Free Pint Newsletter 129 - Deep Linking and Plugins Free Pint "Helping 56,000 people use the Web for their work" http://www.freepint.com/ ISSN 1460-7239 23rd January 2003 No.129 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES By Yvette Nielsen FREE PINT BAR In Association with Factiva a Dow Jones & Reuters Company JOBS Financial Researcher Business Researcher - Maternity Cover Chair in Librarianship and Information Business Researcher Information Associate TIPS ARTICLE "Deep Linking" By Paul Pedley BOOKSHELF "The Library and Information Professional's Guide to Plug-ins and other Web Browser Tools" Reviewed by Neil Infield FEATURE ARTICLE "The 8 A's of Information" By Dennis Gaulin EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES CONTACT INFORMATION ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS ADOBE ACROBAT VERSION WITH NEWSLETTER FORMATTING > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = RECRUIT MEDIA - est. 1989. With FT100 clients we cover all areas of information employment from pre-library school experience to Senior management. Being a boutique consultancy we are also afforded the luxury of being able to work with medium sized organizations that can have more varied roles for the information professional. Contract and permanent roles are always advertised on our website and on Free Pint so keep an eye on us and feel free to get in touch sally@recruitmedia.co.uk even if you're just window shopping. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [rm1291] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> ABOUT FREE PINT <<< Free Pint is an online community of information researchers. Members receive this free newsletter every two weeks packed with tips on finding quality and reliable business information on the Internet. Joining is free at and provides access to a substantial archive of articles, reviews, jobs & events, with answers to research questions and networking at the Free Pint Bar. Please circulate this newsletter which is best read when printed out. To receive a fully formatted version as an attachment or a brief notification when it's online, visit . > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = EDITORIAL After my talk of extremes in the last issue, including the flooding which has now receded, I've been looking for some good news to bring some cheer to the new year. The cheer has arrived in the form of a different kind of flood -- of bookings for our forthcoming Exchange workshops. Yesterday alone we received over 50 bookings. The hottest Exchange topic is, of course, electronic copyright. Paul Pedley is repeating this workshop for us, and writes in today's newsletter about the importance of understanding the implications of 'deep linking'. Find out about all the Exchanges at , including the one soon on communities of practice. Thanks to the European Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) for a fun pub quiz last night. Well done to the winning team, the "Woolly Fruitcakes" from Intelligent Resources! The Chapter are asking for nominations for this year's European Special Librarian of the Year (ESLY). You can nominate someone (or yourself) at , and the award is an expenses-paid trip to the SLA's annual conference in New York. I had a super time at the Philadelphia conference in 2000, and so I really urge you to make your nominations for this year's ESLY. Don't forget to make the most of our seasonal sale on advertising and company reports . Also, if you'd like to contribute an article or review to Free Pint, then see this quarter's Author Update, just published at . Thanks for supporting Free Pint, and I especially look forward to meeting you if you are attending one of our Exchange workshops. I hope you enjoy the thought-provoking articles in today's newsletter. Cheers William William Hann BSc(Hons) MCLIP, Founder and Managing Editor Email: Tel: +44 (0)1784 420044 Free Pint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2003 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ****Tailored Global Information at a flat rate fee**** Esmerk Ltd offers access to same-day abstracted information from hundreds of sources including 497 newspapers in 22 languages from 85 different countries and delivered daily to you in English. For more information on how you can keep abreast in your industry contact us at Esmerk... We are here to keep you ahead! > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [es1292] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> CHECK YOUR PLAIN TEXT MAILINGS ARE 'SEVEN-BIT-SAFE' <<< Do you publish newsletters or announcements by email? Do some recipients see certain characters as codes? Or is the whole text mailing converted to an attachment? Use Willco's free 'Seven-Bit-Safe Checker' to highlight any unsavoury characters in your mailings which might be causing this. Visit: > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES By Yvette Nielsen * - Create a survey in seconds with this intuitive tool offering sample templates, charts and spreadsheet data. Basic subscription is free (limit of 10 questions and 100 responses). * - Long URLs can break into two lines in email, forcing recipients to cut and paste the second line. SnipURL converts long links into smaller, more memorable links. 