Newsletter No. 59
« Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter »
Free Pint
"Helping 28,000 people use the Web for their work"
http://www.freepint.co.uk/
ISSN 1460-7239 30th March 2000 No.59
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
IN THIS ISSUE
EDITORIAL
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
"Virtual Visits: Links to museums and the like on the WWW"
By Carey McIlvenny
BOOKSHELF
"Mastering the Digital Market Place"
Reviewed by Simon Collery
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
from Rachel Keegan
FEATURE ARTICLE
"Internet Development in the Middle East"
By Gil Feiler
FREE PINT BAR SUMMARY
by Simon Collery
FREE PINT GOLD
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
http://www.freepint.co.uk/events
FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
CONTACT INFORMATION
ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
*** STOP! ***
ValueClick drives traffic to your web site at home and abroad and
delivers millions of visitors per month to e-commerce and
destination sites at a guaranteed cost per Click.
Build traffic now by calling ValueClick at +44 (0)20 7751 0555
www.valueclick.com or mailto:advertise@valueclick-europe.com
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [vc591]
>>> ABOUT FREE PINT <<<
Free Pint is a community of business professionals who use the Web
for their work. Members receive this free newsletter every two weeks
packed with tips and articles by information professionals who share
how they find quality and reliable information on the Internet. Sign
up at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/> for free access to the substantial
archive of articles, book reviews, industry news and events, and have
your research questions answered at the "Free Pint Bar".
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
EDITORIAL
We've been listening to your feedback and the word of the week is
"Tips". You want more tips, both in the newsletter and on the Web
site. Tips on searching, using your browser, finding the best Web
sites, and much more.
In true Free Pint fashion we have been working on your wishes and
have launched a number of "Tipple" initiatives. I'm delighted to
announce the following which should hopefully quench your thirst:
"My Favourite Tipples" - We have a new section in this newsletter
today where readers are invited to give us their top five Web
sites and tips. If you've got some great tips you'd like to share
with others then check out this section below.
"Today's Tipple from Free Pint" - every working day on the
Free Pint Bar we will be reviewing an invaluable Web site which
you may not have discovered before. There's a direct daily link
to this from the homepage at <http://www.freepint.co.uk>.
"Quick Tipple" - Every time you access the Web site homepage you will
see a different short tip. Indeed we have changed the layout of
the homepage to make it much easier for you to access the many
parts of the Web site, so why not make a visit day.
Although we go to press every two weeks this is actually the third
edition of Free Pint this month. Even so we bring you some super
articles with reviews of museum sites around the world and a look at
Internet penetration in the Middle East. As well as the new Tipples
mentioned above we also have the usual summary of what's been
happening at the Free Pint Bar, the Bookshelf review and details of
forthcoming Internet events and articles.
Thank you to all those who have been spreading the word about us
to their colleagues and friends. We do rely on you to tell other
people about Free Pint if you find it useful. I also welcome comments
and feedback on any aspect of Free Pint so please contact me directly
by email to <william@freepint.co.uk>.
Kind regards,
William
William Hann BSc MIInfSc
Founder and Managing Editor, Free Pint
e: william@freepint.co.uk
t: +44 (0)1784 455435
f: +44 (0)1784 455436
Free Pint is a trademark of Free Pint Limited
http://www.freepint.co.uk/
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
*** VALUECLICK PAYS FOR YOUR TRAFFIC ***
Generate revenue from your web site traffic. ValueClick manages the
advertising for thousands of web sites worldwide:
* We pay you monthly for all the Clicks you generate
* We guarantee 100% sell-out of all advertising inventory
* Easy to get started and no contracts required
Sign up at www.valueclick.com or mailto:sales@valueclick-europe.com
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [vc592]
>>> ADVERTISING HERE IS EFFECTIVE - FOR COST AND COVERAGE <<<
Full details, rate card, subscriber breakdown and special offers
http://www.freepint.co.uk/advert.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#tips
"Virtual Visits: Links to museums and the like on the WWW"
By Carey McIlvenny
When, as a small child, I heard the word 'museum', I thought of musty
smells, boring talks, watery orange squash and a day out with no
swings! But now, I'd love to be a wee thing and have all the time in
the world to wander through the galleries and halls of these great
institutions and be overloaded with the wealth of knowledge that they
provide. Lifestyles today are generally so busy that time is now a
precious commodity, so why not put 10 minutes of your lunch hour to
good use and log on to embark on a virtual stroll around some famous
and more obscure museums.
