DIGITAL DIVIDE
Average Worker's Tech Skills Not Keeping Pace
CTCs as Technology Assistance Providers to Nonprofits
INTERNET
Health Web Sites Gaining Popularity
Net Media Models for Cable TV
Experts: Cybersecurity Plan Offers Tips, Not Rules
Issues that will Shape the Internet
DIGITAL DIVIDE
AVERAGE WORKER'S TECH SKILLS NOT KEEPING PACE
Experts say that the U.S. workforce may not be ready to meet labor demands
when the economy improves. According to a report released in June by the
National Policy Association, the average worker will not be able to compete
in a job market in which industries increasingly require technology-savvy
workers at all levels. "Rather than a worker gap, there is a skills gap,"
said James Auerbach, senior vice president at the nonprofit research
organization. "When the recovery starts, we will have the same shortage we
did two to three years ago." Auerbach said his organization is attempting
to work with business, labor, education, government and nonprofits to
"establish programs that are not subject to economic vagaries and government
funding cuts."
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury, AUTHOR: Virginia Dudek]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/4092122.htm)
CTCS AS TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS TO NONPROFITS
The Community Technology Center Network (CTCNet) has released a report
documenting the emerging practices, opportunities and challenges that CTCs
face in delivering technology assistance to community-based nonprofit
organizations. Written by Beth Kanter of Summit Collaborative, "Community
Technology Centers as
Technology Assistance Providers to Nonprofit & Community Based
Organizations" was produced with support from the Surdna Foundation.
[SOURCE: CTCNet]
(http://www.ctcnet.org/ctctechprovreport.html)
INTERNET
HEALTH WEB SITES GAINING POPULARITY
Researchers have found that in several Western countries, Web sites have
become just as important as some offline sources of health information.
According to the independent research company Datamonitor, which surveyed
4,531 adults across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US, 57
percent of those who looked for health information in the past 12 months
consulted Internet sources. Younger people are more likely to go online for
health information; the study found that 32 to 34 percent of adults ages
18-54 used the Internet to search for health information, while only 14
percent of adults 65 and over did so. Young Internet users often conduct
online health research on behalf of older family members who do not use the
Internet. General health sites and sites run by governments or institutions
were found to be more popular than those run by pharmaceutical firms, as
they are perceived to be more objective.
[SOURCE: BBC]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2249606.stm)
NET MEDIA MODELS FOR CABLE TV
Internet companies are beginning to look to cable as a model for content
delivery. ISPs have realized that, like cable TV, they need to attract
people with content rather than focusing solely on Internet access. AOL CEO
Richard Parsons says he wants to be the Internet's HBO, scheduling exclusive
content that people will go out of their way to purchase and view. SBC
Communications has partnered with Yahoo to create its own bundles of
programming -- music, video and other content services. Some analysts,
however, question whether people will respond the same way they do to cable
TV. "When you look at the actual user data, there's no confluence of
evidence showing that content will help attract or retain subscribers," said
Imran Khan, an analyst with Frost and Sullivan. "Realistically, you can
create as much content as you want, but how are you going to get people to
pay for it?"
[SOURCE: ZDNET, AUTHOR: John Borland]
(http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-957972.html)
EXPERTS: CYBERSECURITY PLAN OFFERS TIPS, NOT RULES
The Bush administration wants to help the technology industry reduce cyber
attacks, but has decided not impose new laws. Instead, cybersecurity czar
Richard Clarke is expected to offer a wide range of suggestions to
businesses, universities and individuals about how to voluntarily shore up
their online defenses. Industry executives say that the government's
decision not to enact new laws will allow them to implement new Internet
safety measures more quickly. But critics say that businesses are unlikely
to spend extra money to secure their networks in the midst of a recession if
they were not required to do so.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Reuters]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2002-09-16-cyber-plan_x.htm)
DAN GILLMOR: ISSUES THAT WILL SHAPE THE INTERNET
[Commentary] What lies ahead for communications within the next 50 years?
Columnist Dan Gillmor fears that the future holds increasing centralization
of control of the Internet. This trend is evidenced, says Gillmor, by
industry leaders' success at persuading Congress to enact draconian
copyright laws to control the use of digitized material. He also points to
the efforts of regional cable and phone monopolies to convince Congress, the
FCC and other regulatory agencies to allow them to control what information
is distributed over their data networks.
[SOURCE: Silicon Valley, AUTHOR: Dan Gillmor]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4079611.htm)
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