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[Please note that we don't accept any form of advertorial] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = TIPS ARTICLE "Deep Linking" By Paul Pedley Electronic copyright covers a wide range of topics, such as whether the exceptions extend to information in electronic form; the relationship between copyright law and contract law; the licensing of digital resources; database right; electronic signatures; scanning; how copyright law relates to the internet; or the impact of the copyright directive (2001/29/EC). The latter includes the right of communication to the public and provisions relating to technological measures used to safeguard rights and identify and manage copyright material. Yet, at a Free Pint Exchange which I led recently on electronic copyright (and am repeating on 13th February - see ) the one issue which seemed to be of particular interest to delegates was the question of deep linking. There is no shortage of case law in this area. There is, of course, the case of Shetland Times Ltd v Dr Jonathan Wills and Zetnews (1996) which is often mentioned. However, this case did not set a legal precedent since it was settled out of court because the authorities had problems with the internet connection and were unable to fully demonstrate the issues in court. Around the world there have been many more cases which have considered some of the issues concerning deep linking. These include NVM v De Telegraaf (2000), Ticketmaster v Tickets.com (2000), Stepstone v OFiR (2001), PCM v Kranten.com (2001), SNC Havas Numerique v SA Kelijob (2001), Haymarket v Burmah Castrol (2001), Kelly v Arriba Soft Corporation (2002). What can we deduce from the body of case law that exists? The internet is truly global, but there isn't a single consistent message that we can take away from the cases which have been heard in different jurisdictions around the world. Perhaps the best that we can say is that the law is uncertain. Having said that, to avoid links altogether would be an overreaction. People should, however, aim to minimise the risk of being faced with a legal challenge. There are a number of points to consider: a) Avoid any doubt over what is being done and who you are linking to. Try to make it as clear as possible what the hyperlink is actually linking to. It is best to avoid using frames technology which could result in you appearing to pass off someone's content as your own. Consider setting up the hyperlinks so that they open up in a totally new browser page. b) Do not circumvent anti-linking measures. Think about what the webmaster of the site in question had intended. The site owner may have a set of terms and conditions that s/he expects the user to look at before exploring further into the site. If that is the case, don't circumvent this; and certainly not if the terms and conditions specifically say that deep linking is not permitted. Another instance would be where the site owner is willing to give users access to some valuable content in exchange for them completing a registration page. The content may not be password protected, but if you were only able to find the URL of the page containing the valuable content by completing a registration process, don't deep link to that page thereby depriving the site owner of the chance to capture the details of who is accessing the material. c) Avoid deep linking that is commercially unfair. In other words don't do anything which would deprive the site owner of income that they are legitimately entitled to. For example, you should avoid deep linking if that means the user is able to skip a home page containing banner ads. If the site owner is paid on the basis of the number of 'click throughs', they could argue that they are being deprived of income as a result of your actions. It is not really fair to argue that you can deep link to a site on the basis that if the site owner had not intended this, s/he should have made use of technological measures to prevent this. Such measures can be very expensive, and it would be unreasonable to expect every site owner to make use of expensive technology merely in order to stop you from deep linking if they have already made it clear that they don't want users of their site to make use of deep linking. Deep linking can be an infringement of database right. The definition of "database" in the database directive (96/9/EC) and in the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997: SI 1997/3032 would cover most websites. If you maintain a website then it would be well worth spending time putting together a copyright notice on your site. Whilst simply putting a short notice consisting of a Date, Name, All rights reserved may at least serve to remind users of your website of your copyright, it is probably better to flesh out the statement to make clear what you will or will not permit users to do with your material. If your site links to other sites, think about using a disclaimer about the content of external sites, and if you do link to other sites, don't make the link into an image consisting of the other company's logo or trademark without checking with them first. As a matter of courtesy, you might want to check with them whether it is alright to link to their site. Such politeness could pay off with the other site then providing a reciprocal link to your own website. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Paul will be running a Free Pint Exchange which will cover the topic of deep linking as well as that of evaluating websites for their quality, credibility and trustworthiness on 13th March 2003 and also a repeat of the Electronic Copyright Exchange on February 13th 2003 . The Patent Office have delayed the regulations implementing copyright directive 2001/29/EC, but they are due to come into force by the end of March and both sessions will take account of the legislative changes. