cyberSAFARI ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG Another installment of the archeological dig through the not-so-distant Internet past. Let's Examine the Net Way of Life in the year 2000. Specifically, the WIRED February, 2000 edition.

The Cover photograph has a scientist implanting a computer chip into his arm. The future of microcomputing is under the skin. The concept of tracking chips has been implemented into pets, a digital dog collar of sorts. Some advocates now propose that school children should be implanted with GPS chips so that kidnapped kids can be traced like theft detectors in automobiles. There was another cover story on the New York Times digital IPO. Initial Public Offerings were the crack cocaine of the securities world in the go-go 1990s. Any concept on a paper napkin could print millions in real dollars in the stock market. The Times, self branded as being the depository of all things News, sought to unlock the value that the digital division could bring in the open market. Today, most newspapers are suffering from circulation and revenue declines as the Internet has gobbled up bread and butter classified advertising revenue through craiglist-style sites and eBay self sales promotion and marketing. Newspapers are pushing their print content and writers online, to self managed blogs, in an attempt to return some lost revenue to the inked stained balance sheet. The Smart search engine was profiled in the issue. The concept of a search engine understanding content instead of hyperlinked key words or phrases would be the next step in making the massive amount of research and information quickly accessible. The search engine business has molded itself into a stonewall advertisement push model. Google seeks out people to purchase placement in its search results like telephone ad directories seek out display ads. Search engines are not geared to give you the best information, but what information that it profits from first. If you have a question about a business form, you will have to navigate several pages of sites selling forms until you reach an informational page that will answer your inquiry. There are a few companies who try to use natural language inquiries to sort through their databases (such as Lexis Nexis) but the costs of running such an operation keep it a highly subscription oriented service.

Among the early issue ads, live365.com heralded the dirty little secret of Internet radio. Touted as unregulated and unformatted broadcasting, the web was supposed to free listeners from the old airwaves of commercial radio. The unregulated use of other people's copyrighted content would lead to the gallows for Internet radio sites. The US copyright board handled down a license ruling that effectively eliminated any small web site from using any published music. The cost of the songs outstripped the costs of bandwidth or the cost to appeal the decision. However, the idea of an alternative radio format was going to go forward. The concept of satellite radio, which was also touted as an unregulated and commercial free forum of infinite program channels was launched with great fanfare, great IPO dollars, and the pulling of celebrity talent who could avoid the wrath of FCC fines for indecent broadcasting crude behavior. However, the free sat-radio model quickly dissolved into a pay-and-commercial radio venture because the enormous cost of the talent and marketing costs to try to get people to pay for something they have habitually got for free on their AM-FM radios. The real alternative model has been the personal music device. Whether it is an iPod, a walkman, or high end cellphone, people have hand held devices containing their own music choices. People have empowered themselves to program their own personal radio station in the palm of their own hand. They take their tunes to them to the gym, to work, to their cars, and in the homes. The radio revolution had nothing to do with broadcasting music; it had everything to do with people making their own musical waves.

RAPTER AGENT

iToon

THE WHETHER REPORT STATUS Question: Whether television will die because of Internet distribution system as being a new entertainment hub? * Educated Guess * Possible * Probable * Vapor Dream Question: Whether cellphones like the iPhone will replace lap top computers? * Educated Guess * Possible * Probable * Vapor Dream Question: Whether Web 2.0 will create another tech bubble? * Educated Guess * Possible * Probable * Vapor Dream

DR. PHILISTINE

CYNSATIONAL

cyberbarf EXAMINE THE NET WAY OF LIFE “Well, it's time to give some props to all the persons who are trying to keep the Internet open and free to the public. In a rush to regulate and tax access, governments are hoping to find an unlimited revenue source from the net stream. But just as the founders in Chicago decreed the lake front to be an open space and public park free from development, those who keep the Internet free from government regulation and taxation should be thanked for their efforts.”