A good place to start is The Metropolitan in New York at
<http://www.metmuseum.org>. The site gives you a 'daily artifact' for
those who need a quick cultural fix. The subtle colours of the site
will de-stress you and you can then view one of 3,500 works of art
from the online collection, create your own 'met' gallery or browse in
the museum's shop.
If you enjoy purchasing posters and the like from museum shops,
<http://www.artrepublic.com> offers poster sales and links with
museums around the globe. Additional sites providing general museum
listings and links include <http://www.museumnetwork.com>, which
allows you to 'explore 33,000 museums worldwide'. This vast directory
covers museums on subjects such as 'art & design', 'food, fashion,
film & music', 'science and nature' and 'kids'. Museum professionals
can also meet online. Or see <http://www.museumlink.com>, which lists
a wealth of US and Canadian museums and aims to eventually contain
links to every museum on the planet!
Arty types could try World Wide Arts Resources at <http://wwar.com/>,
which has museum and gallery stuff as part of its 'definitive,
interactive gateway to all exemplars of qualitative arts information
and culture on the Internet'.
The largest museum of decorative arts in the world is the Victoria &
Albert Museum in London, <http://www.vam.ac.uk>. A restful blue is the
overriding colour scheme and neat animated cubes are used to good
effect. There is an 'explorer' where you can explore virtual and
actual spaces, a 'newsroom', the 'learning zone' for educators and
general info; a 'shopping' area is coming soon.
If you left the actual V&A in sunny South Kensington, you
might feel like visiting its geographical neighbour, the Natural
History Museum. <http://www.nhm.ac.uk> has plenty on all the museum's
functions and departments, and the fab 'antcast' where you can access
live video or static images from the NHM's leafcutter ant colony.
London museums south of the river can be found at The South London
Museums Group site - <http://www.slmg.freeserve.co.uk/home.htm>
which includes a diverse set of museums such as the Crofton Roman
Villa, the Britain at War Experience and the Brunel Engine House.
Other capital cities within the UK also offer a fine selection of
museum-related websites.
The National Museums of Scotland site at <http://www.nms.ac.uk> has
a Webcam that shows views over Edinburgh from the museum's roof and
incorporates the Royal Museum, the Museums of Scotland, the Museum of
Flight, the Museum of Scottish Country Life, the Museum of Costume and
the War Museum.
The National Museums of Wales site at
<http://www.nmgw.ac.uk/index.html> includes such organisations as the
National Museum & Gallery Cardiff, the Museum of Welsh Life, the
Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry and the Big Pit Museum of the
Coal Industry. There's also a handy 'What's On' guide and a 'for fun'
section which featured (when I looked at it) 'Henry's Big Adventure',
a bright and zippy interactive game to teach children about coin
conservation.
It's only a quick trip across the water to Armagh's modern
astronomical research institute, The Armagh Observatory at
<http://star.arm.ac.uk/> . Here find out about the activities of
around 25 astronomers who are actively studying Stellar Astrophysics,
the Sun, Solar System astronomy and the Earth's climate. With news and
research gen, some nice images of Comet Hale-Bopp over the Observatory
and astronomy links, it's all comprehensively designed to make it easy
to navigate.
From stars of the galaxy to stars of the sporting field at
<http://www.sportshalls.com>. The International Association of Sports
Museums and Halls of Fame is a non-profit membership organisation that
promotes sport museums and has more than 140 members from various
countries. Search for relevant museums by country. There appear to be
only two UK members at present, the Marylebone Cricket Club Museum and
the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum - so the organisation might be worth
a visit if any other UK sports museums are looking to increase their
promotional activity!
If sport is too strenuous, how about a gentle walk to keep you fit?
One place that looks nice to amble around is an open-air museum in
West Sussex. 'Sculpture at Goodwood' is an intriguing outdoor
gallery/museum, where you can see a changing display of 40 specially
commissioned British contemporary sculptures.
