Newsletter Archive

Newsletter No. 32


« Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter »
                             Free Pint
         "Helping 19,500 people use the Web for their work"
                    http://www.freepint.co.uk/
ISSN 1460-7239                                   18 February 1999 #32
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

                            IN THIS ISSUE

                              EDITORIAL

                         TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
            "Environmental Information on the Internet"
                           by Micky Allen

                          FEATURE ARTICLE
                "New Library: now comes the action"
                           by Tim Owen

                        FREE PINT FEEDBACK
                   "Computer Assisted Journalism"
                  "Internet Resources for Seniors"
                          "Best book buys"
                             "Quick Tips"
                      "Becoming a researcher"

                        CONTACT INFORMATION

              ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS
            http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/180299.htm

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

       BUY MAILING LISTS ONLINE from WWW.MAILING-LABELS.COM
Mailing lists for direct mail and telemarketing purposes now available
online from http://www.mailing-labels.com/ More than a dozen databases
from the UK's leading information providers (e.g. Dun & Bradstreet,
Learned Information) with more than 3 million addresses (most with 
contact names). Make your own selections and get an instant count of 
matching records. Purchase your list by credit card or credit account,
and download immediately as ASCII or print properly formatted labels.
No minimum quantities. Libraries & resellers receive 20% discount.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [wl321]

                             EDITORIAL

You'll find two quite different articles in this issue of Free Pint.
We start with an in-depth look at a wide range of Web resources about
Environmental issues, and this is followed by an interesting view on
how the wired world is finding its way into the public library system.

The Feedback section is again packed with comments and questions, 
whilst my new section "Quick Tips", which first appeared in the last
issue, went down very well with readers and so now becomes a regular
feature including tips on Internet consultancy, training and publishing.

As always, please do contact me if you have any comments on Free Pint,
and do remember to pass the newsletter on to others who you think may 
also find it useful.

Time now to read and relish your thirty second Free Pint!

Kind regards,
William

William Hann BSc(Hons) MIInfSc, Managing Editor
e: william@freepint.co.uk
t: +44 (0)1784 455435
f: +44 (0)1784 455436

PS: The Web site at http://www.freepint.co.uk/ contains all past
issues and you can reserve your own copy if this is someone else's.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

         SEARCHING FOR HEALTH INFORMATION ON NLM DATABASES
A one day training course at the British Library, Friday February 26th.
The course will help you find information on health economics; the 
distribution of health care; health personnel or health care
technology. The course leader is Tony McCulloch, a medical information
specialist and MEDLINE indexer. [Course was formerly called 'Searching
Medline and HealthSTAR for Health Care Information.'] To book contact
Maureen Heath, tel. 0171 412 7470. A few places left. Price: £175.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [bl322]

          >>>  Why don't YOU advertise in Free Pint?  <<<

  Your advert seen by almost 20,000 knowledge workers ~~ 2,000 free
    banner adverts on the Web site ~~ Multiple advert discounts
      So, why don't you advertise?  Find out more now at ...
  http://www.freepint.co.uk/advert.htm or email ads@freepint.co.uk

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

                  QUICK TIP ... INTERNET TRAINING

Showing Web sites as part of a live demonstration is fine unless
the Internet goes down ... therefore press ALT-PRINTSCREEN in your 
browser and then paste the screen shot into your presentation package.
                                                           ~ W.Hann ~
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  


                        TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

                   "Environmental information guide"
                           by Micky Allen

Apparently we are now in the grip of an ICE age (information,
communication, entertainment) hence every business nowadays is an
information business. The key attributes of the information age are
(a) digital resources - which are paradoxically abundant and
(b) workers who can operate with knowledge rather than with
machines - who are somewhat rarer.

The old value chain model in the physical world consisted of starting
with some raw material (such as iron-ore), then transforming it with
labour and machinery (into steel sheets) and finally selling it on to
someone else to perform a transformation act again (into a tin can
perhaps), who would then sell it on to the end user (the baked bean
factory). The key process sequences in the information age are:

  Gather -> Organise -> Select -> Synthesise -> Distribute

This 'new' value chain model sounds suspiciously like a well-run
website! However the bit that is missing is how you persuade someone
to pay for your output, which is the major problem one has running an
environmental website.

This admittedly is a problem for most websites, but at least it can be
partially solved by taking the 'evil advertising dollar'. However if
you are supposed to be an independent non-biased source of vital
information for the future of the planet... then adverts are out.

