is a collection of some of the more interesting sites:

The Alliance for Public Technology

APT is a non-profit organizations which researches and disseminates civic networking information. The site includes detailed writeups on numerous issues, including telemedicine and universal service.

The Center for Civic Networking

CCN is one of the leaders in the fight for civic networking. They are strong advocates for community networking in poor and rural locales. They have recently released the National Strategy for Civic Networking: A Vision of Change, a powerful white paper which documents their vision of a civic NII.

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility

CPSR is a public service organization concerned with the role of computers and networking in our society. Among its interests are community networking, privacy, and NII development.

The Corporation for National Research Initiatives

CNRI is the home of the Cross-Industry Working Team (XIWT), a multifaceted working group dedicated to exploring the problems of developing a plausible NII architecture. They have produced an excellent white paper which considers how NII visions should be constructed and examined.

The Digital Information Infrastructure Guide

MIT's Research Program on Communications Policy maintains DIIG, an in-depth resource guide for those interested in researching an planning information highway policy. A must for information policy fiends.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation

The EFF is a Washington-based non-profit which acts as a watchdog for privacy and freedom of expression on the information highway.

The Institute for Public Policy Studies

The University of Michigan's IPPS offers one of the most comprehensive on-line telecommunication information servers available. Everything you can imagine concerning telecommunications and the NII can be found here.

NII Scan

This Singapore-based online magazine covers the international development of the information infrastructure.

The Society for Electronic Access

The SEA is a New York-based information organization which serves to educate the public on issues of computer networking and its impact on society.