<http://www.sculpture.org.uk/welcome.html> has a slick black, white
and grey design. Go on the 'wayround' tour, access details of webcasts
(although not very recent ones featured) and publications. A
particularly nice aspect is the ability to send your friends an
e-postcard of your favourite sculpture.
Other pleasing images can be found at The National Museum of
Photography, Film & Television in Bradford at
<http://www.nmsi.ac.uk/nmpft/>. Although a small area of the site is
still under construction, beautiful animation and captivating
soundscapes are utilised in the website intro. It provides the lowdown
on the museum and its galleries, e.g. The Kodak Gallery contains the
story of popular photography and the 'Advertising' Gallery focuses on
the art of persuasion - all very nicely done.
More technological innovations can be seen at Bletchley Park. Learn
about the Buckinghamshire Stately Home that was the famous Second
World War code breaking centre at <http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk>.
Spies in the making can observe how painstakingly people worked to
crack wartime codes!
Other hard workers were the fishermen of the True's Yard community in
King's Lynn, <http://www.truesyardmuseum.free-online.co.uk>. The site
has pictures of fishing cottages that have been restored to how they
would have been decorated and furnished in 1850 and 1920, and lists
general museum information.
More faithful restoration work can be seen at the Museum of Transport
in Manchester, <http://www.gmts.co.uk>. The first bus service in
Britain started in Manchester (I learnt this from the site's 'trivia'
section) and you can go on a virtual tour of the museum which features
over 80 restored vintage buses from 1890 to 1980.
Finally, love it or loathe it, Britain's most famous new museum
(albeit temporary, a countdown clock indicates how many visiting days
are left!), the Millennium Dome is at <http://www.dome2000.co.uk>. It
tells users about tickets, employment opportunities and education
booking and has photos and e-mail postcards.
Of course, there are museums in hundreds of locations for just about
every subject known to man so it would be impossible to mention all
genres here, but hopefully there's a site listed that appeals to one
or several of your interests. Who knows, you may even decide that you
just have to give yourself a day off to visit the real thing!
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Carey McIlvenny, BA(Hons), MA undertakes freelance writing and is
Website Manager for www.theknowledge.com <http://www.theknowledge.com>,
an alternative music website. Acting as an umbrella site for various
record labels, it contains news, over 200 bands, exclusive interviews,
discographies, soundclips, reviews, links, gigs, merchandise sales and
a guide to careers in the music industry. Please e-mail any comments
or queries to tellitlikeitis@theknowledge.com
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Related Free Pint links:
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#tips>
* Discuss this article with the author now at the Free Pint Bar
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar>
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Knowledge Management & Intranet Solutions exhibition - discover how KM
can improve your business! Knowledge Management & Intranet Solutions,
4-5 April 2000, offers you the only dedicated opportunity to explore
and compare all the very latest KM products and services. The sold out
exhibition includes FREE specialist and exhibitor seminars,
consultancy sessions, case studies, and a careers clinic. For
exhibitor details and to register for free exhibition tickets visit
http://www.knowledge-management.co.uk/kmfp now.
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [li593]
>>> WOULD YOU LIKE PAST ISSUES EMAILED TO YOU? <<<
You can have past issues of Free Pint sent immediately to you
by ticking the ones you want and entering your email address.
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/2000issues.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FREE PINT BOOKSHELF
http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf
"Mastering the Digital Market Place"
Reviewed by Simon Collery
The digital marketplace is one governed by information. It is part
of an economy which contrasts with an agrarian, industrial or
consumer economy. Information and the ways it is collected, stored,
used, shared, protected, bought and sold, is destined to become the
central economic principle of the future.
Focusing on intelligent products, markets and organizations, Aldrich
illustrates what it means for such things to be intelligent. It's
how information and knowledge is brought to bear on the development
of products that gives one establishment competitive advantage over
another. That includes information about what customers want and
what saves them time, not just the more traditional factors of price
and quality. Products are intelligent if they are developed in the
right information environment.
Companies now operate in a market which depends more on collaboration
and co-operation, on sharing ideas and employing new divisions of
labour, and one which shuns the formerly ubiquitous corporate
secrecy. New markets are created by those who understand how the
digital marketplace works, those who understand the networked
economy.