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * 'Free Pint Deep Linking and Website Evaluation Exchange', London 13th March 2003 * 'Free Pint Electronic Copyright Exchange', London, February 13th 2003 * 'Information and Libraries' articles in the Free Pint Portal * Post a message to the author, Paul Pedley, or suggest further resources at the Free Pint Bar * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks * Access the entire archive of Free Pint content > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Ready to accept payments online? GoldCart is an outstanding software solution that gets you online and trading in 2-3 days! With no merchant account, no on-going fees, just a straight GBP 399 set-up charge and hosting fees of GBP 11.50 pm! Call 0870 0044446 NOW to work with one of Europe's most forward-thinking hosting providers, because we make things simple at Global Gold! > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [gg1294] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> SEASONAL SALE - BUT FOR HOW LONG? <<< There are some great deals in the Free Pint seasonal sale. There's 'buy two, get two free' on advertising, and 'buy one, get one free' on company reports. But how long can it last ... > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT BOOKSHELF "The Library and Information Professional's Guide to Plug-ins and other Web Browser Tools: Selection, Installation, Troubleshooting" Written by Candice M Benjes-Small and Melissa L Just Reviewed by Neil Infield Being an information professional can be a bit of a schizophrenic activity at times. On the one hand, despite having been surfing the web for nearly ten years, I still have the gnawing feeling that I have a lot more to learn. On the other hand, having read from cover to cover every issue of Internet Magazine ever published, it is easy to lapse into a 'seen it, done it, bought the t-shirt' complacency. A book such as this can be a very helpful wake-up call, reminding one that there is always more knowledge to be gained and often in unexpected areas. I started off by wondering how many plug-ins the authors might have missed but instead was surprised by the gaps in my own knowledge. As the title makes clear, this book aims to introduce and explain the main web browser plug-ins and surfing-related tools. It is divided into eight chapters and three appendices (not to mention the ubiquitous index in any book for information professionals). The software is broken down into: Utility tools such as Acrobat Reader; Image tools such as iPIX Viewer for 3D images; Multimedia tools including QuickTime video player; Maths and Science tools such Chime for displaying molecular structures; Accessibility tools such as text to speech software ReadPlease; and finally what the authors call 'Staff Tools for Librarians' which consist of Yahoo! Companion and Google Toolbar, Mousetool and Pop-up Stopper. Each tool is covered in a systematic way using the following structure: Purpose; System Requirements; Pros and Cons; Examples (screenshots); Finding and Installing; Troubleshooting; Creating Files and Library Uses (suggesting how and why libraries might take advantage of the technology). Although there is a danger that this approach can become rather dry and sterile, the authors avoid this by their use of a conversational writing style and including plenty of their own hard-won experiences. One of my criticisms of the book is the amount of space it devotes to multimedia tools. Over forty pages in a book of 171 pages on Shockwave, RealOne, Quicktime, Windows Media Player and Winamp is excessive. Especially as most readers will be pretty familiar with most of these already. Also, this is an area where change is more rapid than elsewhere, so although the book is commendably up-to-date in most aspects, the last three players on the above list are already on later versions, with significant changes in some cases. Pleased as I was to see mention of the Google Toolbar (which should be on every information professionals browser) I was surprised at some of the omissions. Anyone who has lost a large file during download will no doubt have installed Go!Zilla or one of its many rivals to enable recovery from download errors and to resume failed downloads. Other important tools are Alexa, which provides related links and statistics about sites as they are visited, My Favourites helps to organise and launch IE favourites, Cookie Eater which allows you to manage cookies, and iCapture-it which allows you to capture web pages or entire sites for offline browsing. The real surprise for me was mention of the free Microsoft Office Viewers for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. These are pared-down versions of their expensive commercial counterparts (of which I was not previously aware) and allow surfers to view and print Office files. The real break through here for me is Excel (as Word documents can easily be converted into Acrobat PDF format and PowerPoint can save to a web presentation mode), which used to present real problems. Thanks to this book, in future I will be saving my spreadsheets to the web with a link to the Microsoft free download page. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Neil is manager of Business Information Services at Hermes Pensions Management. He is a member of the board of the European Chapter of the Special Libraries Association where he edits their newsletter and managers their website at . He is also an occasional columnist for Information World Review. