About Milpitas

Before Google Local, small cities relied on such guides to Silicon Valley and else where. The project was called civic networking, and GoMilpitas was one of these very early civic network sites. Many civic networks still exist, each giving a unique view of their local scene in a way Google cannot.

Civic Networks: Building Community on the Net
By Scott London

About Civic Networking

Zeise’s site is a one-woman operation that’s truly a grass-roots effort. Zeise, who believes a community guide can’t be done properly unless its creator lives in the town it covers, attends Chamber of Commerce meetings and watches city council meetings on television. by Deborah Kong, Mercury News. Read whole article.

The primary aim of this site, GoMilpitas.com, is not to make a significant profit, just enough to pay its bills. The ads pay the bills…just. The whole point of this site is to encourage all of us to work with each other, to connect to make purchases or exchange ideas with each other, and to make Milpitas a truly great small city. No local concern is ever charged for a link on this site, but some businesses may wish to appear on multiple pages, and we are set up to place their ads at a reasonable price.

GoMilpitas.com is under extreme competition from search engines like Google Local and review sites like Yelp, both of which have done their best to kill community networks where locals can determine what the most useful resources are in their towns. This is why I encourage you all to use the links you find on this site to explore resources that interest you in Milpitas. Use this page to look for things in other nearby cities. Support community networks everywhere rather than Google or Yelp. Tell the businesses you connect to that you found their resource on GoMilpitas.com, and drop a plug to advertise on the site so it can stay vibrant.

The Community Network Movement
Realizing that communication and information are increasingly dependent on networked digital information, community activists all over the world ­ often in collaboration with government agencies, non-profits, or businesses ­ are developing community computer network systems.

• Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks
• The Penninsula (San Mateo County)
• South End
• South Alameda County
• Monterey Bay Area
• California Community Websites
• California Community Networks

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks

Campbell
City site has many features of a good community website.

Cupertino
Mayor Sandra James says the entire community works together to provide the kind of community everyone desires. “Partnerships are what we [in Cupertino] are all about.”

Discover Milpitas
An attempt to rebuild GoMilpitas.com from scratch. Has a lot of things labeled as being in Brea. Looks pretty, but lacks content.

East Palo Alto
For most of its history, East Palo Alto was part of unincorporated San Mateo County. As such, it did not have an official boundary until it incorporated in 1983.

Los Gatos, California, USA
Helpful information for travelers and visitors is available, including maps of the area, pictures of the town, and lists of businesses with contact information. Interesting facts have been collected to provide you with “inside information.” You can even check the weather!

Palo Alto Online
Things to do and places to go in lovely Palo Alto.

San José
City government’s website.

San Jose Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is the largest business organization serving the Silicon Valley.

San Jose.com
San Jose retains the small town heart of its orchard days when, it has been said, the only chips contemplated were left behind by wandering cattle. Metro’s website.

San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau
Complete information on attractions, visitor travel and upcoming events in San Jose, California.

San Jose Downtown Association
The heart of Silicon Valley is experiencing a renaissance of culture and commerce. The 11th largest city in the United States has a world-class downtown. Come see for yourself.

Saratoga
A compendium of resources, – including wineries – news, events and weather presented by Dave Delgado.

Santa Clara
Whether you are new to Santa Clara, or a long time resident or business, our Web site is designed to help you learn about services provided by the City, and where you can obtain additional details.

Sunnyvale
Known as the “Heart of Silicon Valley,” Sunnyvale combines the advantages of an attractive suburban setting, a diverse population, metropolitan cultural opportunities, and a dynamic high-technology industrial foundation.

The Penninsula (San Mateo County)

Coastside Live
Half Moon Bay Coastside’s directory including El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, San Gregorio, La Honda & Pescadero.

Los Altos
Tree lined streets and a small village atmosphere characterize Los Altos which is located in the heart of world famous Silicon Valley. Just 40 miles south of San Francisco, Los Altos is a residential community served by seven small retail areas. The seven square mile city is developed with small businesses, schools, libraries and churches.