This new emphasis on information and knowledge means that successful
organizations will be the ones which decide correctly what actions it
is competent to carry out and what actions would be better performed
by others. The digital marketplace is not an alternative, or
something you can opt into or out of.
It's a little hard to characterize the category of book that this
falls into. It is written by a man with good credentials, a man who
knows his subject through years of experience. Yet the way it is
laid out doesn't suggest that it was intended to be a text book.
Given these considerations, I found the book long and the information
it contains rather dispersed and repetitive. Others may not find
this, but I do recommend ignoring the preface completely.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Simon Collery has been involved in editorial and research work for
the electronic media for a number of years, working for AND Data
Solutions, Oxford, and the Oxford English Dictionary Project. One of
his primary interests is the use of the Internet as a serious
research tool and a source of free, reliable information and software.
He works for Free Pint full time in the business development team.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Related Free Pint links:
* Find out more about this book online at the Free Pint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf/master.htm>
* Read reviews of related eCommerce books on the Free Pint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf>
* Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk
<http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471345466/freepint0c>
or Amazon.com
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471345466/freepint00>
* Search for any other book from Amazon via the Bookshelf homepage
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bookshelf>
To propose a business-Web-related book for review, send
details to <bookshelf@freepint.co.uk>.
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
**ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PRIVATE COMPANY INFORMATION?**
FAME and AMADEUS are still available on CD/DVD-ROM as well as
the Internet. They have information on 1.6m private UK companies and
3m private European companies. Access them in an instant.
Email marketing@bvd.co.uk for more information or
register for your free trial now at http://www.bvd.co.uk/
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [bv594]
>>> TODAY'S INDUSTRY NEWS IN 200 CATEGORIES <<<
Access our live free newsfeed
for the latest global news headlines
http://www.freepint.co.uk/news
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
from Rachel Keegan
* In my job I particularly like the US Patent Office database
<http://164.195.100.11/netahtml/search-adv.htm> which has the full
text of US patents on the day on which they are published
* I use Intelliseek's BullsEye 2 for searching the Web (free download
from <http://www.intelliseek.com/>)
* I use <http://www.photopoint.com/> to share photographs with my
friends
* I look at UK train timetables and buy my tickets from
<http://www.thetrainline.com>
* Because I am a Gilbert & Sullivan enthusiast, I love the G&S
Archive at <http://diamond.boisestate.edu/gas>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rachel Keegan <http://www.btinternet.com/~keeganr/> works for BP Amoco
as a Patent Information Analyst and is currently Musical Director of
Staines Light Operatic Society <http://www.slos.org.uk>.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To submit your top five favourite tipples see the guidelines at
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/author.htm>
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>> A NEW WEB SITE EVERY DAY <<<
A different and invaluable Web site is reviewed every day.
Look out for "Today's Tipple from Free Pint" at the Free Pint Bar.
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar>
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FEATURE ARTICLE
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#feature
"Internet Development in the Middle East"
By Gil Feiler
Over the past few years we have witnessed the rapid growth and usage
of the Internet. According to NUA, by the end of 2002, 320 million
people are expected to be online, compared to 97 million at the end of
1998. The language of the Internet is also changing, where non-US
Internet users are driving a switch in focus, with growing emphasis on
regionalism and local culture, also expressed in the move towards
regional portals. In the Middle East, the Internet, along with other
Information Technology (IT) sectors, has been gaining wider popular
appeal and now enjoys one of the highest growth rates in the world.
The Middle East Market
----------------------
This comprises 21 countries including 4 non-Arab ones and represents a
market of more than 400 million people, a figure that will double
within the next 28 years. Currently, about 55% of inhabitants are
under the age of 20, representing an audience that is open to
technological change, to computers and to the Internet. The region's
economies, after a decade of relative stagnation, have in the past
years been experiencing higher growth rates, a consequence of lower
strife alongside economic reform.
