Mr. Steve Cisler, Apple Computer Corp. Mr. Cisler discussed seven topics:
Cisler began with an overview of equipment and network
costs, comparing the cost of a 486 PC in several economies.
Twenty dollars per month for connectivity seems to be the
average charge in the United States. He cited an innovative
example in Glasgow, Kentucky, where commercial service
providers and utilities have combined forces to network the
community.
Cisler then elaborated on his seven topics. He predicted
that no single path will dominate in bringing information
into the homes of the immediate future. He also predicted
big changes in hardware and software, especially in the
capability for video conferencing. Networks will grow,
prices will fall, digital compression of photographs will
become more efficient. Copyright
issues will become more problematic as more copyrighted
information appears on the Internet.
Cisler described the tension among the three groups that
have a vested interest in the new information
infrastructure: the research and education sector, the
government, and the commercial sector. Each has its own
agenda; we can hope that each will be able to reach an
agreeable compromise.
Cisler demonstrated examples of Web pages from a variety
of organizations--Native American, municipal,
preservationist--which indicate the enormous potential of
the Internet to network educational, commercial, personal,
and governmental information.
He then returned to the issue of copyright, mentioning
the development of intelligent software that could manage
such issues. Intellectual property rights are an area of
concern. The potential for publishing that exists now is
greater than at any time in history. Quantity becomes an
issue; quality even more so.
Finally, Cisler commented on the role of librarians in
this "new networked world. He sees librarians becoming
scouts for information, editors of information, and teachers
of those who seek to learn the new paths to networking. He
sees libraries in the future as access points, training
sites, hosts for equipment, as network providers and
publishers. Libraries will be a driving force, perhaps even a funder.
Summarized by Ms. Cora Teel