Remember the Internet Archive (Computimes, January 27th)? The people behind the non-profit project to make a "snapshot" of the Net have just launched a very nifty Internet navigation service. Called Alexa, the free software (at http://www.alexa.com) gives a toolbar for finding related Web sites, and other icons tell you information about a site - who it's registered to, how many pages it contains etc. The tool also includes an "instant messaging service" to see if your friends/colleagues are online.
Best of all, though, Alexa ties in to the Internet Archive itself. So if you get one of those "404 - document not found" messages, the Alexa server delivers an archived version of the outdated page (if it has it). Currently only available for Windows 95 and NT users, but Windows 3.1 and Mac versions are on the way. . .
Nua Deal: The American Export Group has given Irish Internet consultancy Nua the contract to develop a Web site for a database of 47,000 US export companies in eight languages. "To win such a contract in the face of heavy competition from American Internet developers proves that Nua is becoming a serious player in Internet development internationally," says Nua's Gerry McGovern.
Online Shopping: Ireland On-Line is to sell its Internet starter kit in Dunnes Stores outlets nationwide. The £4.99 pack includes a free month's full access to email, the Web etc and connection software. It will be sold in over 500 retail outlets including Dunnes, Xtra-Vision and HMV.
Apple Harvest: Apple launched its new OS 8 Macintosh operating system in Ireland on Friday, and will be displaying it at the Apple Expo in the RDS next Wednesday and Thursday. The company has already sold over 1.5 million copies in the US, and it has a user base of 60,000 people in Ireland.
Game Over: IBM's Deep Blue, the supercomputer that beat world champion Garry Kasparov in May, has gone into retirement. A less powerful version called Deep Blue Junior will still play demonstration games, but Kasparov said from his home in Moscow that he was "very disappointed" by the announcement. He had challenged IBM to a rematch.
Email Protection: The head of the European Commission's "free flow of information" unit, Ulf Bruehann, has called for an independent EU data protection agency. He told the International Conference of Privacy Data Protection Commissioners in Brussels that the agency would protect citizens against the increased risks to privacy posed by the growing international traffic in personal data. He said a key area to be monitored was the treatment of email.
CNTRL+ALT+DEL: Last week's Computimes said that PostGEM/IOL was the first Irish Internet service provider to join LINX. In fact Global One says most of its Irish customers, including Medianet, have been connected to LINX since 1995.
Faster Browsing: Intel has introduced new technology that speeds the delivery of Web pages. Users do not have to add software or hardware to their PCs because its done at the server end. Several Internet providers plan to conduct trials of its Intel Quick Web Technology next month. It uses several techniques to accelerate downloading of graphics. The software analyses Web pages, searching for images and compressing them by removing unnecessary data bits.
Spammers Ejected: Anti-spammers on the Internet say a major battle has been won after Sanford Wallace's Cyber Promotions and two other unsolicited bulk email operations were kicked off of AGIS, a major ISP in the States. Spam-hunters believe AGIS is reconsidering its open policy toward hosting unsolicited bulk email vendors.
H-P Telecommuters: Up to 40 per cent of Hewlett-Packard Ireland's sales staff are to work from home "or other non-office locations". The teleworkers will have remote access to HP's huge intranet which has over 100,000 users.
In Brief. . .The merger of accountancy firms Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand will also create the second largest technology and business consulting firm, with Andersen Consulting maintaining the number one position. . . IBM has developed a way to substitute copper for aluminium in making semiconductors, using a patented "fusion barrier" that keeps the copper from "poisoning" the silicon. . . Progressive Networks, which makes streaming media tools for the Web, has bought a major Web site for film reviews, Film.com. The site generates two million page views a month. . . Tests by InfoWorld magazine have found that 100 per cent Pure Java applications run on over a dozen platforms including Sun's Solaris, OS/2, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and Macs. . . Canadian software firm Corel has had another disastrous quarter with a $31.4 million loss on sales of $55.8 million. A further loss of $15-$20 million is also expected. . . Gateway 2000 has introduced its Solo 2300 Multimedia Notebook, priced at £2,730. . . Super Value-Centra has awarded IBM a £1.5-million contract to supply a computer system to run Ireland's first centralised distribution network for chilled, fresh and frozen foods. . . Seagate has opened its new plant in Limavady, bringing its Northern Ireland workforce to 1,500 people. . .
MicrofileIn a survey by International Data Group 52% of companies in Asian Pacific countries excluding Japan believe the Internet is "important" or "very important"; 30% of Japanese companies and 30% of US companies are in this category; only 16% of West European companies share this view
An America Online survey found thats2]: 37% of its subscribers watch less TV than they used to; 22% watch less video; 7% watch more TV and 6% watch more video; the Net "has had no effect on radio, no effect on magazines, and little effect on newspapers"
According to Boardwatch magazine, approximate no. of Internet service providers (ISPs) in North America last month 4,133 No. it listed 18 months ago: 1,447
Sources: 1 IDG; 2 America Online/AP; 3 Boardwatch
Modem Worldhttp://www.asti.ie ASTI, Ireland's largest union for second-level teachers. http:/www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/3990/ Burma Action Ireland, a newly-formed group of solidarity with opponents of the repressive State Law and Order Restoration Council. email: Iraq-l An unmoderated discussion list about Iraq's history, culture, politics, economy, etc. To subscribe, send a message to: listbot@interlink-bbs.com http://www.psion.com EasyFax - software for sending and receiving faxes on a Psion 5 handheld computer - can now be downloaded for free.
Textbites"The power house of the information age will have an immediate impact similar to that of Ardnacrusha, not alone in its immediate vicinity, but in terms of the wider economy of the region." - Paul Sheane, chief executive at Shannon Development, welcoming the information age town award which has gone to Ennis.
"To add 20 years to copyright creates a Landed Gentry of the Information Age. . . Copyright extension destroys both the con- cept and content of the public domain." - Project Gutenberg's founder Michael Hart, speaking to Time magazine about legislation in the US Congress that would extend all current copyrights by 20 years. "It's the Monkees. They had a few hits and then disappeared. Java will be the same. It will be totally forgotten. Microsoft is the Beatles." - Microsoft applications creator Charles Simonyi, in Forbes magazine.
DiarySeptember 29th: Ireland On-Line's Internet road show for business owners and IT managers begins in Dublin at the Red Cow Inn. - email seminar@iol.ie or tel 01-604-6800 October 1st: "On Digital Photographs - moving from paint to digital imaging." In the monthly flux discussion group, artist Feargal Fitzpatrick will talk about the transition from traditional painting techniques to producing images on computers. Arthouse multimedia centre, Temple Bar, Dublin, 7 p.m. (free, all welcome).
October 2nd: Gateway 2000 takes to the catwalk again in its second annual fashion show for St Francis Hospice. Red Box in Harcourt Street. Tickets £8 from Fiona Colley at (01) 797 5040.
Computimes is edited by Michael Cunningham. Email to computimes@irish- times.ie (private correspondence should be marked NOT FOR PUBLICATION).