In the latter half of the 1990s, the Middle East in general
has embarked upon a program of accelerated privatization of state-
owned enterprises and liberalization of investment legislation. This
was aimed at upgrading the region's infrastructure and
telecommunications network and to lure valuable foreign capital and
expertise. Moreover, several of the region's countries have recently
been added to the IFC Emerging Markets Investible Index while Egypt
now ranks among the top four emerging markets by the IMF in terms of
pace of privatization. International companies and organizations are
showing increasing interest and involvement in the commercial
possibilities of the Middle East region, thus increasing the need for
information. There is also a growing local awareness of the benefits
of various online services and this has increased the region's
appetite for the Internet and other IT.
Technological Expansion in the Middle East
------------------------------------------
Until recently, the development of local infrastructure in the Middle
East region had, as a whole, been slow. Large projects aimed at
improved telecommunications, such as the introduction of new satellite
and cable based Internet services, are now underway in many of the
region's countries, which will allow the Middle East to readily adapt
to IT resources. The lagging start the Internet has had in the region
is now being compensated for with a rapid, almost explosive rate of
growth. (1)
Internet usage is rising at a rate of approximately 8% per
month. There are more than 2.25 million users in the region, serviced
by over 100 Internet Service Providers. The highest rates of
expansion can be witnessed in the Gulf States due to the support
provided by both regional governments and private companies. The
enthusiasm with which the region's inhabitants are accepting the
Internet is matched by the intense interest it is generating in the
private business sector.
Several international conferences and exhibitions have taken place in
the past year, signifying the business potential the Internet
represents for the region. For example, at the annual GITEX
exhibition held in Dubai (considered to be the third largest IT
exhibition in the world), 465 exhibitors from the IT industry
participated, representing some 1,500 companies from 35 countries.
Included among the exhibitors were international giants such as
Microsoft, Dell, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Toshiba, Fujitsu and Compaq.
Much focus at the GITEX exhibition was on the prospects and
development of E-commerce in the Arab world. With currently about
half a million companies worldwide selling through E-commerce, a
number that is expected to hit 8 million by 2003, and consumer
transactions on the Internet expected to increase from 11.3 billion US
dollars in 1998 to approximately 93.7 billion US dollars in 2002, many
companies in the Arab region are preparing to embrace E-business. (2)
Still in its infancy in the region, user response to the introduction
of E-commerce has been high. As early as 1997, 4% of the Middle
East's Internet users had already purchased goods and products online.
For 1998, 9% reported they had made purchases via the Internet, at a
total value of 95 million US dollars. (3) 82% of transactions were
made by credit card, a growing form of payment gaining
popularity in the region. In fact, the number of credit card users in
the Gulf alone has increased by 21.5% in 1999. Saudi Arabia has been
the region's highest user with new subscribers growing by 42% between
1998 and 1999. (4) The boom in the development of the Internet and E-
commerce has also fuelled the growth of the computer market.
In the 1998-2002 period, the Arab countries alone will purchase an
estimated 5 million computers. These will consist of 2.5 million
computers in the Gulf countries, 1.25 million in Egypt (the second
fastest growing computer market in the world behind China), 1 million
in North Africa, and 500,000 for other Arab countries. Of these
computers, 25% will be home PCs, indicating a growing embrace of
computers in Arab societies. (5) Computer prices, too, are dropping.
The Middle Eastern IT market is estimated to be valued at
approximately 2 billion US dollars and has tremendous potential for
growth, since it still represents less than one per cent of the
region's gross domestic product (the IT market as a percentage of GDP
in the U.S. is 3.7 per cent; in the UK it is 2.6 per cent). These
figures do not include the growing IT markets in Turkey and Israel.
Naturally, the widespread introduction of computers and their networks
has a direct impact on Internet growth in the region. This is due to
increased exposure by users, a drop in prices, and the growing
availability of Internet services through the workplace. (6) The
dynamic growth of the computer and Internet sectors in the Middle East
led many individuals and companies to contrive and create web sites
with a regional orientation. Individual sites have been primarily
designed and maintained by Arab students and associations abroad,
while attempts to create portals and search engines have not
experienced much success.
Efforts at creating a central, high traffic portal of the Middle East
region have, with a few exceptions, failed to fulfil the immense
potential of the marketplace. Lacking a clear commercial vision or
appropriate planning and typically adhering to a narrow focus, most
sites in the niche are no more than link directories (such as the
Middle East Directory located at <http://www.middleeastdirectory.com>.
