Describes the corporate origins, development, and unique features of three World Wide Web search tools. Open Text released LiveLink Search 64 in April 1996. Harvest indexes fewer sites than many competitors but offers powerful searching options. 2ASK is a service that provides links to over 100 Internet indexing tools and rates Web sites and…

Examines the globalization of information and its implications for locally implemented online library systems. Global factors include worldwide telecommunications networks and the need for standards, and local factors include the importance of databases, multilingual requirements in libraries, and regional networking capabilities. Discusses how…

Pricing strategies for subscriptions and licenses for CD-ROMs are different for single users and networks. The basic components of pricing strategies are charges for subscription, connect line, display/print, telecommunication, session rate, special commands, and special services. Highlights selected supplier pricing strategies for single users…

Discusses unanticipated effects of an electronic performance support system (EPSS) on one organization. Topics include EPSS as an innovation; vendor's familiarity with the organizational environment; choice of database and system interface; participation by user groups; information sources; implementation; and recommendations for future research.…

Discusses electronic learning environments and how to make them more successful in education and training infrastructures. Highlights include a definition of learning objects as chunks of data about education; content and context; publishers and vendors; and onCourse, a project between public television stations to make programs and curriculum…

Presents methods to gain management support for information resource center projects. Topics include: expressing expected results; and understanding the project in terms of business and organizational objectives, competitors' actions, internal needs, external conditions, customer needs, vendor support, and colleagues' experiences. (LRW)

Discusses the implementation of electronic learning systems in organizations, focusing on the role of HPT (human performance technology) professionals in the needs assessment process to assess the readiness of the organization for electronic learning. Topics include human resources; content; information technology; finance; vendors; job aids; and…

Describes the design of Stoney Creek High School in Rochester, Michigan, including the educational context, design goals, and probable use of the designs for two other high schools. Includes information on size, construction costs, architects, contractors, and suppliers. Also includes photographs. (EV)

Provides a checklist of functions and capabilities of online searching systems that attempts to cover all system features, not just searching functions. The checklist is suggested as a tool for checking features of new systems, as a framework for comparing systems, and as a source of suggestions for developing new online systems. (10 references)…

Reviews developments and products in the information industry that are aimed at the end user and identifies impediments to end user searching that may explain why end user access has not supported these products. Suggestions for overcoming these impediments are offered. (eight references) (CLB)

Reviews some of the models used for pricing online information services and discusses some of the implications of these pricing algorithms. Topics discussed include online versus print pricing; charges for the retrieval process; charges for the retrieved information; telecommunications charges; and the pricing policies of Chemical Abstracts…

Presents the history of the Internet with specific emphasis on Mosaic; discusses hypertext and hypermedia information; and describes software and hardware requirements. Sidebars include information on the National Center for Super Computing Applications (NCSA); World Wide Web browsers for use in Windows, Macintosh, and X-Windows (UNIX); and…

Examines the role of information professionals in selecting vendor services within the context of the theme "the future of information services." Reviews options information professionals have in terms of selecting vendor services; evaluates professional services, end-user services, and vendor support; and provides an historical…

Examines new opportunities for wireless technologies on the Internet and discusses electronic mail, costs, problems, vendors of cellular modems, improvements, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) services, high-performance wireless networks, and satellites. Describes type, coverage, approximate speed, availability, and Internet access of major…

Discusses developments in the three largest consumer online services, CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online. Highlights include competition, strategic planning, service fees, access to information, graphics, price wars, content development, and interface improvement. (AEF)