Los Altos Hills
The Town of Los Altos Hills is located in the Northern portion of California’s Santa Clara County, situated between San Francisco and San Jose, just Southwest of Stanford University (Palo Alto, California).

Millbrae
The City of Millbrae is located on the Peninsula, 15 miles south of San Francisco. Chamber Site.

Montara
Surfers’ paradise located just north of Half Moon Bay on the coast just south of San Francisco.

Portola Valley
Home to 4400 people living in 1500 households, Portola Valley, California sits in a green and golden valley, astride one of the most dangerous earthquake faults in the world.

San Mateo
City services and events. Official city site.

San Mateo County
Our purpose in County government is to protect and enhance the health, safety, welfare and natural resources of the community.

San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Gorgeous natural scenery, attractions, showplace homes and colorful fields and gardens offer a feast for the eyes. All this, plus fine dining, entertainment, shopping and accommodations to fit every budget, make San Mateo County the place for a memorable California meeting or vacation.

South Skyline Association
The purpose of the South Skyline Association is to foster a sense of community spirit, to keep residents and property owners informed of public agency actions or other items of concern in the South Skyline sphere of influence.

South End

Gilroy Visitors Site
Gilroy, California is famous as the Garlic Capital of the World, hosting the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Gilroy gives visitors a friendly, small town character with affordable places to stay, great restaurants, wineries, breweries, world-class shopping at Gilroy Premium Outlets factory stores, attractions and recreational opportunities for the whole family.

Hollister
Somethings almost always shaking in Hollister, but this lively community site makes you want to move in anyways. San Benito County.

Morgan Hill
With a population of 33,000, Morgan Hill is located just south of Silicon Valley. Combining great country living with well-known manufacturing and research firms, Morgan Hill prides itself as the “Small town that’s big on business”. Here is the Chamber Site.

South Alameda County

Livermore / Pleasanton & Tri-Valley
eLivermore.com / ePleasanton.org is a community service of Holy Cross Lutheran Church providing information and links to the Livermore and Tri-Valley areas.

Newark
Newark is located in Silicon Valley on the east side of San Francisco Bay. Part of one of the most dynamic urban areas in the world, Newark has maintained a strong and proud spirit rooted in community values.

Sunol.net
Disclamer: This web site is non-commercial and the sole property of Derek Johnson. Nobody pays me to put anything in it. I’ll add what I want, whenever I feel like it (or get around to it, whichever comes last). I disclaim any knowlege of what I am talking about.

Monterey Bay Area

Monterey – Explore
Once a hub of industry, the centerpiece of Monterey–Cannery Row–has been famously revitalized into a complex of world-class restaurants, hip boutiques, and trendy bars.

Pelican Civic Network
A civic network of community groups and people who care about natural and cultural history. Covers from Davenport to Morro Bay.

Santa Cruz City
Located on the sunny side of the beautiful Monterey Bay, 74 miles south of San Francisco. On this site, you will find information about City government, City departments, services, and programs.

Santa Cruz County
Many members of the Santa Cruz area have their own websites as part of “cruzio.com.”

Santa Cruz County
Official county website. Explore our majestic redwood forests and vibrant cityscapes. Taste our fresh cuisine and fine wines. Experience our rich history, acclaimed arts, and year-round events for everyone. In Santa Cruz County, our beaches are just the beginning!

California Community Websites

Berkeley Parents Civic Network
This web site contains thousands of pages of recommendations and advice from the Berkeley Parents Network, a parent-to-parent advice newsletter for the community of parents in the Berkeley, California area. Not limited to just Berkeley.

Davis Community Civic Network
Community resources for this college town in the Sacramento Valley.

East County Live
Civic network that serves Antioch, Pittsburg, Oakley, Brentwood, Byron and Discovery Bay.

Los Banos
Now a Facebook group with regular postings.

Napa Valley
Visit wine country. Covers Calistoga, St.Helena, Oakville/Rutherford, Yountville, Napa and Outlying Areas.