The more serious efforts suffer from limited and sometimes outdated
content, have a limited audience appeal and fail to cover the entire
Middle East region. For example, Arabia.com <http://www.arabia.com>,
the most serious contender for the title of 'regional portal',
provides content that usually comprises a mix of articles derived
from other sources, with the material often translated from English to
Arabic. Sites like DIT Net <http://www.dit.net> and Awo.net
<http://www.awo.net>, have a limited audience appeal given their
audience-specific orientation (DIT is technology oriented while AWO is
focused solely on Middle East commercial resources). Hence, most
Internet users in the Arab world have been found to prefer
international portals like Yahoo! (7)
The only serious effort to provide a regional, dual-interfaced portal
and search engine is the recent establishment of the Al-Bawaba portal
. Geared towards establishing a community-
like website with high-quality original content and a wide range of
Internet services including games, webmaster resources, e-mail and
interactive forums, Al-Bawaba appears to be targeting the entire
region. Although only in its initial development, Al-Bawaba has
special unique features that one is unable to find at other portals.
In conclusion, the Internet is today experiencing extensive growth in
the Middle East. This trend can be felt in the accelerated growth of
Internet users, the improvement of the region's telecommunications
infrastructures, intense foreign interest in the IT business sector
and the establishment of regional portals. In lieu of the weak
services offered by these local portals to Internet users, with the
exception of two or three, their high traffic rates are clear
indicators of the high user demand and unremitting growth.
References
----------
(1) Saudi Arabia, one of the largest and fastest growing IT markets
in the region, has only introduced public Internet use in
January 1999.
(2) IDC
(3) IAW Survey
(4) DIT News, June 13, 1999.
(5) IDC, Sakhr.
(6) According to DIT, 50% of Arabic Internet users connect via their
workplaces.
(7) According to a survey by IAW, it was discovered that Yahoo! is
the preferred search engine for most users in the Arab world
while the Arabic search engine Ayna was only the third most
popular. DIT net, October 26, 1999.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dr. Gil Feiler is the executive director of Info-Prod Research (Middle
East). Having studied in Israel, Egypt and Germany, he wrote his
doctoral thesis on economic relations in the Middle East. His most
recent publications include: Rethinking Business Strategy in the
Middle East and North Africa for the Economist, and The Middle East in
the New Millenium: Economic Development and Business Law for Kluwer
International Law. Info-Prod Research is a consultancy specializing in
research and economic analysis at the country, sector and product
levels in the Middle East and North Africa. Additional services are
based on IPR unique databases of Middle East business information,
which are constantly updated for on-line vendors, including Reuters,
Lexis- Nexis, The Dialog Corporation and the Financial Times. Dr.
Feiler can be contacted at IPR, 3A, Jabotinsky Street, Ramat-Gan
52520, Israel, Tel: 972-3-7512780, Fax: 972-3-7512781, E-mail:
<ipr@netvision.net.il>.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Related Free Pint links:
* Respond to this article and chat to the author now at the Bar
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar>
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#feature>
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>> 118 ARTICLES. 60 BOOK REVIEWS. 2500 RESEARCH POSTINGS <<<
Use the Free Pint site search facility
to see if we've covered your topic
http://www.freepint.co.uk/search
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FREE PINT BAR SUMMARY
http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar
Here is your summary of what's been happening at the Free Pint Bar
over the last couple of weeks. To read a discussion thread you can:
- Just visit the Bar. It's free to use and easy to access at:
http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar
- Read this summary online where all the links are activated:
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#bar
- Add the message number (no brackets) to the end of this address:
http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read=
For example, to read message 1432 you would visit:
http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/config.pl?read=1432
We love to hear from Free Pinters, so thank you for the feedback on
the last issue (2465). This led to interesting discussions on
vortals and unsolicited mail. The person receiving the mail even
elicited a response from the company involved. Also discussed on the
Bar was the issue of toll-free Internet access in the UK. It's a
good thing, but are UK users ready to take full advantage of it? One
correspondent thinks many people in North America acquired expensive
Web sites which were of little benefit to them. And there is a
posting about the recent budget, asking if it gives us an incentive
to become *Net Slaves* (2605). Feel like sticking your oar in?
