Elon University

Archives: Expert Predictions

Introduction: Identity on the Internet

A rapidly expanding system of networks, collectively known as the Internet, links millions of people in new spaces that are changing the way we think, the nature of our sexuality, the form of our communities, our very identities. At one level, the computer is a tool. It helps us write, keep track of our accounts, and communicate with others. Beyond this, the computer offers us both new models of mind and a new medium on which to project our ideas and fantasies.

Electronic Shopping Takes to Information Highway

Consumers would be able to obtain government records and other information about doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, and be able to make their own decisions without the government protecting them through licensure. “It’s a better way to get information to consumers and empower them.”

Lolitas Online

Congress is considering a law that makes transmitting “obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent” material a felony. Most Internet experts view such regulations as out of step with the reality of the Internet, where no one knows who’s who, and teenagers, at ease in the computer milieu, are perhaps as often the initiators of provocative contact.

Microsoft’s Own Online Service Near; Comdex Hears Gates’ Predictions

Microsoft’s plans for the Microsoft Network, which have leaked out in recent weeks, have alarmed executives at other online services who fear the company will gain a huge advantage by providing built-in access to its service for the millions of users of its new Windows 95 operating system, expected to be launched in mid-1995.

Sex Online: Shhhh, It’s a Secret

During the peak hours on CompuServe the chat system is full and will reject you when you try to get on. AOL has so many people chatting that it’s almost impossible to count them … This is a sociological trend that needs closer study. Is there some secret need for this lurking in our collective unconscious? I think it’s time some sociologists take a close look and tell us what it all means.

3. Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications Program Elements-3.1 Overview

A more effective software development paradigm and technology base will be developed. This will be founded on the principles of composition rather than construction, solid architectures rather than ad hoc styles, and more direct user involvement in all stages of the software life cycle. The entire technology base developed in this program, including services and software, will be leveraged across the National Challenges, leading to significant economies of scale in the development costs.