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Our Newsclips are published twice per month via the World Wide Web enabling us to quickly disseminate information to potentially millions of people throughout the world. The newsclips contain news about ACTS projects and news items which may be of interest to those working in advanced communications technologies.
Since April 1996, 201 articles have been published with an increasing audience. In September, 1586 accesses were counted and this is increasing. A table of contents or the full text is also available now directly via email for those who wish to subscribe to this service.
We are proud to announce that our Newsclips have been awarded with a NBNsoft Content Award for interesting new content.
A considerable number of journalists also subscribe to the Newsclips service. They act as information multipliers and offer the potential for wider dissemination of ACTS activities. So we strongly ask ACTS projects to make better use of these facilities and feed us with news and details of events about your project through your InfoWin regional representative. Contact points are given on page 19.
The Newsclips may be found via the InfoWin home page on the WWW - http://www.infowin.org
To request newsclips directly via email send a message to: newsclips@infowin.org
You hold in your hands the second issue of the InfoWin Bulletin but this is the first issue to be published in a paper format. Following discussions with the ACTS Central Office it was decided also to produce the Bulletin in a paper version ahead of the WWW edition. So now you can read it whilst waiting for a train or a plane! Subject to funds being available from the Commission we hope to continue this service. All web editions can be found via the InfoWin home page:
Please feel free to contact us if you want to publish an article in the Bulletin, write a Letter to the Editor, or let the Editor know about similar publications:
Email: bulletin@infowin.org
The InfoWin project also covers a number of thematic issues which will become available in various media formats. The topics are structured on technical (e.g. ATM), geographical (e.g. Eastern Europe) and sector-oriented (e.g. tele-medicine) issues. The aim of these quarterly-produced products is to show the relationship of different projects and developments.
The first thematic issue was devoted to collaboration between ACTS and the Central and Eastern European Countries with the workshop "ACTS goes EAST and The East goes West" taking place during the last ACTS concertation meeting. Further information on the results of this workshop can be found from the InfoWin home page at:
Two new thematic issues are soon to be issued - one dealing with the topic "Co-opetition - Inter Business Communication" and the other covers a range of case studies in the "Multimedia" Area. Further information is on page 18 of this in this issue.
The next two thematic issues which deal with "Mobility" and "ATM/UPM" are due to be published by the end of the year. If you are interested in these publications please send an email to:
With the help of the InfoWin project, the European Commission has published "ACTS 96" - the annual technical report of the EU's research and technological development programme on Advanced Communications Technologies and Services (ACTS). This report is published in five paper-based volumes, each intended to meet different needs:
Brochure
A brief introduction to the ACTS Programme.
Overview
A high level overview of ACTS, positioning the programme in the broader context of ongoing European research and highlighting its strategic objectives and key points of influence. A list of participating companies by region and a tabular summary of ACTS projects provide useful points of entry.
Programme Guide
A more detailed description of the technical work being undertaken and how this forms an integrated programme.
Project Summaries
The definitive reference document, giving a summary description of every ACTS project including lists of participating companies and contact points.
fACTS Booklet
A pocket-sized reference booklet, outlining the programme structure and useful names and addresses.
In addition there will be a CD ROM containing a multi-media presentation of ACTS 96, with introductory videos and description of the National Hosts. It includes also the source files for the printed version. The CD ROM will be published at the end of November 96 with the following contents:
ACTS 96 is available on request directly from:
European Commission
Directorate General XIII-B
ACTS Central Office
BU-9 4/82
Rue de la Loi, 200
B - 1049 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 296 3415
Fax: +32 2 295 0654
ACTS 96 will soon be available via the World Wide Web from the InfoWin Home Page:
The InfoWin Public Key Server (Security Server) is now available. It provides a database for public pgp-keys of persons related to the ACTS community and the EU-Commission. This enables confidential communication at a fair level of security. IPKS provides registered users with a database of public keys. The extraction of keys is open to the public. The keys which have to be generated with the public domain-program "pgp" can be submitted via a password protected submission form via the WWW:
http://keyserv.infowin.org/
You will find under the above-mentioned URL the PGP Software for all platforms available as well as a description of the functionality and the handling of PGP. Questions as "How to submit a key" or "How to create a key" will be answered. If you want to become a registered user please contact us via email at admin@infowin.org
Regional InfoWin Representatives (regreps) are the main point of contact with ACTS projects, National Hosts, research institutes and other relevant people and institutions. There is at least one person per region. Usually if an ACTS project is co-ordinated in their region the "regrep" takes responsibility for maintaining contacts with that project. However all "regreps" are keen to receive enquiries and get any news from projects. If a project needs to make contact with particular types of organisations in another region a "regrep" may be able to help you. Please contact them.
