Compares Frame Relay with digital and analog alternatives for connecting sites on a Wide Area Network. Cost considerations, the concepts on which the technology is based, its carrying capacity, the use of CD-ROM and Graphical User Interface (GUI) on Frame Relay, and engineering bandwidth limitations are covered. (KRN)

Provides technical recommendations for wiring of college campuses to provide for current and future computer network needs, considering wiring in and between existing and new buildings. The effects of trends in networking costs are discussed. The importance of higher education's involvement and influence in various information technology issues is…

Describes a project which developed a shared electronic environment of virtual reality using satellite telecommunications technologies to create desktop multimedia networking. The origins of the concept of shared electronic space are explained, and the importance for human communication of sharing both audio and visual space simultaneously is…

Internet II will take three to five years to develop, will be 1,000 times faster than Internet I, and will cost at least $500 million. Key developers are universities, several federal agencies, and leading computer and telecommunications firms. Internet II will support face-to-face communications technology to facilitate "real-time" networking.…

In response to concerns about the cost of keeping up with individual desktop computing technology, several new solutions have emerged. Referred to as "thin clients," or network-centric computers, they include two types of desktop device: the network computer and the Windows terminal. Purchase cost, life span, support costs, and overall total cost…

Discusses the issues involved in reforming the copyright law and redefining fair use as it applies to electronic documents. Highlights include access to and privileges of the Internet, technological development, the evolution of copyright, licenses and fees, the position of publishers and academics, costs, and conditions for creating a stable…

Examines potential solutions to the problem of personal computer cabling and configuration and serial port performance, namely "FireWire" (P1394) and "Universal Serial Bus" (USB). Discusses interface design, technical capabilities, user friendliness, compatibility, costs, and future perspectives. (AEF)

Discusses intelligent software agents, or knowledge robots (knowbots), and the impact they have on the Internet. Topics addressed include ethical dilemmas; problems created by rapid growth on the Internet; new technologies that are amplifying growth; and a shift to a market economy and resulting costs. (LRW)

The University of California at Santa Cruz has completed a successful test of a wireless computer network that would enable students and professors to get on line from anywhere on campus. The network, linked by radio waves, could save millions of dollars in campus wiring costs and would better meet student and faculty information needs. (MSE)

This document presents witness testimony and supplemental materials from a Congressional hearing addressing the potential as well as the affordability of educational technology and the classroom of the future, where computers and computer networks will increasingly aid teachers and facilitate learning. Those presenting prepared statements are…

In this paper, the fundamental characteristics and capabilities of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) networks in a distance learning environment are examined. Current and projected ATM applications are described, and issues and challenges associated with developing ATM networking solutions for instructional delivery are explored. Other topics…

This description of workstations, i.e., multipurpose computers expected to become one of the dominant forms of computing in higher education, focuses on computer vendors and market considerations. Highlights include hardware requirements, cost factors, the relationship of vendors and educators, software development problems, and possible future…

No college or university last year joined the 14 institutions that already require students to buy computers. The reasons include: greater than expected costs of supporting required computers, lack of educational software, and adequency of computer laboratories are sufficient for the needs of most students. (MLW)

Establishing pricing policies for electronic publishing that are fair and flexible is of vital importance to the information industry. The pricing of most information available electronically is far less efficient and market-sensitive than it could be. Some of the new approaches to pricing, emphasizing a usage-based metric providing qualitative…

This report, submitted by Representative Ford, of Michigan, from the House Committee on Education and Labor, is intended to accompany H.R. 656. The bill provides for a focused and coordinated federal research program to ensure continued U.S. leadership in high-performance computing through the establishment of a national network of…