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Hello folks -
Here are excerpts from this week's "International Internet
NewsClips." You can find the full column plus archives at the
MecklerMedia Web site (http://www.mecklerweb.com), under the Net
Day section. Thanks again to Andreina Mandell for translating a
story from Italian.
Comments, feedback welcome as usual. Happy reading!!
- madan
_________________________________________________________________
Madanmohan Rao Phone: (212) 963-1175
Communications Director Fax: (212) 754-2791
Inter Press Service E-mail: rao@igc.org
United Nations, New York
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BIG-NET Initiative Advocates Internet Use For Business in India
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An initiative called the Business on the Internet Group has
been convened to explore opportunities for Indian businesses to
leverage on the increasing use of the Internet. Currently, such
ventures are hindered by lopsided government policy and high
tariffs for leased lines. Full-scale commercial access to the
Internet is expected in India by the end of this month.
(Express Computer, India; June 12, 1995)
Oklahoma Bombing Spurs Conspiracy Theories On The Internet
---------------------------------------------------------
In addition to the American Right's usual "brand of sad
paranoia" on the Internet, a rather more perplexing set of
conspiracy theories are being spread by militia members who say the
bombing was all a government plot to discredit them. But then, the
paranoia in discussion groups such as alt.conspiracy on the
Internet are not much of a surprise to those familiar with the Net.
For instance, last year there was a theory circulating about Prince
Charles using "mind control rays" hidden in his cufflinks to
immobilise a would-be assailant.
(The Observer, London; June 9, 1995)
Internet In Africa - Choice Between Fast Lane Or Hard Shoulder
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According to a recent study titled "Networking in Africa: An
Unavoidable Evolution Towards the Internet," the Internet is an
"inevitable step" for regional integration and hooking up to the
wide world. Currently, only six countries in Africa have full
Internet connectivity. Skeptics maintain that demand is stagnant,
making it impossible to break even on investments. Besides, such
technology may lead to further polarisation between elite and
marginalised sectors. According to Bruce Cohen, editor of the South
African "Weekly Mail and Guardian," technology like e-mail is vital
to correct the North-South imbalance in areas like news flows.
(Inter Press Service, June 8, 1995)
Amsterdam Internet Service Considered Good Model For "Digital City"
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The "De Digitale Stad" BBS was founded in January 1994 in
Amsterdam as an experiment in civic networking. It quickly moved on
to a Web platform, and now has 10,000 inhabitants with about
120,000 tourists visiting each month. City records, government
press releases, correspondence with politicians, works of art,
online publications, and a mall can be found at this site. Books
are also sold through DigiCash. From being supported through city
funds and donations, "De Digitale Stad" is now moving on to
commercial sources of revenue. Considered a good political
barometer through information exchange with citizens, its
"inhabitants" now aim to hook up with other "digital cities," 10 of
which are already being planned.
(Wired magazine; June 1995)
High Technology Center: A New Wave Of Electronic Government?
------------------------------------------------------------
While much of the country speeds down the information
superhighway, the U.S. Congress is still limping along. Highway
One, Silicon Valley's latest outreach to the politicians setting
the nation's high-tech policies, was launched on Wednesday to allay
fears that Congress will legislate technology without really
understanding it. Staff members at the center aim to show visitors
from Congress how to use information technology such as the
Internet to collaborate on bill amendments and communicate with
their constituencies. The $1 million annual budget for the center
will be supported by Apple, AT&T, IBM, Novell and Quantum. It
represents "the latest step in a long, slow journey" from
independent entrepreneurship to partnership with the government.
(Knight-Ridder Business News; June 7-8, 1995)
More NAFTA Information Available On World Wide Web
--------------------------------------------------
Data on U.S.-Mexico trade in the region spanning Arizona and
its sister Mexican state Sonora are now available on a Web site in
Arizona (http://aspin.asu.edu/nafta). While Texas is where most
long-haul trade with Mexico occurs, and California accounts for
most of the high-tech trade, Arizona hopes to be NAFTA's
"intellectual seat" through harmonisation of legal and financial
services.
(Knight-Ridder Business News; June 8, 1995)
Unlike Past Innovations, Computer Networks May Bring Lasting Pain
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The marriage of computing and communications is raising
service productivity - but also destroying many jobs. Since
services account for most jobs in mature economies, the new
information networks challenge the common assumption that
technology always creates more jobs than it destroys. Unlike
previous innovations, computer networks can "invade almost any job
category;" besides, the power of networks driven by microprocessors
is increasing at a rate never seen before. Electronic commerce may
account for 25% of all retail activity within a generation; that
could displace many sales clerks. Online services may also pose a
major challenge by offering ways to comparison shop without setting
foot in a store.
(Wall Street Journal; June 8, 1995)
Is The Web A Viable Alternative To Lotus Notes?
-----------------------------------------------
In their craze for groupware, the billion-dollar behemoths -
IBM, MicroSoft, and Novell - may not be able to outrun a competitor
that's not listed on any stock exchange: the World Wide Web. The
same Web tools that make it possible to publish and retrieve
documents on the Internet can be used to share documents in
corporate computer networks. The Net's open standards mean that
thousands of software developers will be able to match and surpass
Lotus Notes or any other groupware. "Why buy Notes when the Web
equals free public groupware?" seems to be the question to answer.
