Internet Digest for 16-Dec-96

The Internet Digest (a Magellan "3-Star" site), is a publication for Webmasters, HTML programmers, Corporate Web Page Designers, Netsurfers, and anyone interested in learning more about the internet. Internet Digest is a convenient way for you to stay informed of valuable resources on the Internet. Internet Digest Focuses on helping you with page design basics, and explaining HTML and how the Web works, and the technical aspects of running, administering, and marketing WorldWideWeb sites.

Internet News

The Picture Gallery, launched by the UK's largest Internet provider, gives more than three million CSi members access to thousands of world-class images -- without the fees associated with traditional stock library photography. The pictures are available as low-resolution thumbnails for browsing and high-resolution, 24-bit, razor-sharp images to download and use. Martin Turner, CompuServe UK's general manager, said: "This is a great example of how CompuServe adds value to the online experience through compelling content, particularly for small businesses."

"Our Picture Gallery gives access to a whole collection of commercial quality images -- with almost no restrictions on use -- for the usual CSi monthly membership fee of just #6.50. That's superb value for anyone producing brochures, literature, newsletters or web sites, and an excellent alternative resource for those businesses which choose CompuServe." Photographs in the Picture Gallery can be chosen from a number of categories including: Business & Industry, Cities, Food, Leisure, People, Nature, Transport, The Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe as well as Backgrounds. All images are scanned to 24-bit colour at 2100 dpi to stringent quality control standards. Approximately four high-resolution images can be downloaded in under an hour.

The Data Over Cable System Interface Specification working group has developed a set of specifications aimed at gaining interoperable high-speed cable modems. "This is a major accomplishment for the cable television industry," said Dr. John C. Malone, chairman of CableLabs' Board of Directors and TCI Chairman, President and CEO. "We said last year at the Western Show we would do this as quickly as we could and here we are one year later at the Western Show announcing our success," Malone said. "In the meantime, we continue to deploy early versions of these modems and our customers are delighted at the high speed and convenience these modems afford by not requiring customers to tie up a phone line each time they wish to connect to the Internet," Malone added.

The set of specifications includes a radiofrequency (RF) interface specification which was released December 5 to the 95 vendors that have signed the Data Over Cable System Interface Specification Access Agreement. This document is under review by the vendor community. The network security specification is being released this week and the operations support system interface will be released by year end. These documents are considered complete. Modems compliant with the specification will be capable of delivering data to users at a minimum rate of 27 million bits per second (Mbps). So far, suppliers Hewlett-Packard, Bay Networks' LANcity Cable Modem Division and Com21 have indicated an interest in building interoperable modems that comply with this specification.

GTE announced that it is providing its high-speed Internet- access services to the newly created Media Lab, jointly developed in Beverly Hills by the Creative Artists Agency and Intel Corp.``We're pleased that the CAA/Intel Media Lab has chosen GTE Internet Solutions as a means of accessing and navigating the Internet,'' said David Sorg, GTE California director of entertainment market development. ``We're proud to be associated with these visionary companies in an effort to promote the development and delivery of dynamic new electronic content to some of Hollywood's most creative talent,'' he said.

``We want to make the Media Lab users' Internet experience as rich as possible by providing them with immediate access connections, exceptional customer service and technical support, as well as high network reliability. Through GTE Internet Solutions, Media Lab users can access the Internet at speeds as fast as 12 Mbps, 500 times faster than traditional modem speeds. ``And we will use our expertise in building world-class networks to support the Media Lab as we discuss and explore the development of new content-delivery systems,'' Sorg said. GTE Internet Solutions (http://www.gte.net) is available today in more than 350 markets in 49 states. To guide customers through the Internet, Netscape Navigator 2.01 Personal Edition browser software is provided at no additional cost.

@Home Network, a pioneering provider of high-speed, interactive services via cable infrastructure, announced that leading interactive cable programmers CNN Interactive, E! Online, iQVC, MSNBC, and The Weather Channel are using the company's network and platform technologies to create unique and compelling Internet programming. These cable programmers will take advantage of the synergy between their video programming and the high speed @Home Network platform to deliver high impact multimedia. @Home Network will provide technical and marketing resources to its development partners. The multimedia programming will be available to @Home users in the first quarter of 1997.

"Just as these companies helped draw customers to cable with compelling content, the unique broadband offerings they will deliver over the @Home Network will become the defining Internet experience for many," said Tom Jermoluk, chairman, president and CEO of @Home Network. "Pairing the creative genius of these companies with our technology platforms will provide the kind of added value to our current and potential MSO partners that will enable them to attract a new category of customers."The @Home Network delivers broadband interactive services and content directly to users' personal computer via a high-speed cable modem. High-speed access to the Internet combined with various tools and technologies created in the Media Development Program make it possible to offer users a wide variety of new and innovative services. A complete description of the tools and technologies available to MDP partners is provided in a sidebar to this release.

Netscape Communications Corporation and five Regional Bell Internet companies today announced a marketing agreement that establishes Netscape Navigator (TM) software as the default browser for their services, allows Internet users to easily select these telephone companies' Internet services through the new Netscape ISP Select (TM) and provides their customers with free access to a rich set of content through the Netscape In-Box Direct (TM) service. Ameritech Interactive Media Services, Bell Atlantic Internet Solutions, BellSouth.net, Pacific Bell Internet Services and Southwestern Bell Internet Services will use Netscape Navigator, the market-leading Internet browser, as the default browser for their Internet access services. Together, the companies represent a potential market of 72 million consumers and businesses in 26 states, including Washington, D.C., and in 15 of the nation's 20 largest markets.