A large number of environmental websites tend to be Government or NGO
based, as after all they are the ones involved in passing the laws
that require enforcement.

For example at Kyoto various agreements were made about reducing
Carbon Dioxide emissions. In the short-term this will mean a cost to
business, with no real incentive to implement environmental measures.
Obviously in the long-term, if there was to be a rise in sea-level due
to global warming, then not doing anything would prove to be far more
costly.

Having said that the sources of environmental information on the
Internet are many and varied, with often, the website pushing a
particular agenda or emotive issue (whether it is logging ancient
forests, killing whales or growing genetically modified food). Hence
the web surfer has to be especially on the lookout for bias in the
information that is available.

All too often there is a mismatch between the designer of the site
(using the latest browser version with plug-ins) and the surfer (who
may be browsing from home on a dial-in connection). The latter is
after a quick download of hard facts, whilst the former is more
interested in the design - such as red text on a blue background.

The problem is that the main audience for environmental information is
usually an individual, who quite often has a perfectly workable 486
running Windows 3.1 (or the Mac equivalent). Horror of horrors
they may even still be running a browser without plug-ins that doesn't
do frames!

Most of the environmental sites in the USA realise this and offer a
choice of 'framed OR non-framed' sites. However over here in the UK
some 'enlightened' sites even tell you you must also have Javascript,
Shockwave, frames and a password to pass between their hallowed
portals.

It is after all just common sense - if you are presented with a choice
of upgrading to a browser (involving downloading, configuring etc.)
the easy option is to just vote with your mouse, and leave the site,
never to return.

Whilst researching this article I checked the 70 odd links listed
below, with Netscape version 4 running on a Sun workstation with ISDN
and images on - the process took nearly an hour. I then rechecked them
from home (486, 14.4 modem, images off, Netscape version 1.2) the same
process took around 20 minutes. Only 15 sites were inaccessible,
either because of frames, Javascript or lack of 'alt-tags' - hence no
prizes for guessing how I think most people who use dial-up access
prefer to view a website.

Organisations Societies and Communities worth a view include:

  Biomednet (a community for biologists)  http://www.BioMedNet.com/
  Chemweb (a community for chemists) . .  http://www.chemweb.com
  Edinburgh Engineering Virtual Library   http://www.eevl.ac.uk
  Engineering Information . . . . . . .   http://www.Ei.org
  Environmental Routenet  . . . . . . .   http://www.csa.com
  Laboratory methods  . . . . . . . . .   http://www.methodsfinder.com
  Laboratory Supply Industry Association  http://www.martex.co.uk/blwa
  Mining information  . . . . . . . . .   http://www.infomine.com
  Physicsweb (a community for physicists) http://www.physicsweb.org
  World Wide Web Virtual Library  . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.earthsystems.org/Environment.shtml

Various publishers have environmental publications on their websites:

  American Chemical Society . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html
  Elsevier  . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.elsevier.nl
  ENDS magazine . . . . . . . . . . http://www.ends.co.uk
  Environmental Business Magazine . http://www.ifi.co.uk
  Faversham House . . . . . . . . . http://www.edie.net
  Stanford University Library Scientific Journals
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.highwire.stanford.edu
  Wiley Interscience  . . . . . . . http://www.interscience.wiley.com

There are also an ever increasing number of gateways such as:

  Chemical Database Service . http://www.dl.ac.uk/CDS/
  Earth Sciences  . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ssgfi/geo/index.html
  Electronic Library  . . . . http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/services/elib
  General . . . . . . . . . . http://www.niss.ac.uk/subject/index.html
  Grateful Med  . . . . . . . http://www.igm.nlm.nih.gov
  Internet Scout  . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . http://www.scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/indextxt.html
  Medicine  . . . . . . . . . http://www.omni.ac.uk

If you are looking for specific medical research with an
environmental focus try the following:

  British Lung Federation . . http://www.lunguk.org/blf_foundation.htm
  British Occupational Health Research Foundation
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.bohrf.org.uk
  International Agency for Research on Cancer http://www.iarc.fr
  US National Institute of Health . . . . . . http://www.nih.org
  World Health Organisation . . . . . . . . . http://www.who.org

The Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions (the
departments formerly known as Department of Environment and
Department of Transport) have amalgamated their sites into one
http://www.detr.gov.uk/ which is divided off into around twenty
subsites including:

  Energy efficiency . . . . http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk
  Road safety . . . . . . . http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk

These are then further subdivided, so that information on the UK
government's position on sustainability can be found at
http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/sustainability/consult/index.htm

With the emphasis in the UK on the National Grid for learning there
are a wide variety of resources aimed at schools such as:

  Further Education Resources for Learning http://ferl.becta.org.uk
  National Grid for Learning . . . . . . . http://www.ngfl.gov.uk
  Science Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.nmsi.ac.uk
  Virtual Teacher Centre . . . . . . . . . http://www.vtc.ngfl.gov.uk
  World Wildlife Fund  . . . . . . . . http://www.wwf-uk.org/education

Finally there are a lot of other interesting sites such as:

  Amazing Environmental Organization Directory
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.webdirectory.com
  British Library . . . . . . .  http://www.minos.bl.uk/sris/eis
  Central European Data Requisition Facility
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.pan.cedar.univie.ac.at
  Envirolink  . . . . . . . . .  http://www.envirolink.org
  Environment Canada  . . . . .  http://www.doe.ca/envhome.html
  Environmental law . . . . . .  http://www.law.indiana.edu
  Environmental Resources Information Network
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.kaos.erin.gov.au
  European Environmental Agency  http://www.eea.dk
  Friends of the Earth  . . . .  http://www.foe.co.uk
  Greenpeace  . . . . . . . . .  http://www.greenpeace.org
  INFOTERRA . . . . . . http://www.cedar.univie.ac.at/unep/infoterra
  Institution of Civil Engineers http://www.ice.org.uk
  International Society of Exposure Analysis
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.isea.rutgers.edu/isea/isea.html
  Journal of Ecotoxicology  . .  http://www.bdt.org.br/bdt/english
  National Environmental Research Council
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.nerc.ac.uk
  National History Museum . . .  http://www.nhm.ac.uk
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.esdim.noaa.gov
  National Technical Information Service
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.fedworld.gov/ntis/ntishome.html
  National Toxicology Program .  http://www.ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov
  Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.rec.org
  Royal Botanical Gardens Kew .  http://www.rbgkew.org.uk
  The EnviroWeb . . . . . . . .  http://envirolink.org
  The US Environmental Protection Agency
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.epa.gov/epahome/text.htm
  UK Environment Agency . . . .  http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
  UK Universities offering Environmental courses
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.ucas.ac.uk
  UNDP  . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.undp.org
  University of East Anglia . .  http://www.env.uae.ac.uk
  Yahoo's Index of Environmental Web Sites
  . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.yahoo.com/Environment_and_Nature


P.S. If you fancy coming back and focussing on Kyoto and the
contentious issue of Greenhouse gases look at:

  Earth Science + Technology Organisation
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.esto.or.jp/index.htm
  Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Trading Pilot
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://gert.org
  IEA Greenhouse Gas R+D programme  .  http://www.ieagreen.org.uk
  Laboratory for Oceanic + Atmospheric Sciences
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  http://www.enrich.hi.is

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Micky Allen is the webmaster for http://www.ContaminatedLAND.co.uk,
a free access virtual community for everyone with an interest in
contaminated "brownfield" land. A graduate of Keele University (BA
Hons), Imperial College (MSc) and INSEAD (MBA), he has worked as a
geologist in Africa and Arabia, and in mining project finance in
Western Europe. He has also worked on mining privatisations in East
and Central Europe, and has carried out environmental assessments on
several German Second World War munitions sites. A devout Marxist
(being a follower of Dr Hackenbush's acolyte Groucho Marx) he is also
a fan of heavy metal and tries either to hear it, inhale it or ingest
it whenever possible!

       A hyperlinked version of this article can be found at
         http://contaminatedland.co.uk/red-bus/zknbr-9a.htm

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

           +++  WANT A HAND UPDATING YOUR WEB SITE?  +++

Would you like your colleagues or employees to be able to update
your Web or Intranet site?  We provide tailored in-house training
courses on your premises to give your colleagues the knowledge to
change the HTML and update the pages themselves. Call now to discuss.

 t: 01784 455435   e: info@willco.co.uk   w: http://www.willco.co.uk/

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [wc323]

      >>>  Would you like to show you support Free Pint?  <<<

    Then why not add the following code to your Web site today ...
      <A HREF="http://www.freepint.co.uk" TARGET="_top"><IMG 
   SRC="http://www.freepint.co.uk/graphic/fplink.gif" HEIGHT="27"
     WIDTH="94" ALIGN="MIDDLE" ALT="Free Pint" BORDER="0"></A>

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

                 QUICK TIP ... INTERNET PUBLISHING

When producing an email newsletter or announcement then you need a 
decent text editor.  This will allow you to number lines, count words
and find and replace complex patterns. Try http://www.textpad.com/
                                                           ~ W.Hann ~
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

                          FEATURE ARTICLE

                "New Library: now comes the action"
                           by Tim Owen

[In a departure from the usual format of Free Pint articles, Tim Owen,
Policy Adviser at the Library & Information Commission, explains how
the vision of a wired public library service turned into a fully
costed blueprint.]