There has been a shift away from technical queries and towards
research in the last couple of weeks, and a Bar is as good a place as
any for this sort of work. Research into publishing company mergers
(2464), mergers of corporate intranets (2473), decision making in
publishing companies (2521) and the size and scope of the online
information market (2575) is being carried out, should you like to
contribute. The shift is also reflected in other requests, such as
one for sample legal disclaimers (2509) and some specific engineering
papers (2528).
This pattern continues in the majority of postings. But first, a
digression. We are often asked for information that cuts across two
parameters; university rankings in Asia (2518), British animation
(2559) and insurance information for the travel industry (2570), and
these may not be too much of a problem. Early printed book
statistics (2493) are another matter, though the time factor wasn't
so bad when it came to Internet penetration in 1995 (2554).
Now here's a poser. If you need information on the audio industry,
you go to a relevant specialist search facility. Equally, if it's
financial (2614), economic (2612) or telecommunications (2520)
information you want, there are reliable places to look. If you want
French industries, you can use French search engines, and the same
goes for most large countries. And if you are looking for a job, you
can go to a specialist job site. But try finding a job in the French
audio industry (2626) and things don't pan out so quickly.
Statistical resources for email use (2502) can be found, as can lists
of ezines (2514), white page information (2527) and online surveys
(2560). But searching across certain parameters is difficult and
represents a challenge to search engines and information seekers. If
you have any tips, please do share them.
While advice has been given on news tickers with a European emphasis
(2576), information on small and medium sized enterprise mailing
lists (2592) is still wanting. And if you are an online retailer,
what's the best model for this pursuit (2613)? One of our patrons
thirsts for information on the percentage of sales turnover derived
from exports (2607), another hankers for statistics on the size of
the UK video games industry (2555). The second request may have been
fulfilled, but the first hasn't.
We still have a place for developers and technically minded people,
in case they're feeling left out. Someone is looking for a sample
contract (2456), another wants a script to prevent users from
printing her Web pages (2457), a third wants to know everything about
Web designing (2535) and a fourth is trying to network home PCs
(2566). Improving one's search ranking is never far from a site
owner's mind (2539) and if case sensitive URL's irk, help is at hand
(2584). IE5 File/Save option is giving grief to one punter (2646)
and finally, is there a small, light and reasonably priced mobile
electronic device for typing text (2642)? If only computers were
more modular, then you could just take the bits you want with you.
Simon Collery, Business Development, Free Pint
Remember, to read this summary with activated hyperlinks visit ...
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/300300.htm#bar>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bar: Do you have a research question or Web-related comment? It's
easy to post a message at <http://www.freepint.co.uk/bar>
Digest: To have the latest Free Pint Bar postings sent to you every
other day, send a blank email to <digest@freepint.co.uk>
Archive: Dormant postings older than 45 days are moved to
<http://www.freepint.co.uk/cgi-bin/webbbs/archive/config.pl>
Email: To write to the Free Pint team, please send your email to
<feedback@freepint.co.uk>
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>> RECOMMEND FREE PINT TO A FRIEND <<<
Simply enter their details confidentially
and we'll send them the latest issue
http://www.freepint.co.uk/reco.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FREE PINT GOLD
This time last year Free Pinters were reading about UK immigration
information on the Web, an issue still very much with us. We were
also reading about competitive intelligence and the impact that the
Internet has had on this pursuit. And two years ago a prescient
writer covered the marketing power of domain names. It's interesting
to look back and see what has and hasn't happened since then. There
have been very public winners and losers in the domain name battles.
Job hunting on the Internet was also covered and this has become far
more widespread. It's no longer confined to a few sectors, such as
computing and electronics.
Free Pint one year ago ...
* Free Pint No.35 1st April 1999 "UK Immigration Sources on the Web"
and "The Internet for Competitive Intelligence"
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/010499.htm
Free Pint two years ago ...
