+=========+=================================================+===========+ | F.Y.I. |Newsnote from the Electronic Frontier Foundation|July 14,1992| +=========+=================================================+===========+ CLIFF FIGALLO OF THE WELL NAMED DIRECTOR OF EFF's CAMBRIDGE OFFICE Cambridge, Massachusetts July 14,1992 Cliff Figallo, former director of the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (The WELL), has accepted the position of Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Cambridge office. His duties will include developing that office's outreach programs, increasing active EFF membership, and expanding overall awareness of EFF's programs in the computer- conferencing community and the world at large. In announcing the appointment today, Mitchell Kapor, President of EFF, said: "I'm delighted that Cliff Figallo will be joining the EFF to head its Cambridge office. Cliff brings 20 years of experience in forming both intentional and virtual communities. We know he will put these skills to excellent use in helping EFF build its ties to the online community.We're all looking forward to working with him closely." Figallo is well-known in computer conferencing circles as the one who from 1986 to the present guided the WELL through its formative years. Working with a small staff, many volunteers and limited funding, he helped develop the WELL into one of the world's most influential computer conferencing systems. When EFF was founded it used the WELL as its primary means of online communication. Commenting on the appointment of Figallo, Stewart Brand, creator of The Whole Earth Catalogue, one of the founders of The WELL and a member of the EFF Board of Directors, said: "As an exemplary manager of EFF's initial habitat, the WELL, Cliff brings great contextual experience to his new job. Best of all for us on the WELL, he won't even be leaving, electronically speaking. Cambridge is only several keystrokes from Sausalito." Contacted at his home in Mill Valley today, Figallo stated: "I'm very thankful for the opportunity to take part one of the critical missions of our time -- the opening of new channels of person-to-person communication in the world, and the protection of existing channels from naive or excessive regulation and restriction. "Pioneers in electronic or telecommunications media are establishing new definitions and structures for education, community, and co-operation every day. They are developing tools and systems which may prove to be vital to the salvation of the planet. This work must go on. "I look forward to helping EFF communicate the importance of events on the Electronic Frontier to current and future settlers, and to those who would, through unwise use of power, stifle the continued exploration and settling of this new realm of the mind and the human spirit." Figallo will assume his duties in September of this year. For more information contact: Gerard Van der Leun Electronic Frontier Foundation 155 Second Street Cambridge, MA 02141 Phone: +1 617 864 0665 FAX: +1 617 864 0866 Internet: van@eff.org +=====+===================================================+=============+ | EFF |155 Second Street, Cambridge MA 02141 (617)864-0665| eff@eff.org | +=====+===================================================+=============+