The Internet is a convenient way to conduct business and get things done. Workers are using it to communicate with other agencies via e-mail, to accomplish file transfers or use search engines to find obscure data -- like procurement guidelines or specific regulations -- from their desktops.
One way for government to take advantage of all this new potential is to stay informed about the latest Internet access products that help build and update Web pages faster, and facilitate better communication between systems and workers.
"I think government agencies need to figure out how to provide a service and use the Internet to make sure the message about that service reaches the widest possible audience," said David Thompson, Internet server product manager for Quarterdeck, a San Francisco Bay Area-based company that specializes in Internet products. "Government agencies have to know which Internet product will help them communicate the most effectively."
In theory this advice sounds great, but in truth, it is no easy feat to keep up with such rapidly changing technology. This is especially true in light of the fact that many software developers are constantly upgrading existing products or creating new ones. Here are some of the latest Internet-related products.
STREET SIGNS
If you want to take advantage of Web documents, you'll need a special piece of software called a Web browser. In 1993, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign developed a browser called Mosaic, and in 1994, Mosaic Communications was born. This company would eventually become Netscape Communications Corp. and Mosaic would morph into one of today's most popular Web browsers, called Netscape Navigator.
Now in version 2.0, Navigator offers a simple and intuitive graphical interface that makes learning to surf the Net a breeze. According to Netscape, "It provides a superior platform for live online applications, supporting Live Objects and other interactive multimedia contents such as Java applets, frames and Netscape inline plug-ins." Other features include client-side image mapping, bookmarks, OLE support, GIF animation, FTP upload, progressive JPEG support, integrated e-mail and enhanced security."
Navigator's interface resembles programs like Microsoft Word and others where buttons act as the primary tool for commands. Its basic elements include a control button, title bar, location field, menu bar, toolbar buttons, status indicator, content area, scroll bars, progress bar, security indicator and directory buttons. You have the choice of either clicking on a button or using the menu to make your selections. For example, if you want to view any home page, simply type in the uniform resource locator address in the Netsite bar and hit return. In seconds, the home page will appear.
This is a very simplified explanation of what Navigator can do. If you want to find out more about the application before investing in it, pick up one of many books available on the subject. Prima Publishing offers a good one called Web Browsing with Netscape Navigator by Davis Dixon.
To obtain a copy, contact Prima Publishing, 3875 Atherton Rd., Rocklin, CA 95765, or call 916/632-4400. To learn more about Navigator, contact Netscape Communications Corp. at 415/528-2555, or view its home page at
IT'S IN THE SCRIPT
Many agencies may want to customize their Internet applications to meet the specific needs and goals of the group. This can be done with a program from Allegiant Technologies called Marionet 1.0 for the Mac. Marionet is a software solution that allows Internet developers to create custom applications that access and manage information across the Net. It works in conjunction with authoring tools and AppleScript-aware applications.
You can use Marionet to build point-and-click Web page maintenance tools that automatically update information on your Web site; Web page authoring applications for automatic formatting and batch uploading of HTML content; FTP and search agents which could scan, retrieve and encode information; automated Web link management and verification tools; FTP site maintenance tools; and Web workgroup utilities, including custom peer-to-peer tools and more.
Bruce Carter, an instructional software designer at Boise State University, uses Marionet for projects such as a virtual university mandated by the governor, and online classes in math, business, communications, social science and teacher education.
"We are using Marionet in stand-alone, self-paced computer-based instruction materials we are developing to initiate certain types of network transactions so that we can feed and collect testing and student performance data transparently to remote sites," said Carter. "We will use this data to monitor student progress, validate performance and initiate mentoring if needed."
Itzik Artzi, an assistant professor at Michigan State University, has been using Marionet to do dozens of tasks similar to those Carter is working on. "I am experimenting with Marionet to assess what it can and cannot do," said Artzi. "These are some of my projects: A simple e-mail program; a native implementation of a parallel computing algorithm using Marionet to distribute computations over several Macs; a multimedia homework environment that enables students to submit their results electronically directly from the homework program; and a mechanism embedded in a SuperCard (a multimedia authoring tool also developed by Allegiant) project that automatically e-mails the programmer if there is a bug in the program."
These are just two examples of what Marionet can do. To learn more, contact Allegiant Technologies Inc., 9740 Scranton Rd., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92121, or call 619/587-0500.
HOT JAVA
Recently, Sun Microsystems introduced Java, a new object-oriented programming language for all platforms that is designed to enliven and customize information on the Web. You can use it to create animation, interactivity and real-time data retrieval. "The Java language gives us the ability to incorporate video, audio and animation into our [Web] pages," said Scott McNealy, chairman and CEO for Sun Microsystems.
Java is the first language to provide a solution to the challenges of programming for the Internet. Upon its release it caused quite a stir in the programming world as webmasters everywhere hurried to get a copy and learn how to use it. User groups also formed quickly to pass on information to other users.
But why is this product so significant? Michael Smith, a programmer for State Net in Sacramento, Calif., offered this answer: "The Web is static. You click on something, it goes and gets it and brings it back to you. With Java, users can receive information instantaneously. For example, they could create a continuously updated stock ticker on their home page."
Users assemble programs from prefabricated chunks of computer code. These programs, written in Java, are called "applets," which are essentially specialized software applications to distribute over the Internet with a click of a button. Instead of downloading text and images, the users can take a browser called HotJava and download applets, which run on the user's machine. You can find this new program by aiming your browser at
For more details, contact Sun Microsystems Inc., 2500 Garcia Ave., Mountain View, CA 94043, or call 415/786-7737.
ON DECK
One of the Internet's most basic and popular features is e-mail. Many agencies may not realize this, but they probably aren't using their e-mail system to its fullest potential. This is where Quarterdeck and a program called ListStar come into play.
ListStar helps governments connect with constituents by using listserver mailings and e-mail on demand. "The Web is the hottest thing since sliced bread, but the one thing everyone overlooks is e-mail," said Thompson. "It doesn't quite have the glamour of the Web, but e-mail is the lifeblood of the Internet."
Thompson explained that ListStar is perfect for government agencies that want to get information out to the public in a simple and cost-effective manner. "Let's say I'm John Q. Public and I want to find out what's happening in department Y. With ListStar, I could send an e-mail message to the department, and ListStar would automatically reply with a standard message. It can be text, government guidelines, Acrobat files, Excel spreadsheets, Word files and more."
For further details, contact Quarterdeck Corp., 2550 Ninth St., Ste. 112, Berkeley, CA 94710, or call 510/649-4949.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES
The most obvious feature of the Internet is that it allows people to communicate with others from around the world, but it also brings language conflicts into view. If your agency is dealing with foreign clients, then you may want to look into a program called Internet With an Accent, which is a suite of applications specially designed to overcome language barriers.
Internet With an Accent lets you read and author Web pages in over 30 languages, including French, Russian, Spanish, Greek, Cyrillic, Japanese and more. It features a stand-alone browser, an e-mail editor, a WYSIWYG authoring tool and an add-on viewer. It comes with text and graphic support and menus in over 15 languages.
Internet With an Accent retails for $99. For information, contact Accent Worldwide Inc., 1401 Dove St., Ste. 470, Newport Beach, CA 92660, call 714/223-0620, or send e-mail to <73251.2535@
compuserve.com>.
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