When on-line service cannot be counted on

Article Abstract:

A series of planned and unplanned outages affected over one million network users in the week of Jun 17, 1996, and the growing number of Internet users makes such outages even more likely in the future. On-line service users were also affected, including one million Microsoft users who lost service when the network went down for a ten-hour upgrade. Observers point out that system problems are standard for computer hardware and software, but they also say that Internet users such as stock brokers and banks find it difficult to deal with unexpected outages. The outages are the result of the fierce competition and rapid change of pace in the Internet world. While telephone systems are supported by a small number of carriers and are tightly regulated, many companies provide Internet access, and the Internet itself is unregulated. To compete, these access providers change hardware and software frequently . Some forecast that in 1997, Internet access providers will sell their services based on reliability instead of price.

Online services, Internet/Web technology, Internet access

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The new Internet gatekeepers: beware, David, the Goliath providers are coming

Article Abstract:

Local Internet access providers will soon face competition from large telecommunications companies, and most observers believe the giant carriers will take over. The large companies enter the market with distinct advantages, including more financing, an established customer base, a well-developed billing system and brand names recognized worldwide. The carriers also own the lines through which the Internet connections are made and can provide a national system of dial-up services. Local providers must rent the lines from the telecommunications companies, then resell the time to their own customers. The local providers serve only a small region, requiring customers to make long-distance calls outside that area. Analysts believe the future for local providers lies in partnering or selling out to the larger concerns, who will need many installations in order to serve a national audience.

Telecommunications services industry, Telecommunications industry, Forecasts and trends, Industry trend, Market Entry, Market Trend Market Analysis

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Pornography study on computers seen as sensationalistic

Article Abstract:

A new study of the availability of pornography on computer networks is being criticized as sensationalist and unscientific by those who are opposed to the government's plans to regulate the content of online information services. The study, which was conducted by Carnegie-Mellon University, is reigniting the debate between those who favor some sort of controls over the material that is placed on the Internet and those who maintain that the 1st Amendment right to free speech will be infringed upon if the government is allowed to control the Internet's content. The study concluded, among other things, that most of the pornographic material found on the Internet originates from adult bulletin boards in order to attract users from the more mainstream bulletin boards into using the private bulletin boards.

Laws, regulations and rules, Surveys, Censorship, Carnegie-Mellon University, Government Regulation, Censorship issue, Government Activity

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