Since the last Concertation Meeting in May 96 the "regreps" have visited many projects and maintained contact with the National Hosts and National Host Forum. If you need information about other projects, ACTS in general or if you want to provide information to InfoWin, please feel free to contact your Regional Representative.
The InfoWin home page at:
also contains links to the latest news and reviews regarding ACTS concertation, ACTS projects, public domain results and working papers. So for all information regarding the ACTS Programme there is one common window to enter.
In addition a new search mechanism has been installed to support our customers to find the information needed quickly and directly.
However, if you need support or further information please feel free to send us an email to:
General Information
info@infowin.org
Help Desk
support@infowin.org
Webmaster/Mailing Lists
webmaster@infowin.org
My contact details
Barbara Burr
Project Coordinator
Tel. +49 711 1319 111
Fax: +49 711 6787626
email: burr@rus.uni-stuttgart.de
Paul Bacsich left the Open University at the end of June to take up the position of Professor of Telematics at Sheffield Hallam University, where he will be responsible for the "Electronic Campus" programme. Arrangements have been made for him to continue his work on InfoWin as Editor of the InfoWin Bulletin and leader of the UK/Eire regrep team. His UK/Eire regrep colleagues Peter Bates and Adrian Rawlings continue to work with him in a "Virtual Corporation". Formal responsibility for this work remains with the Open University at present.
Anni Koubek has joined the new faculty of the FH Study Course in Automotive Engineering at the Joanneum Research Foundation in Graz, Austria. The Foundation is one of the three leading extra-university research institutes in Austria and it has begun offering higher education studies last year in the field of polytechnic university level programs.
Anni has been replaced at Ienm by Reinhard Geiger. Reinhard has a distinguished background= as technical editor and journalist. He will be supported by Vera Franz and Lydia Wuerfel. Vera has studied ICT and Internet Networking at Carleton University in Ottawa. Lydia was a university assistant in Computer Science at the University of Klagenfurt, and is just finishing up her PhD thesis on reuse and recycling of software programs.
Ienm, the Austrian contractor for InfoWin, has formed a non-profit operating company with the public corporation which is the "mother" of the Techno Z FH, Austria's new polytechnic university college for studies in telecommunications, multimedia production and communication management. The new operating company is likely to take over from the Ienm as the legal contractor for the 1997 InfoWin contract; but all former Ienm personnel associated with InfoWin will remain unchanged.
Multimedia Success Stories is the second of the InfoWin thematic issues on a specific topic of interest to the ACTS community. Due to be released at the end of November this year, it looks into the reasons why multimedia is just now starting to be used in commercial situations.
Multimedia Success Stories presents nine case-studies of multimedia applications either commercially available now, or planning to be in commercial use wthin about a year. It gives examples of product material and simulated user sessions so that users can get a feel for the applications and the way in which the market is being approached.
Multimedia Success Stories covers the reasons why these applications are successful with valuable lessons for others who may be considering launching multimedia applications - whether these are ACTS projects looking forward to a future commercial launch, or organisations which prefer to develop their ideas with private funds. The case studies are selected from a range of technologies, sectors and European countries including:
Multimedia Success Stories will be available on the WWW from early December and also on a CD-ROM. To order your copy send an email with your full postal address and other contact details to: info@infowin.org
Co-opetition - Inter Business Communication is the third InfoWin thematic issue also due around the end of November. This paper-based publication looks at the benefits of utilising state-of-the art communication technologies between businesses, particularly between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and a larger enterprise within a supplier network.
Co-opetition - Inter Business Communication will contain case studies of major well-known players in the field of inter-business communications, presented with examples of best practice. It will also contain suggested guidelines for the implementation of new communication technologies and services in businesses which up to now have not taken advantage of the numerous possibilities offered by these innovations particularly those which are emerging from the ACTS projects.
If you would like to receive a copy of this publication send an email with your full postal address and other contact details to: info@infowin.org
The region we shall focus on in Issue 3 will be Singapore and its surroundings - the article in this issue was just an entrée. Is your project related in some way to a company from this "Intelligent Island" or its near neighbours?
We also hope to return to the topic of Korea, with a paper from the UK-funded "Asia Pacific" project on the relevance of Korean models to European industrial R&D.
Each issue we would like to reprint an article from one of the other Newsletters circulating in the ACTS community. Will it be yours next time? - let us know!
And keep these letters coming.
The Project Management Team
By Barbara Burr, RUS, 01.11.1996