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By Mark Gibbs
IntraNet, 3/30/98

Community is a big buzz issue on the Internet and, if we're to believe the sharp yaps of those vendors offering related products, highly relevant to intranets. The idea is that software can be used to create a sense of place, a spirit of camaraderie and a compelling reason to pay attention to somebody's message.

Behind this assumption of a desire for community is the recognition that the Internet is a huge place without any context. The 'Net makes many people feel as if they are alone in an enormous library in which someone has dumped all the books on the floor, taken away the index cards and removed most of the light bulbs.

To these people, the Internet is a hollow, unfriendly place. Every brush with a human being makes them feel like they're coming out of solitary confinement into the arms of a welcome home party. Many of these people turn to the likes of America Online, through which they gain a stronger sense of being somewhere and being involved. (Nevermind the problems they have just getting connected and then sorting through the spam they receive.)

But providing users with a nice, warm, friendly, touchy-feely type of online experience usually isn't a business requirement on intranets. Indeed, many companies treat anything but business use of network resources as tantamount to stealing from the organization. And when it comes to scarce intranet resources and services - for example, access to Internet bandwidth - a parsimonious attitude is definitely in order.

<digression> Bandwidth management is emerging as a key when it comes to Internet access. If you've found that to be so, check out bandwith managers such as PacketShaper from Packeteer and FloodGate-1 from CheckPoint Software Technologies.

PacketShaper is a good product, but I can't see how Packeteer can survive when CheckPoint and other vendors subsume the bandwidth management functionality in their firewalls. After all, you'll always need a firewall, and if that device includes bandwidth management for less than or equal to the price of a stand-alone bandwidth manager, it's a no-brainer which you'll choose. </digression>

Getting back on track, let me ask: Does it really matter if users have good feelings about your intranet?

Well, some managers might argue that it doesn't, that anything not business-related is irrelevant. But that's a view that is only really true if you're running a production line. On a production line, whether it's for bottling Coke or making cars, nothing but output matters. On a production line, there is little or no room for creative thinking and self-expression.

Granted, these two attributes usually aren't associated with computer environments. Intranets, however, are ideal vehicles for creativity, self-expression and other humanizing factors because of their unique quality of being context-free.

When you come to define a context (that is, enable a new function or service) on an intranet, there's no significant cost. Even adding support for programming, in order to build Web server scripts, for example, doesn't cost much, especially if staff people are using easy-to-handle languages such as Microsoft's Visual Basic or Wilson WindowWare's WebBatch. (For a review of WebBatch, see IntraNet, October 1997, page 7.)

But without any programming, you could add a lost-and-found section for the cost of creating a page and assigning someone to handle additions and updates. Or you could create a page for tracking company bowling leagues or racquetball tournaments. In either case, no other content or service on your intranet is displaced.

Once such features are in place on your intranet, you've created community, you've provided things that people get involved with and by which they are amused. Most important, these efforts create interest in and generate familiarity with the company intranet and encourage familiarity with its use.

So where does that leave Web-based bulletin boards, in-house newsgroups and other community support software products? Well, if you can get your intranet population interested in them and using the products thoughtfully and diligently, you'll get a terrific bang for your buck.

But these tools often don't get much attention from anyone other than the really enthusiastic users. These systems tend to be technical in feel; I have yet to see a really compelling Web-based conferencing product for truly general use.

And exotica such as multiuser virtual reality systems from companies such as Oz Interactive offer today's intranets little more than novelty value. That may change, however, if everyone in your company gets really fast machines and head-mounted displays. Right.

The bottom line is that if you believe community has a role in defining the corporation, your intranet is the best tool you have. This is because your Web pages will, if you allow the inclusion of things that aren't restricted to business matters, create a sense of place, a spirit of camaraderie and a compelling reason to pay attention to what's going on throughout the corporation.

How have you fostered the community spirit on your company intranet? Send examples to imcolumn@gibbs.com or leave them at (800) 622-1108, Ext. 7504.