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * Find out more about this book online at the Free Pint Bookshelf * Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk * "The Library and Information Professional's Guide to Plug-ins and Other Web Browser Tools: Selection, Installation, Troubleshooting" ISBN 1856044645, published by Facet Publishing, Written by Candice M. Benjes-Small, Melissa L. Just * Search for and purchase any book from Amazon via the Free Pint Bookshelf at * Read about other Internet Searching books on the Free Pint Bookshelf To propose an information-related book for review, send details to . > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ** EMAIL NEWSLETTER MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION ** If you publish an email newsletter and manage a database of email addresses, then check out Willco's list hosting service. Visit today for full details and to read praise for the service > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [wi1295] >>> DISCOUNTED TITLES FOR FREE PINTERS FROM EUROMONITOR <<< We've negotiated a discount for all readers of 10% on featured titles from Euromonitor's Business Reference series. To find out about the latest featured title, "Asian Marketing Data & Statistics", visit > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FEATURE ARTICLE "The 8 A's of Information" By Dennis Gaulin As a researcher, do you have difficulty articulating the value you bring to the table? Are you being proactive, or strictly reactionary, when it comes to providing information to your users? The gathering, delivery and application of quality information is essential to sound decision-making. The process is complex, and requires expert knowledge and professional competence through a number of steps to ensure quality results. The process can appear deceptively simple and is often undervalued. Gaulin's 8 A's of information is designed to provide researchers and consumers of information with a simple model that clearly identifies which steps in the research process are the domain of the professional researcher and which apply to the information user. As a researcher, perhaps specializing in competitive intelligence, library science, knowledge management, or company research you can be helped by this model to articulate your core competence and the value of your services. You can use it as a basis for many activities - professional development, developing a business plan, marketing your services, or simply explaining to a customer what skills you bring to a project. The 8 A's OF INFORMATION (c) ============================ ARTICULATING the information need ANTICIPATING information needs (Prism Thinking) AWARENESS of information resources (Spheres of Information) ACCESS to the information resources ACQUIRING the information ASSIMILATING the information APPLYING the information ASSESSING the information's impact ARTICULATING the information needs ----------------------------------- Professional researchers are experts at knowing where to look for information, but frequently know less about the environment where the information will be received, assimilated and applied. In striving for excellence, information professionals must continue to maintain their high level of research capability, but should also develop a holistic awareness of the information user's environment. Enter the reference interview. It is during the reference interview that the researcher hopes to address cognitive gaps that exist between themselves and the client. One hopes the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of the information need is covered in whole, or in part, unfortunately at the discretion of the requesting client. The thoroughness of the reference interview has a huge impact on your end product and will guide the information retrieval process. Few would argue that the better you understand the environment in which the 'end users' are working, the better able you are to meet or exceed their expectations. But this reference interview process is by and large a responsive process to an articulated need. What of recognizing end users' information needs before a request is made? ANTICIPATING information needs ------------------------------ This is what the author calls "Prism Thinking". "Prism Thinking" modifies the traditional information process that starts with articulation of needs and instead starts with having the researcher anticipate an information need. PRISM THINKING APPLIED ---------------------- To exemplify "Prism Thinking" the author offers the following story: As a member of a Fortune 500 Company's intranet team, I was invited to listen in on a conference call dealing with the purchase of a specific software product. As all the parties were being introduced I took note of the name of the software vendor and pushed the mute button on my phone. I proceeded to search the security and exchange commission filings for this U.S. Company. The results were then filtered in chronological order. Bingo! A filing by the company from the previous day, pursuant to disclosure requirements on events of "a material nature", revealed that this company was being sued for patent violations on the very product they were trying to sell our company. I hit the mute button and re-entered the conference call making my findings known. The room fell silent. I then hit the mute button once again as I performed a "happy dance" around my office. Despite their due diligence, other involved parties could not have been expected to have access to such up-to-the-minute information. Note that no information need was ever articulated. I had performed proactive "prism thinking". As a result of acquiring this critical information, the decision to purchase the software was postponed until further assessment could be made, likely saving the company both problems and money. As information professionals delve into the decision maker's domain and understand the application of the information they provide, they are better able to "prism think" and bring added value to their organization. Although originally hired as a credit analyst, over the years I passionately studied alternative sources of credit and business information to help justify the extension of billions of dollars in trade credit to customers. This provided me with the ability to identify resources, access those resources, and acquire many types of information. With promotions over the years, I became aware of many different aspects of the corporation. I found that the vast majority of business problems can be translated into information questions. I consciously chose to find answers to