Breakthrough Netscape ISP Select Service Offers Easy Way To Choose Local Telephone Companies As Providers Netscape's new ISP Select service will allow people to select an Internet service provider (ISP), create a personal Internet account and establish an Internet connection easily and quickly. ISP Select will make it easy for customers to select the five regional Bell Internet companies for Internet access services. In addition, ISP Select users will automatically receive free access to premium content from more than 40 information providers who are part of the Netscape In-Box Direct (TM) Service. ISP Select will be accessible through a section of Netscape's Internet site which will take users through the necessary steps for easily creating an account, selecting an ISP or choosing a different ISP. After users enter their area code and phone number, they will be presented with a list of service providers with coverage in their particular area. ISP Select enables users to create a new account automatically with their local telephone company, directly from their computer. Accounts are fully active at the completion of the sign-up process. This new service is designed to meet the needs of business users wanting to establish home accounts, new customers looking to choose an ISP and users who want to establish an Internet connection. Future plans include offering the ability for ISP Select users who choose their local telephone company's Internet access service to bill their Internet fees directly to their phone bill. Netscape ISP Select also provides the local telephone companies with an easy way to market information about their services directly to potential customers.

PointCast announced the availability of the PointCast Network(TM) for Macintosh. For the first time, Macintosh viewers can receive up-to-the-minute broadcast news, stock quotes, weather and more, directly on their computer screens. The PointCast Network for Macintosh is in final beta and can be downloaded for free at beginning this week.

The Macintosh beta version of the PointCast Network was specifically designed and optimized for the Macintosh Operating System. This resulted in advanced Mac-specific technology such as an optimized architecture for reduced memory usage and an aggressive plan to add new content providers and affiliate channels to the service. Some key Mac-specific features include:

* Drop-down menus: Viewers can select PointCast Network channels and other features via an easily accessible menu.

* Drag-and-drop text: Viewers can quickly select text, drag it from an article and drop it into email for easy distribution.

* Drag-and-drop web graphics: Viewers can click on any graphic in a web browser and drag it to their desktops.

* Apple Internet Technologies: Support for Open Transport and Internet Config.

* Macintosh visual standards: Use of Chicago font throughout the viewer interface.

* SmartScreen fades: New animation transitions leverage the graphical power of the Macintosh.

* Flashing update icon: A flashing icon appears on the screen to notify the viewer when the software downloads updated news.

http://www.techweb.com/info/info.html

http://techweb.cmp.com/iw/606/intranet.htm

http://www.webweek.com/current/opinion/editor.html

http://www.webweek.com/current/undercon/broken.html

http://www.ratings.org/

CyberMad, Christopher Parr's profligate paean to pop culture may be a little self-indulgent, but it sure is fun. Graphics-rich features draw you into page after page of generational nostalgia and attitude-driven commentary. The richest area of the site is the culture dept.,

Business@Home wants to help you make a life while making a living. Get tips on marketing or on thriving as an entrepreneurial couple. They'll even help you decide whether to create your own Web site.

Something great can get even better. Project Gutenberg is expanding its virtual universe of electronic texts. And they're looking for volunteer help in this terrific endeavor.

Looking for a demo of Destruction Derby II or want the latest news on Shadow Warrior? The new Gamecenter offers those items and much more, promising a site "large enough yet simple enough to stretch out in and enjoy..."

From samples of Pepcid AC or incense, a Duraflame firelog or CD-ROM shareware games -- if they're free, you'll find them at the Weekly Freebie Compilation site.

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HTML CGI and Programming Help

JavaSoft's Miko Matsumura bangs the drum for Java day after day. Dr. Website Column How to specify background or text colors in Web pages.

Ed's Complete Windows95 Page
http://web.io-online.com/winpage

Marketing Articles and Sites

Consumers expect to shop on the Net in '97

Consumers and business executives widely diverge on the importance of the Internet for electronic commerce, according to a comprehensive study conducted for AT&T by independent research firm Odyssey. In essence, consumers are ready to buy, but most businesses are not ready to sell. To narrow this gap, AT&T announced the extension of a promotion that offers businesses that subscribe to AT&T's SecureBuy(sm) Service free processing of 500 Internet credit card transactions per month for one year.

The study, "Taking Off: The State of Electronic Commerce in America," surveyed a random sample of 2,003 adult consumers and 501 business executives in a cross- section of U.S. companies. Key among the findings is that more than 80 million consumers at work or at home, 45 percent of the American adult population, have access to commercial or Internet-based online services and over 129 million consumers, or 71 percent, have access to PCs. (Note: Percentages relate to the total American adult population, 18 years and over.) Almost 40 percent of Americans say they expect to buy through Internet-based and commercial online services in 1997 and more than half (55 percent) expect to do so within the next five years. Seven percent of those surveyed had made an online purchase and 20 percent used an online service to get information about products and services.

A total of 13.9% of Japanese business firms and public agencies surveyed have already introduced or envision introducing an Internet-based in-house computer network known as an intranet in the near future, according to survey results released Thursday by a major research agency on the computer industry. The larger the company or agency, the more serious it is about introducing an intranet, found the survey by IDC Japan Inc., the Japanese unit of International Data Corp. (IDC) of the United States.

The survey was conducted in August on 2,431 companies and organizations selected at random nationwide, with 1,000 responding to the questionnaire-based inquiry. The survey found all companies or public agencies with a workforce of more than 500 are already using an intranet or envisage introducing one. An intranet is an in-house computer network in which offices, sections and branches of an organization can share information or send e-mail on the basis of a database and server system that use the Internet's World Wide Web technology. Unlike the Internet, an intranet is closed to outsiders to keep the organization's information private. Of those saying they have already introduced an intranet, more than 70% said they are satisfied with benefits from the system.The users also said they feel the biggest challenge they face is how to keep hackers from breaking into their systems.