Life-long learning is a key issue for our knowledge society. With social software systems new heterogeneous kinds of technology enhanced informal learning are now available to the life-long learner. Learners outside of learning institutions now have access to powerful social communities of experts and peers who are together forging a new web 2.0.…

Emoticons are visual cues formed from ordinary typographical symbols that when read sideways represent feelings or emotions. Because the use of electronic mail eliminates the visual cues such as head nodding, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact found in face-to-face conversation, electronic mail users often incorporate emoticons as visual…

The National Information Infrastructure (NII) holds the promise of connecting people of all ages and descriptions--bringing them opportunities to interact with businesses, government agencies, entertainment sources, and social networks. Offering data, examples, and expert commentary, this book charts a path toward enabling the broadest possible…

This report accompanies H.R. 1757, the National Information Infrastructure Act of 1993. The bill, intended to provide for a coordinated federal program to accelerate development and dissemination of applications of high-performance computing and high-speed networking, is favorably reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with an…

This final report furnishes a summary of the special pre-conference symposium on "White House Conference on Library and Information Services '91: The International Dimension." This symposium focused on the many facets of global library and information services in the light of current needs, governmental programs, private sector…

The capabilities and potential of videotex, a two-way interactive communication and information retrieval service, are briefly described in this fact sheet. Videotex refers to a two-way linkage between databases and individual consumers in home or office. It is currently being used for information retrieval, transactions (e.g., bill paying,…

Reports that the world is entering a post-industrialized state in which the chief raw product is information. Experimentation in which totally new products are formed is decreasing, being replaced by products which are synthesized from existing knowledge. Warns that the increase in scale that institutions and cities are encountering may result in…

Traces the development of the satellite communication network from 1965 to present. Emphasizes the relationship of wealth and distribution of new communication technologies. (CP)

This report describes the AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph Company) teletraining program, which includes internal programs, one-hour update programs, and special internal seminars. Topics considered include the number of courses, sessions, and update programs offered; the number of students served; and student acceptance of the programs…

National intercampus computer networks are discussed, along with six illustrative networks. Attention is focused on computer networks with significant academic usage through which special software is available to manage resources in the network. It is noted that computer networks have widespread use among academics for communication in the form of…

The evolution of PRIME networking at the University of Arizona is described. A network of super minicomputers dedicated to administrative computing was established that accommodated online, interactive applications and that supported a variety of software packages to aid in the rapid development of systems. The first microcomputer, a PRIME 550,…

This document provides working definitions in English and in French of the terms which appear in the names of three (Canadian) National Library Advisory Board Committees: (1) the Bibliographic and Communications Network Committee; (2) the Resource Network Committee; and (3) the Committee on Bibliography and Information Services for the Social…

The first part of this report summarizes the accomplishments of the Continuing Library Education Network and Exchange (CLENE) from the start of the project in June 1975 through June 1976 relative to four project objectives: (1) creation of a permanent administrative structure for CLENE; (2) establishment of a dues and fees structure; (3)…

This report on telephone networks and computer networks in a global context focuses on the processes and organizations through which the standards that make this possible are set. The first of five major sections presents descriptions of the standardization process, including discussions of the various kinds of standards, advantages and…

This article discusses the issues that confront network users and systems operators when they explore and adapt their professional communications activities to electronic communication. (Electronic networking here refers to the use of the telephone and the computer to facilitate communication between or among professional groups in a variety of…