* Free Pint No.11, 2nd April 1998 "The International Marketing Power
of Domain Names" and "Job Hunting on the Net"
http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/020498.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>>> FREE PINT SITE MAP AND HELP <<<
http://www.freepint.co.uk/help.htm
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
http://www.freepint.co.uk/events
What are you doing this April? There are several events which you
may be interested in attending. The Association of Independent
Information Professionals has a conference in Washington, DC with its
own comedy act included. And the American Society for Information
Science is going to set the parameters for the new discipline of
Information Architecture in Boston. Whether you are involved in
technical matters, content creation or ecommerce, whatever floats
your boat really, you may like to have a say in this.
Then you'll barely have time to say Danny Sullivan before the Search
Engine Meeting starts the very next day, also in Boston. Search
engines Google and FAST have been mentioned in Free Pint a number of
times and there will be representatives from both at this meeting.
Giving you some time to breathe while travelling to Europe, there
will be the Webcom conference and Intranet Expo in London, UK,
dishing the dirt on Web communications and commerce.
Full details of these and over 30 other forthcoming conferences and
exhibitions in the online-information and Internet industry can be
found on the Free Pint Events page at http://www.freepint.co.uk/events
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
* Internet access from mobile phones * Corporate Web sites *
* Space Science and Engineering * Knowledge Management * Weddings *
* Legal information * Aeronautics * Researching for TV *
* Web sites for SMEs * Air Transport * Surveillance *
[Provisional]
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
I hope you've enjoyed today's edition of Free Pint, and if so then
please do tell your friends. We'd also love to welcome you to the
Web site where you can enjoy many more free tipples.
See you in two weeks!
William Hann, Managing Editor
william@freepint.co.uk
(c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2000
http://www.freepint.co.uk/
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
CONTACT INFORMATION
William Hann BSc MIInfSc, Founder and Managing Editor
e: william@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1784 455435 f: +44 (0)1784 455436
Rex Cooke FIInfSc FRSA, Editor
e: rex@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1342 316027 f: +44 (0)1342 316027
Lesley Robinson BA MBA, Business Development
e: lesley@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)20 8871 4284 f: +44 (0)20 8875 9165
Simon Collery BA, Business Development
e: simon@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1865 434143 f: +44 (0)1784 455436
Jane, Administrator e: jane@freepint.co.uk
Address
Free Pint Limited, FREEPOST (SEA3901), Staines
Middlesex, TW18 3BR, United Kingdom
(Please add a stamp if you would like to pay for postage)
Web - http://www.freepint.co.uk
Advertising - ads@freepint.co.uk
Subscriptions - subs@freepint.co.uk
Letters & Comments - feedback@freepint.co.uk
Authors - http://www.freepint.co.uk/author.htm
Latest Issue Autoresponder - auto@freepint.co.uk
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Free Pint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a free newsletter written by information
professionals who share how they find quality and reliable information
on the Internet. Useful to anyone who uses the Web for their work, it
is published every two weeks by email.
To subscribe, unsubscribe, find details about contributing,
advertising or to see past issues, please visit the Web site at
http://www.freepint.co.uk/ or call +44 (0)1784 455 466.
Please note: Free Pint is a trademark of, and published by, Free Pint
Limited <http://www.freepint.co.uk/>. The publishers will NEVER make
the subscriber list available to any other company or organisation.
The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the
sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care
has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the
publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.
This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its
entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or
distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers.
Write to Rex Cooke, Editor <rex@freepint.co.uk> for more details.
Product names used in Free Pint are for identification purposes only,
and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Free Pint disclaims
any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved.
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
« Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter »
About this Newsletter
- Publication Date: 29th March 2000
- Plain text
- Link: https://www.jinfo.com/go/newsletter/59
What's new at Jinfo?
Vendor adoption of AI
Community session
23rd May 2024
AI prompting and AI-sourcing, US private companies, and Jinfo on YouTube
Blog posting
10th April 2024
April 2024 Update
YouTube video
10th April 2024
- AI prompting and AI-sourcing, US private companies, and Jinfo on YouTube
10th April 2024 - AI practical actions, prompting and outsourcing
6th March 2024 - GenAI and ESG wisdom of the Jinfo crowd
13th February 2024
- Jinfo Community session (TBC) (Community) 16th July 2024
- Jinfo Community session (TBC) (Community) 20th June 2024
- Vendor adoption of AI (Community) 23rd May 2024
Learn more about the Jinfo Subscription