questions sometimes articulated but often left unspoken. Whether it was at the water cooler or in meetings, I listened with an ear for problems requiring information solutions. Let's call these opportunities info-ops. I would then attempt to match the info-ops with the information resources that I was aware of and pass relevant findings on to those who could benefit from them. Over time, this practice of listening and sharing information allowed me, as a skilled researcher, to obtain a more holistic view of the business environment. Just as a prism takes in white light and refracts it into a spectrum of various colors, so can a trained researcher with a holistic view of the business environment take in "white information", assess it and break it out into information packets for delivery to the full spectrum of potential benefactors. As these information packets hit the mark in assisting in business solutions, you may find that your reputation will be enhanced and opportunities for promotion presented. Researchers embody all the attributes of the modern knowledge worker. Prism thinking extended to other employees, can be the beginning of a cultural change that provides fertile ground for knowledge sharing to take root and grow. AWARENESS of information resources ---------------------------------- Professional researchers are competent in knowing where information "haystacks" are located. It's why many subscribe to numerous information-related publications and online services. Our knowledge of resources provides an internal compass, guiding us when seeking information. To provide a panoramic view of these resources, it may be helpful to conceptualize them as spheres of information. [Because the email format of this publication precludes the inclusion of a diagram, put pen to paper to visualize what the author refers to as "The Spheres of Information"] On a blank piece of paper, draw five concentric circles, as if a pebble has been dropped into a pond. At the centre, label the circle the INNER-net. This represents your own internal world of information and experience. It is the grey matter between your ears. Moving outward, the second circle is labeled the INTRA-net. This represents all the systems and information that can be found electronically within your organization's internal computer systems. The third circle is the EXTRA-net that builds upon your INTRA-net to include electronic linkages between your organization and its suppliers and customers. This is usually a semi-closed environment. The fourth circle is the INTER-net. It is just a pipeline and provides access to both free and fee based resources. The last circle, titled the inter-NOT refers to non-electronic forms of information. These include your network of contacts, colleagues, experts and other human resources, in addition to traditional information resources, that are not retrievable in electronic form. It is the author's belief that in order for a professional researcher to conduct comprehensive searches, they must be aware of the resources in all five spheres. It is no coincidence that the human brain both centers and surrounds the inferior electronic spheres. ACCESS to the information resources ------------------------------------ Most researchers would agree that there is often a vast difference between awareness of a resource and gaining access to it. Some sites are password protected; gated communities exist; and barriers can be numerous. It is the responsibility of professional researchers to learn and develop strategies to legally gain access to the best sources in the most cost-effective manner. (Hacking is not recommended!) ACQUIRING the information ------------------------- Successful acquisition of required information does not always flow from access alone. Enter the arcane commands of some commercial databases, syntax and indexing inconsistencies, the complexities of Boolean logic, proximity, truncation, spelling variances and other language variations. ASSIMILATING the information ---------------------------- Rare are the clients who truly appreciate the skills required to locate and obtain precise gems of information that can make or break critical decisions. Whether the expertise required in locating the right information is appreciated or not, the information provided is the raw material for decision making and once received, it must be churned with the end user's intellect, intuition, and imagination before its application can be determined. This information is "brain food" and the organization and presentation should encourage consumption by the end user. APPLYING the information ------------------------- Applying refined and processed information to concrete problems falls within the scope of the decision maker/client. Professional researchers cannot be held responsible for how others apply the information they have been provided. However, researchers are accountable for the quality of the information which they deliver. ASSESSMENT of the information's impact -------------------------------------- Although it is rarely the domain of the researcher to assimilate and apply information, it is extremely important for the researcher to get feedback on whether or not the information supplied was appropriate. Was the information specific enough? Were the articles of appropriate depth and breadth? Were the sources considered credible? Was the statistical data sufficiently current? As can be seen, the gathering, delivery and application of quality information is complex. The value you bring to the table is a skill set that few understand or appreciate. The 8A's of information should help you articulate your value. Info-ops abound. So start "Prism Thinking" and enhance your position and value. