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Page updated:
25 April 1998

Page owner:
ETO Site Team

  

Useful Online Resources

Please email eto-info@eto.org.uk with your comments on any of the sites listed and your suggestions for additional links. Where we have visited a link the date of last visit is shown.

Please note that we don't take any responsibility for the quality or currency of what you will find at these sites, since we are not resourced to do frequent visits.


The Information Society and Related Resources

  • On 8th September 1997 Martin Bangemann made a speech at Telecom Inter@ctive '97 in Geneva, this event was staged by the International Telecommunications Union. The speech began as follows:

    "In a few months, namely on 1st January 1998, the telecommunications sector in the great majority of the Member States of the European Union will be liberalised; the few remaining countries will follow suit soon after. The new regulatory framework is in place and the prospect of competition has already injected a new dynamism into the European market...."

    The full text of Martin Bangemann's speech can be found at:

    http://www.ispo.cec.be/infosoc/promo/speech/geneva.html

  • A speech the President of Finland gave in March 1997 on the Information Society
  • The Information Society Forum
    An advisory group on social, societal and cultural aspects of new technologies set up in 1995 by the European Commission has published its first report. The text is available online.

  • "The Global Information Society"
    A book by William J Martin reviewed at the web site of one of it's publishers.

  • The "Bit Tax": The case for further research
    A high level group of experts was set up by the European Commission, in May 1995, to examine the social and societal changes associated with the Information Society. A "first reflections" report, "Building the European Information Society for us all", was presented to the Commission in January 1996. The expert group, led by Professor Luc Soete, called on the Commission to undertake research to determine whether a "bit tax" (a tax on the transmission of information by electronic means) might be a feasible tool in achieving such redistribution aims. The arguments for and against this tax are dealt with fully by this discussion paper.

  • The Global Inventory Project (GIP)
    The Global Inventory Project (GIP) site (http://www.GIP.int) has been launched on theWorld Wide Web. The GIP is a project whose objective is to create a multimedia inventory of significant national and international projects, studies and other initiatives pertaining to the Information Society and providing this information to the public through a web site. Its search engine will allow to use a multi-lingual search which is unique for contemporary Internet-based databases.

  • The Editor and Publisher Co. database of Online Newspapers
    Here you will find a massive database of world wide online newspapers (1054 at 3.6.96). Each entry contains any or all of the following information: name, hyptertext connection, contacts, price, description, and entry update date. The database is accessible via a clickable map or by continent and then country. The U.S. and Canada are further broken down by states and provinces respectively. The database is searchable.

  • In January 1996, the Department of Trade and Industry in the United Kingdom comissioned a pilot exercise to determine how to measure and analyse the UK's progress towards the Information Society. The final results can be found at the Information Society Initiative's web site.

  • The European Commission (DGXIII) has published a set of booklets and summaries of the ACTS programme (Advanced Communications Technologies and Services):
    Facts Booklet
    48pp - pocket size reference
    ACTS96 Brochure
    12pp - brief introduction to ACTS
    ACTS96 Overview
    58pp - executive summary
    ACTS96 Programme Guide
    92pp - description of some results and the "concertation" activities
    ACTS96 Project Summaries
    322pp - a two-page spread on each ACTS project

    Much of this information is also online at the ACTS Information Window (InfoWin) site

    The list of projects and the Project Summaries can be accessed by following this link.

    If anyone wants to receive copies of the printed publications you are asked to send your full details to: ACTS Central Office, DGXIII-B Bu-9 4/58, European Commission, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: + 32 2 2963415, Fax: + 32 2 2966272 email aco@postman.dg13.cec.be

  • "Strategic Developments for the European Publishing Industry towards the Year 2000" (Executive Summary)
    The majority of electronic publishing services for the mass market will need to be advertising-financed. That is one of the key findings of this new study.

