Internet Intellegence Bulletin

• Sender: owner-newjour@ccat.sas.upenn.edu

Subject: Internet Intellegence Bulletin
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 14:30:07 -0400 (EDT)

Internet Intelligence Bulletin, the only information source focused on
public sector use of the Internet, has launched a free monthly
'taster' version of its publication, with shortened versions of key
articles.

The second issue is now available, and is reproduced below.

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INTERNET INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

'TASTER' VERSION - AUGUST 1997

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SECTION ONE: NEWS
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GOVERNMENT INTRANET CONNECTED

* * * Test lines up this week, pilot to go live next month * * *

The first test connections for the government secure intranet were
finally being made this week, with eight government departments
gearing up for a pilot which is due to go operational next month, a
delay of a month or two on original plans.

The Bulletin has learned that the Treasury, the communications agency
CCTA and the Cabinet Office's Central IT Unit are among the eight. The
other five are still undergoing formal approval and security
accreditation for the pilot, and will not be named until September.

The pilot will offer two levels of functionality: the intranet itself
and Internet access. It will be up to each participant to decide which
of these services they would like, or whether to take both.

The intranet service will include interdepartmental e-mail and an
internal web server. Web content will build up gradually, including
office notices and guidance notes for government procedures. There
will also be a first version of a cross-government e-mail directory on
the intranet.

A novel feature of the internal web server will be that sites will be
run on subject lines, not departmental lines, Mr Hopkins said. Some
examples currently being designed include human resources pages,
financial pages, and pages spreading awareness about policy
initiatives between departments. Other possible "common communities"
include procurement functions and a statistical service.

The pilot will run for six months, and the intention is to roll out
the intranet rapidly even before the end of that period to up to 40
other government departments. Eventually, other public sector bodies
like local government will be involved.

Mr Hopkins said the project was generating "a great deal of
ministerial interest and support".

TOURISM MONSTER BORN
The British Tourist Authority has launched what is billed as the
largest UK web site ever built, the mammoth `VisitBritain' site
containing a huge range of photographs, interactive information and
booking details for travel and holidays all over Britain. It has to
seen to be believed: http://www.visitbritain.com

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SECTION TWO: SITE TO SEE
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http://www.scottish-devolution.org.uk
(Link inactive 27 May 2004)

The official Scottish Office web site on governmental devolution
demonstrates one of the web's great strengths: the ability to provide
up-to-the-minute information and interactive services on a topic of
huge current interest.

The site carries the text of the recent White Paper on devolution in
its entirety, divided into separate sections to facilitate browsing. A
zipped file of the whole White Paper can also be downloaded, for
decompression using standard WinZip software.

The pages also carry broader information about Scottish devolution,
its history and its future.

Information is included on how to vote by post or proxy in the great
referendum of 11 September, with instructions and a registration form
available on-line to print out and return.

Other services include a complete report on the Parliamentary passage
of the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill to date, and the
government's provisional timetable for devolution.

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SECTION THREE: NEWS.HOUND
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 . . . sniffing around the usenet newsgroups
to retrieve the choice nuggets . . .

Two new uk.local.* groups have been created. They are
uk.local.midlands, and uk.local.thames-valley.

The midlands group was created despite a few calls for the creation of
a separate uk.local.birmingham newsgroup, alongside a
uk.local.midlands-except-birmingham group, to focus discussions about
the region more highly.

However, in the end these objections were considered irrelevant to the
creation of a midlands group, as a separate birmingham group could be
created at any stage if someone wishes to put forward a formal
proposal and submit it to a vote.

The midlands group has the following, somewhat bleak charter: "for
requesting and disseminating information regarding living in, or
visiting, the Midlands, and discussions of the trials and tribulations
of life and all that affects it in the area".

The thames-valley group charter is more upbeat: "Discussion group for
subjects relating to the Thames Valley area of England. A forum for
requesting and disseminating information and views about living in, or
visiting, the area".

The groups join an odd selection of six uk.local groups, including a
london group and a geordie group, which together are still some way
from offering Internet users a group for every locality. Traffic and
quality of content on these local groups also varies quite
considerably.

* * * . . . don't forget to use the news.hound guide to public sector
Usenet - http://www.iib.com/nhound.htm * * *
         (Link inactive 27 May 2004) 
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SECTION FOUR: STATISTICAL BULLETIN (EXTRACT)
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UK INTERNET USER RESEARCH

Proportion of women users:
35%

Average time spent on-line:
47 minutes

Proportion of Internet users who will make a purchase on-line:
22% in next six months

Source: NOP     http://www.nopres.co.uk/
                (Link inactive 27 May 2004)
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COPYRIGHT INTERNET INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN 1997

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