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dennis Gaulin is happily pursing his "passion for teaching information literacy" from Brockville, Ontario, Canada. As the "Chief Thinking Officer" for Infolab Inc., Dennis conducts seminars and provides consulting services to business's throughout North America. Dennis is the author of Gaulin's Ready..Net..Go, an internet guide for credit and financial executives. Currently working on his second book which will examine the practice of "Prism Thinking", he is interested in stories regarding the practical application of the 8A's and "Prism Thinking". If you would like to be interviewed for his book or wish to obtain a copy when published later in 2003 email or telephone Dennis in Canada at 613-342-1373. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related Free Pint links: * 'Information and Libraries' articles in the Free Pint Portal * Post a message to the author, Dennis Gaulin, or suggest further resources at the Free Pint Bar * Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks * Access the entire archive of Free Pint content > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>> *THE* PLACE FOR NEWS AND RESOURCES <<< ResourceShelf.com is great for information professionals. It's great for journalists and educators too. In fact, it's just great. ResourceShelf is Gary Price's daily newsletter with links to the latest resources and news of interest to researchers everywhere. Visit regularly, and sign up for the free weekly email update. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FORTHCOMING EVENTS The Free Pint Events page is a place to advertise all information-related conferences and exhibitions, not just those organised by Free Pint. If you know of something which is happening in the information world then please do let us know via the link above. It's free publicity. Our own forthcoming Exchange workshops are covering topics like 'Communities of Practice' , patents and of course 'Electronic Copyright' . Scottish Enterprise are organising the "World eLearning Conference" in February, designed to "... facilitate an open and honest discussion among practitioners, consultants, academics and government officials on global developments and promising practices and products in eLearning" . Submit details of your event today for free promotion. Simply complete the form at . Penny > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT GOLD Last year, Marydee Ojala told us about the Olympics taking place in her back yard. We also covered the topical issue of implementing wireless technology in libraries, and making library products available via personal digital assistants (PDAs). * Free Pint No.104 24th January 2002. "Winter Olympic Adventures Online" and "Using Wireless Technology - where does the library fit in?" Two years ago there were Web resources for the voluntary sector, and a discussion about the commercial viability of news sites. * Free Pint No.79, 18th January 2001. "Internet Resources for the Voluntary Sector" and "Online Business News: A Tale of Boom and Bust?" In 2000, Free Pint's William Hann wrote about search engine promotion. Much has changed in that world since then. There were also "... a mind-boggling variety of subject areas" covered by an article on architecture resources that "... straddle both the arts and sciences". * Free Pint No.54, 20th January 2000. "Search Engine Promotion" and "Architecture: the science and art of finding it on the Web" Four years ago, like today, the hot topic was how to assess the quality of information found on the Web -- a topic covered in a forthcoming Free Pint Exchange workshop, details at . Of course, one group who need to pay close attention to the reliability of what they read online is journalists, who are heavy users of the medium. * Free Pint No.30, 21st January 1999. "Information quality on the Internet" and "Computer Assisted Journalism" In 1998, many moons ago now, we talked about the meaning of the various error messages you see on the Web (e.g. 'ERROR 404'), and covered medical information Web sites. * Free Pint No.6, 22nd January 1998. "Diagnosing Web Problems" and "The Best Medical Information on the Web" Penny > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES [Provisional] * Vendors * Selecting a Content Management System * * Internet Resources on IT * Alternative Search Strategies * * Prospect Research * Scenario Planning * Children and the Internet * * Military History * Information Literacy in a Corporate Environment * * Patents * France: Business and Economic Sources on the Web * * Toxicology Sources on the Web * Information Literacy * If you have a suggestion for an article topic or would like to write for Free Pint then please contact or sign up for the Author Update at . > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = GOODBYE If you've enjoyed today's Free Pint, then please do spread the word. If you complete the 'Recommend Us' form then we'll send a courteous note on your behalf -- see . See you in two weeks! William Hann, Managing Editor (c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2003 Technology by Willco > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = CONTACT INFORMATION Address: Free Pint Limited 4-6 Station Approach Ashford, Middlesex TW15 2QN, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1784 420044 Fax: +44 (0)1784 420033 Directions and maps: Contributors to this issue: William Hann (Managing Editor), Penny (Free Pint Administrator), Paul Pedley, Neil Infield, Dennis Gaulin, Yvette Nielsen, Plain Text (proof reading) Advertisers/Sponsors: Esmerk, Factiva, Glen Recruitment, Sue Hill Recruitment, Recruit Media, Global Gold, CMC, FreshMinds, Willco Web Subscriptions Letters & Comments Authors Latest Issue Autoresponder Advertising > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your subscriptions or password, visit or email . 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