RNP > RNP News > 2001 News

IC amplifies promotion mechanisms

The news following the implantation of RNP2 backbone have made RNP strengthen its promotion mechanisms. On the one hand, it is important to facilitate the access of the institutions using the backbone and partners of the academic network to information about the work done and results obtained by RNP or RNP2 users; on the other hand, it is necessary to keep the population informed about the goals and results of the academic network since it is sponsored by the federal government and, therefore, of public interest.

The greatest step in this direction has been the creation of the lists RNP Informs (RNP Informa) and RNP Release. The first one sends anybody interested a summary of the updatings made in RNP's public site. The second transmits press releases to the listed journalists. The messages are distributed, in the first case, whenever the website is updated (at least once a month), and, in the second case, when RNP's journalists believe that any fact deserves promotion and is of public interest. The subscription to both lists is free of charge.

The messages of RNP Informs include links to the news produced by RNP's Information Center (IC), security warnings made available by the CAIS, a calendar of events, news in the field of qualification and other relevant pieces of information published on the site. The list became officially active in December 2001.

As for RNP Release, it has been active since August. All the press releases distributed through it are available in the address http://www.rnp.br/imprensa/.

RNP News grows, NewsGeneration has a new editor

Created in March 2000, RNP News is a printed newsletter distributed trimestrally. It encompasses the most important news produced by the IC in the period. Sometimes it anticipates information that still has not been made public on RNP's site, or it simply updates and consolidates data already made public, helping the reader to remember the most important events of the trimester related to the national academic network. In addition to information about RNP itself, the newsletter includes other facts considered relevant to the network community, such as news about the ICANN and about the Information Society Program among others.

The success of RNP News is reflected in its growing number of subscribers. Its initial readership was of 2,500. Throughout 2001, it had to be increased three times. In December, 3,300 copies of the newsletter were distributed. Its subscription is free of charge and can be made on the page http://www.rnp.br/publicacoes/rnpnoticias.html.

The other publication maintained by the Information Center has a more technical character. It is the on-line newsletter NewsGeneration, whose aim is to publish articles of quality about topics related to the operation of Internet services. NewsGeneration was created in 1997 and it brings three technical articles; a bookmark section; a section of readers' letters; and indices of authors and published articles; in addition to the page to subscribe to this promotion list.

NewsGeneration - which was originally made in ASCII format - has suffered a number of modifications. In 2000, navigation became easier with the inauguration of new indices and tools. In 2001, the modification was less perceptible: Ari Frazão Júnior, who had been commanding the electronic newsletter since its first issue, left this position in order to become the manager of RNP's Engineering and Operation Center. Marcus Vinicius Mannarino, present manager of the Information Center, replaced him. A publishing council is being created to help him in the delicate task of selecting themes and collaborators. NewsGeneration can be read in the address http://www.rnp.br/newsgen/.

[RNP, 12.21.2001]