(San Jose Mercury News; June 7, 1995)
Academic, Business, Community Aspects Of Computer Networks Reviewed
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Over 40 articles in this 18-page special supplement on
information technology cover topics ranging from Internet commerce
to media alliances, university collaboration, teleworking, user
friendliness, personal communication, network security, virtual
reality, outsourcing, videoconferencing, digital cash, multimedia
kiosks, and home consumer markets. New commercial sites on the
Internet are growing at a rate of 92% a year. Traffic on the Web
grew by 1,151 percent in 1994. Over $50 billion will be spent on
personal communications networks in the U.S. alone over the next
few years.
(Financial Times, London; June 7, 1995)
Internet Pioneers Abandon Internet Discussion Groups
----------------------------------------------------
As the masses plug in to the Internet, the "sludge has become
so intolerable" that many of the pioneering technical experts,
exasperated by the pathetic quality of discussion in many Usenet
groups, have abandoned them altogether. The credibility of many
contributors in technical discussions is becoming questionable,
according to a technical publisher. "If you're going to have
valuable discussion, you have to limit it to people with valuable
knowledge," said a critic. The freewheeling nature of discussion on
the Internet is its "advantage and curse," according to author and
consultant John Quarterman.
(Wall Street Journal; June 7, 1995)
British Draft Laws To Cover Internet Libel Raises Many Questions
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New draft laws to be published next month aim to clarify
issues of libel on the Internet. Last week, the first case of libel
on the Internet in Britain was settled out of court, by a lecturer
who accepted damages from a physicist who wrongly questioned his
competence during a Usenet discussion in 1993. Several problems
remain, though, such as libel across international borders, and the
role of companies and universities running networks on which
libelous messages are sent.
(The Independent, England; June 6, 1995)
If Negroponte's Predictions Are Way Off, "Just Wait 10 Minutes"
---------------------------------------------------------------
"If I'm wrong," MIT Media Lab's Nicholas Negroponte is fond of
saying, "it's only for 10 minutes." In his new book, "Being
Digital," the "digital Nostradamus" predicts that one billion
people will be connected to the Internet by the year 2000. In 1989,
he predicted that by the mid-1990s, the primary interface between
people and computers would be speech. Well, wait 10 minutes.
(The Independent, England; June 6, 1995)
UNCTAD Global Trade Point Service To Be Launched In U.S.
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The Trade Efficiency program, initiated by UNCTAD (United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development) in 1992, will be
launching a Trade Point in Columbus, Ohio this month. A Trade Point
is an Internet-based information and service center, facilitating
the exchange of trade-related information between companies in
different countries. 60 Trade points have already been established,
and cover all continents. Over the next year, more than a dozen
Web-based Trade Points will be established in the U.S.
(Knight-Ridder Business News; June 5, 1995)
Spell-Checkers Struggle To Keep Up With Information Age Vocabulary
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The spell-checkers of hi-tech companies like Microsoft (Word)
and Novell (WordPerfect) still exhibit a low-tech lexicon - they do
not recognise words like cyberspace, telecommuters, netsurfing, or
technophobes. In fact, Word 6.0 does not even recognise 'Internet,'
though Version 6.1 does. As technology and terminology race
forward, keeping on top of 'technospeak' remains a delicate blend
of science and art for word-processor manufacturers.
(New York Times; June 5, 1995)
Internet Growth Slow In Italy
-----------------------------
According to a report by an Italian trade association, Italy
is "late in the information technology (IT) game." IT grew by 6.3%
worldwide, but only 1.5% in Italy - as compared to 8.2% in the U.S.
and 7.3% in Britain. A critical mass for computers and online
services has not been created as yet. Computers and the Internet
are still used mostly by professionals.
(Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy; June 3, 1995)
MCI And News Corporation To Launch Global Online Newspaper
----------------------------------------------------------
MCI Communications and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation
intend to launch a global online newspaper on the Internet as one
of their first projects. News Corporation owns more than a 100
newspapers in England, Australia and the U.S. Other joint online
ventures to be launched include Internet shopping and advertising.
(The Times, England; June 3, 1995)
Organised Crime Gangs Use Internet For Credit Card Fraud
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Organised gangs are using "sniffer" programs on the Internet
to capture credit card numbers for fraudulent use. In Britain alone
this fraud accounts for thousands of pounds a week. Banks advise
consumers not to use the Internet for ordering items unless the
transaction is encrypted.
(The Independent, England; June 2, 1995)
Internet Is The "Leading Edge" Of A Global Networking Trend
-----------------------------------------------------------
Despite the excessive hype about the Internet in the news
media, we cannot afford to ignore the Internet. The Internet will
open to us not a 500-channel universe, but a 500-million-channel
universe. The Internet is changing the entire global information
paradigm, for entertainment as well as business. One day, Bell
Canada will be able to let Internet users download their phone
bills from previous months for analysis. Even though this may sound
like hype, it may well happen - but not overnight.
(Toronto Star; June 1, 1995)
Will The Internet Be The Key To Integrating Latin America?
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Despite their common identity, the path to a true integration
has eluded Latin America, according to Jaime Mantilla, managing
editor of the daily "Hoy" in Quito. Today, however, expatriates
from Latin American countries such as Ecuador are able to keep up
with events in their country through newsletters fed into the
Internet via domestic networks like EcuaNet, as well as communicate
with other Latin Americans, or browse through databases in other
countries. Will the Internet be the key to integration?
(The World Paper, Boston; May 1995)
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