Commercial software systems intended to support the work of groups are now freely available. However, uptake of these systems has been relatively poor and limited user experience has been reported. Presents some experiences from a study of a network that explicitly aims to investigate the effectiveness of computer-supported co-operative work (CSCW) tools. Focuses on the currently hidden cost of managing the network. Also explores the implications for CSCW systems development by outlining an exploration of support for the management of a CSCW network.