  • Babel - Comprehensive Glossary of Computing Terms and Acronyms
    http://www.access.digex.net/~ikind/babel.html

  • The European Information Society Forum - First annual report, June 1996.
    The IS Forum has been established by the European Commission to widen public debate on Information Society matters and to advise on policies and programmes. There is a home page at http://www.ispo.cec.be/infoforum/isf.html

    Basic report (html) (80k)
    http://www.ispo.cec.be/infoforum/pub/inrep1.html

    Basic report (WfW6 .doc) (94k)
    http://www.ispo.cec.be/infoforum/pub/inrep1.doc

Reports of Working Groups (each about 6k-8k):

WG1 The Impact on the Economy and Employment
http://www.ispo.cec.be/infoforum/pub/wg1.htm


  • Information Society News - Latest Edition
    Information Society News available online or by email subscription. http://www.ispo.cec.be/ispo/newsletter/index.html The latest edition of the newsletter can be found at http://www.ispo.cec.be/ispo/newsletter/latest.html

  • Information Society Trends - Latest Edition
    This is information from the market - what is happening world wide in telecoms, IT and their intersection in the world of networking. which is free of charge on request from: EUR-OP (Information Society News), 2 rue Mercier, (MER 193-195) L-2985, Luxembourg. It is also published online at http://www.ispo.cec.be/ispo/press.html The latest edition of IS Trends can be found at http://www.ispo.cec.be/ispo/press/latest.html.

  • Contributions of the Information Society to Sustainable Development
    A report of the Working Circle - a DGXIII-initiated Group on Sustainability and the Information Society Copies can be obtained from: European Commission DGXIII B1, Avenue de Beaulieu 9 2/27, B-1160 Brussels, Belgium. Fax +32 2 296 2981 Email adb@postman.dg13.cec.be

  • The Information Society and the Citizen
    A status report on the availability and use of Information and Communication Systems, from the Information Society Project Office (European Commission), BU24 2/78, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. Tel + 32 2 296 8800 Fax +32 2 299 4170
    Email ispo@ispo.cec.be URL: http://www.ispo.cec.be

  • The Way Forward: Advanced Communication, Economic Growth and Social Development in Europe
    A report from the FAIR project in the EC's ACTS Programme, copies can be obtained from: European Commission DGXIII B1, Avenue de Beaulieu 9 2/27, B-1160 Brussels, Belgium. Fax +32 2 296 2981 Email adb@postman.dg13.cec.be The FAIR project has information online at http://www.infowin.org/

  • Proceedings of symposium on work in the Information Society
    The proceedings of the international symposium on "Work in the Information Society", held in Helsinki, Finland, in May 1996 have been published by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The symposium covered the following topics:

    • Technology development in view of occupational health and safety;
    • Health and safety in the implementation of information technology;
    • Impact on work in different sectors of the economy;
    • Training, education and information;
    • Social and socio-economic aspects.


    Copies of the proceedings may be obtained, in English (price FMK 180),
    from: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Publication Office, Topeliuksenkatu 41 aA, FIN-00250 Helsinki. Fax +358-9-4775071

  • The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
    (EUR-OP) has issued an update to their useful pocket guide - The European Union as a Publisher - 1996/97. It lists a very wide range of both free and chargeable publications from the Commission, the Parliament, the Council and other Union organisations, showing for each publication what languages, where it can be obtained and where appropriate the price. Copies can be obtained from the Commission's offices in Member States or from: EUR-OP, 2 rue Mercier, L-2985 Luxembourg (As can their more detailed catalogues).

  • Legal Advisory Board for the Information Market
    This is an online facility at which legal matters affecting the Information Society are considered and relevant information provided. http://www2.echo.lu/legal/en/labhome.html

  • Spanish Telecoms Legal News
    Jose Antonio del Moral (jamoral@vzc.servicom.es) provides, by email, an occasional newsletter, Spanish Telecoms Legal News, he requests that readers provide him with their name and their field of activity.

