Converging Technologies: Forging New Partnerships in Information

Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science, Aug 1995

Technological convergence offers controversy along with a host of prospects for access and management of information; not all outcomes may be positive. Electronic publications; new document management, production and dissemination technologies; encryption capabilities; intuitive interface design; and voice recognition capabilities can dramatically alter the traditional patterns of information flow. Will this technological convergence yield positive social impact?

The 1995 ASIS Annual Meeting will examine these critical, but too often overlooked, aspects of technological progress and convergence. It will attempt to provide information professionals with a critical vision of the future, looking toward designing positive, rather than accepting inevitable, outcomes.

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PLENARY SESSIONS

Monday, October 9

10:30am-12:30pm

ACCESS: Technological and Policy Developments

The potential of high capacity telecommunications networks, digital compression, electronic publications, dissemination technologies, encryption and voice recognition capabilities can dramatically alter traditional patterns and the very concept of information access, how we live and work. Is access to information threatened by deals between the content providers and carriers? Our industry experts on this provocative panel will address three aspects of the impact of technological developments and joint ventures on widespread access to information:

* What are reasonable expectations for enhanced delivery technologies, and what corporate agencies or institutions will carry on with the research needed to deliver them?

* Will the public's need for widespread access continue to be served?

* Will technological developments change the economics so that carrier/providers can guarantee some minimum level of information access, even in previously unprofitable markets?

Robert Lucky, Corporate Vice President of Applied Research, Bellcore

Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center

Vinton Cerf, Vice President, Data Architecture, MCI Corporation

Tuesday, October 10

8:30am-9:30am

DELIVERY: Conduits, Content Providers and Regulation: A Moving Target

Exciting but controversial partnerships, particularly among various media magnates, have dominated the airwaves, the Net bandwidth and even the printed page. Governments are rethinking what might previously have been considered unfair advantage in the communications marketplace. Current ideas about privacy, entertainment and personal security are fast being challenged. Will the information infrastructure, convergence or any of these new joint ventures result in enhanced information transport and interpersonal communication capabilities? And while the United States is energetically building its information infrastructure, how will global communities keep pace? Will they cooperate or compete? Will Americans simply be better able to share information and communicate with other Americans? Will countries with little present infrastructure leapfrog the United States? Will trade policies, such as the clipper chip, make the U.S. an outcast?

Michael Katz, Chief Economist, Federal Communications Commission, on leave as Professor of Economics and Business, University of California at Berkeley

Wednesday, October 11

8:45am

NAVIGATION: The Trouble with Groupware

This presentation by Len Kawell, designer and developer of Lotus NOTES, VMS Mail and the original versions of VAX Notes at Digital Equipment, will look at some of the benefits and problems associated with groupware products.

A key benefit of groupware is that it enables the members of a group to electronically create, distribute and manage information for other members of the group. Most groupware products on the market today essentially allow individuals with no information science background to create information systems. Unfortunately, this openness leads to many problems, some of which will be discussed and illustrated in this presentation.