Petaluma Visitors
Locate things to do, and particpate in their many discussion boards. Vote on hot topics!

Point Richmond Online
Neighborhood site to bring a community together.

California Community Networks

There are a good number of free and low cost community networks in California.

KCBXnet formerly SLO Net
SLONET Regional Information Network – San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties in California. Site has excellent internet use training course materials available.

Mendocino Community Network
A civic network owned and operated by the Mendocino Unified School District for the purpose of supporting our District’s Internet Node and to benefit our local and global communities. MCN price for residential basic DSL service is now just $14.99 for the first six months. Service now available in the Sacramento, Monterey, Salinas, Chico, Chowchilla, Stockton and LA areas! In the fall DSL is coming to the Kelseyville/Upperlake area.

Napa Net
Offers internet services to residents of Napa, California, including DSL services and virus-free email.

Silicon Valley Public Access Link
A non-profit computer network which makes on-line information accessible to people living in the Silicon Valley regardless of financial status and educational level.

Silicon Valley Unwired
Ten years ago, Milpitas’ free municipal wireless Internet system was a novel idea involving state-of-the-art technology that sought to provide greater web access to the community. A decade later, Milpitas’ citywide Wi-Fi system and its attendant equipment is still in place but now sits mostly unused.

SonicNet
A low-cost ISP as well as a comunity information website for those in Sonoma, California.

In its early days, the Web provided a guide to the far-flung corners of the world — giving avid hikers a glimpse of what it might be like to go bushwalking in Australia, for instance.

Then, a new crop of city guides appeared, with information about hiking trails right around the corner and much more, from local news to the latest entertainment listings.

The only problem: Few people visited the sites, and merchants were reluctant to advertise there.

BY DEBORAH KONG
Mercury News Staff Writer
Posted at 11:21 a.m. PST Sunday, November 7, 1999
Posted on GoMilpitas.com with permission of the Mercury News.

Now, pioneers such as America Online’s Digital City and Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch are redoubling their efforts — expanding into new cities, beefing up content and offering the ability to reserve a spot in local hotel rooms, restaurants and, eventually, even golf tee times.

Other players such as Ezyfind.com are also entering the market, focusing on helping merchants in suburban communities get online.

One factor that’s fueling the change is the growing number of homes with Internet access. They’re a potentially huge audience for small and medium-size businesses that are rushing to set up virtual storefronts before competitors do.

“Local commerce is certainly a burgeoning market. . . . Whoever can get the local commerce market onto the Internet is someone who’s going to make a lot of money in the long run,” said Yankee Group analyst Emily Meehan.

But consumers are picky. City guides that don’t offer a wide range of well-informed content that is continuously updated won’t make the cut, she said.

That’s where a split is emerging between these city guides. While some focus primarily on providing information about a city — event listings and local news, for example — others say the real attraction is providing services to help merchants set up shop online.

Whatever the winning formula turns out to be — if there is one — San Jose State University anthropology Professor Jan English-Lueck said people do turn to the Net to learn about their communities.

“The people who are moving here use that as a major avenue for finding out what’s happening in the community, what’s around them,” said English-Lueck, who is studying how people use technology as part of her research on the relationship between people’s work and lives. “Even if they’ve lived in Los Gatos for 20 years, if they have to find out something about Menlo Park because they’re visiting friends there, then they might use it for local content.”

More than that, people want to “argue about their sports teams with people in their cities,” said Paul DeBenedictis, president of AOL’s Digital City.

The problem for local sites has been not just what kind of content they carry, but also the cost of producing it. Some, like Digital City, have partnered with existing media companies for everything from news stories to restaurant reviews. Others, like Microsoft’s Sidewalk, recently acquired by Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch, hired staff, only to cut back to make the company more efficient.

But now Digital City says it is turning a profit. CitySearch says it is making money on some pieces of its site — online personal ads, for example.