  • The Markets for Electronic Information Services in the European Economic Area:
    Supply, Demand and Information Infrastructure. The Executive Summary can be downloaded from: http://www2.echo.lu/impact/imo/ms-study.html

  • European Commission: Rolling Action Plan
    The European Commission has published an updated version of its "Rolling Action Plan" for Europe's success in the "Global Information Society". Dated 29 November 1996 the current version is online at: http://www.ispo.cec.be/infosoc/legreg/rollcomm.html

  • UK launches IT for All programme
    A new "IT for All" aspect to its Information Society Initiative has been launched by the UK Government. There is a web site for the campaign - http://www.itforall.gov.uk and Ministerial speeches presented at the launch are also online at http://www.dti.gov.uk/build_is

  • MediaLab Edition of IBM Systems Journal
    Recent editions of the IBM Systems Journal (vol 35 Nos 3 and 4, 1996) comprise a set of articles by staff of the MIT MediaLab in five sections:

    • Post-modern Video (future of digitalTV/networks)
    • Community and Personalisation (new ways to link individuals and their communities)
    • Things to Think With (what happens when we embed computer capabilities in real everyday objects)
    • Design of Electronic Information (advanced ideas on representation and access to information)
    • Physics and Media (crossing new boundaries in what we think of as computing)


    Online at:
    http://isj.www.media.mit.edu/projects/isj/

    This IBM version appears to be better presented for those who have relatively slow Internet access and of course we're talking quite large files anyway: http://www.almaden.ibm.com/journal/sj35-34.html

  • Citizen Participation in Politics and the New Systems of Communication.
    "This paper is based on the assumption that improvement in the quality of political decision-making in the western-style democracies is both necessary and possible. Method of study involved taking part in and contributing to Internet discussions about democracy and political participation, and searching the Internet, especially WWW, for pro-democracy initiatives." The paper's author is Dr. Michael Macpherson, who is based in Berlin. It can be found online at: http://www.snafu.de/~mjm/CP/cp.html

  • Electronic Journal of the Czech Technical University in Prague
    The aim of the journal is to contribute to an open discussion and reflection on the challenges of new information technologies in the development of education including general aspects of the information society. Abstracts of interesting and important documents particularly focused on managers and decision-makers will be published. You'll find details at: http://www.cvut.cz/cp1250/cc/icsc/NII/forum/index.html

  • Social Exclusion, Technology and the Learning Society
    A seminar run by IBM in June 1996 to launch a new pan-European initiative for corporate social responsibility. There were invited participants from all EU countries, Czech Republic, Norway, Switzerland and South Africa, and the keynote speakers included Hywel Ceri Jones, deputy director-general of the European Commission D-G 5. Texts of the keynote speeches are reputedly online at: http://www.ibm.com The report (in English) is published by IBM UK, email celia_moore@uk.ibm.com. The report says IBM has committed to further actions in partnership with others.

  • Philips Vision of the Future - Redressing the balance between people and technology
    With the Vision of the Future project Philips Electronics explores daily life and technology in the near future. On the web site you will find ideas for products and services. Experts from different fields (futurology, design, technology, socio-cultural sciences) believe we may actually be using these products and services ten years from now. Each month a new issue is released on the Vision of the Future web site - http://www.philips.com/design/vof/

  • Research and Technology Development - EC Publications:
    The following are available from EC Publications, sales Agents in EU countries, USA and Australia:

Research and Technology Development:
The Fourth Framework Programme - introduction and overview of the whole programme and contact points for follow up in (they say!) "a style accessible to the general public".
Available in 11 languages.
EUR 16620, ISBN 92-827-4983-5
51 pages, price 7 ECUs

European Report on Science and Technology Indicators
EU Member States' research efforts evaluated in comparison with other industrialised countries. Available in English, French and German.
EUR 15987, ISBN 92-826-9004-0
Price 53 ECUs

RTD Info
Is a free newsletter published every three months in English, French and German.
ISSN 1024-0802
DGXII email info-dg12@dg12.cec.be

Central enquiries on priced publications to EC Office for Official Publications.

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