AOL recently announced plans to expand from 60 cities to more than 200, extending its reach beyond major metro centers to areas such as Knoxville, Tenn., Tucson, Ariz., and Savannah, Ga. Its Digital City sites, first launched four years ago, offer entertainment, dining and local planning guides, directory services and local information on health and other topics.

But DeBenedictis said the strength of Digital City lies in content created by its users. That includes, for example, a heated exchange between 49ers fans on a bulletin board in its sports section, or comments about Berkeley culinary temple Chez Panisse, in the Digital City dining section.

“They want to be proud of their city or their town and they want to contribute,” DeBenedictis said. “It’s creating the old town square. You’re allowing them to communicate again.”

Knight Ridder New Media, a business unit of Knight Ridder, parent company of the Mercury News and 30 other daily newspapers in 28 U.S. markets, also hopes to appeal to consumers by emphasizing its community ties and local brands.

“There’s a window for us used to be the Welcome Wagon directory for people on the Web (who are) looking for local information for the first time,” Finnigan said. “Four years from now, when you look at your family budget, a lot of what you spend will be spent locally within 10 to 20 miles of your household.”

Knight Ridder CEO Tony Ridder told financial analysts in June that the company is considering spinning off its Internet investments in the future to capitalize on the soaring stock performance of pure Internet companies.

Zip2.com, which was acquired by AltaVista, is taking an approach similar to Real Cities, partnering with local media companies such as the Houston Chronicle to offer city guides.

For Ami Hodge of San Francisco, the ability to electronically check in on community happenings is an appealing idea.

“It helps people keep abreast of what’s going on,” said Hodge, who has used AOL’s Digital City San Francisco site. “(The guides) allow people to interact with other people within those communities to talk about what’s going on and what might be troubling them, or what they’re excited about.”

She’s been busy with a 1-year-old son lately, but in the past she used the Digital City site to check out neighborhood news and shop for a new car.

Hodge said she hasn’t made any purchases through the city guide, but sites like Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch hope to change that.

CitySearch recently acquired Microsoft’s Sidewalk city guides, adding 44 new cities to the 33 it already covered. Consumers can buy tickets to concerts and sporting events, check online personals and make hotel or restaurant reservations at the CitySearch sites. In the future, they’ll be able to book golf tee times or reserve a tennis court, said CEO Charles Conn.

“The future of local portal or city guides will be more than just helping people decide what they want to do. It will be helping them get access to it,” Conn said. “The people who are online are more likely to look like your neighbor or your mother. Those people are . . . more interested in what’s happening around them.”

Conn said city guides are one of the few businesses on the Web where there’s a barrier to entry, “a game where you have to make an enormous commitment on the ground to be credible to real people who live in their towns.”

That emphasis on content isn’t the first thing competitor Ezyfind.com is focusing on, however. Ezyfind, which launched sites in 455 suburban cities last week, instead is touting the ability of local businesses to set up their own online storefronts. It offers self-publishing tools businesses can use to set up free Web pages, and plans down the road to offer those firms credit card transaction and other e-commerce capabilities.

Other content supplied by local media company partners and user-created Web sites will be added by the beginning of next year, the company said.

Major portals, such as Yahoo.com, also offer their own versions of local city guides. Ann Zeise’s Milpitas site isn’t exactly on that scale.

Zeise’s site (gomilpitas.com) is a one-woman operation that’s truly a grass-roots effort. Zeise, who believes a community guide can’t be done properly unless its creator lives in the town it covers, attends Chamber of Commerce meetings and watches city council meetings on television.

After a recent flap about raising the flag of China over Milpitas city hall, Zeise posted government codes on flag displays on her site.

To find the names of local businesses for her site directory, “I’ll literally drive around a neighborhood of businesses and stop and write their names down,” she said.

“Content’s very important,” she said. For example, a local Milpitas resident would want to know where local Halloween parties are. “You don’t care about the one in San Francisco, or New York for that matter,” she said.

Contact Deborah Kong at dkong@sjmercury.com or (408) 920-5922. Reprinted with permission. (Note: this contact information is very old. Deborah Kong no longer works for the Mercury News.)