Try this experiment.  Walk down a bus queue containing 100 people and
ask each one whether they belong to a public library.  Chances are
that every other one - plus a few more - will say yes.  Nearly 60% of
the entire UK population holds public library membership.  Now go back
to the head of the queue and ask each one again whether they use the
Internet at home.  You're probably going to have to ask something like
15 people before you get a single "yes" response.

If you were to believe the news headlines, you might think it was
entirely the other way.  Cuts and closures are all that seem to
interest journalists where libraries are concerned.  But when it comes
to the Internet, it seems that everybody's critical faculties are in
permanent suspended animation.  No-one disputes that the impact of the
Internet is going to be huge.  But we have time - just a very short
space of time - to plan for it.

The Government saw this two years back when it published a report on
the public library service.  Jokily, it was called 'Reading the
Future'.  But its conclusions weren't joky; it saw that if libraries
were to continue to play their full part in people's lives, then they
had to get to grips with information & communication technology.  So
it asked the recently formed Library & Information Commission
(http://www.lic.gov.uk/) to find out what needed to be done to tool
up libraries effectively for the digital future.

Set up in 1995, the LIC's job is to advise Government on relevant
issues and to draw its attention to emerging trends.  It does this
through a board of fourteen volunteer Commissioners and a staff of
just four - although we will be rising to twenty-odd in April after we
take over the British Library's research commissioning activities.

Back in 1997, the LIC was still something of an unknown quantity.  I
don't know what the Government expected from its request, but
certainly what it got cut a swathe through official circles.
Published in October 1997, 'New Library: the People's Network'
(http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/newlibrary.html) contained nothing
less than an inspired vision of what the public library service could 
be. It proposed that every library service point in the country should
be wired to a managed national network, naturally.  But it also 
crucially said that the "technology infrastructure should be fully 
integrated with the creation of content that people will want to use, 
with the National Grid for Learning, with training and development 
programmes inside the library service, and with coaching programmes 
for users". In other words, the complete package.

For good measure, the document was also a lavish production, including
a specially commissioned poem by the Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, who
hated computers but still appreciated the importance of the vision
sufficiently to write...

    Even the most misfitting child,
    Who's chanced upon the library's worth,
    Sits with the genius of the Earth
    And turns the key to the whole world.

Critics who may have tut-tutted at the imagined expense of producing
'New Library' were quickly silenced by the Government's reaction to
it.  "A defining moment in the public library service," the Culture
Secretary Chris Smith called it, and the rumour in Whitehall is that
Ministers bash their permanent secretaries about the head with it and
tell them "This is what consultation documents ought to look like!"
But the vision came with a price tag - and Mr Smith was quick to
remark that "I don't have £770 million in my back pocket."

Nevertheless money was forthcoming - £50 million for the creation of
digital content and a further £20 million to train all 27,000 public
library staff to use the Network, all from the National Lottery's New
Opportunities Fund.  In its formal response to 'New Library', in May
1998, the Government praised the vision and then sent the Commission
away again to produce the blueprint.  Two working groups and a small
army of consultants put their heads down again and came up by the end
of the summer with 'Building the New Library Network'
(http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/building.html).  Not by accident,
it was published on the same day as Tony Blair formally launched the 
National Grid for Learning.

'Building' proposes the development of a New Library Network,
initially based on the Internet but capable of evolving into a
dedicated broadband network if required.  It suggests that local
authorities should purchase kitemarked managed services based round a
core specification which will vary according to local need.  This is
compatible with the process being developed by education departments
for the NGfL, to which the NLN will be fully connected.  On content,
it puts forward a framework for defining, creating and managing the
resources available on the Network, with libraries offering access to
educational and cultural material, and taking on an important new role
as creators and developers of content.  Finally, it sets out a
rapid-action training programme to equip the nation's librarians with
new skills to handle ICT, access online information and take on new
roles as guides and instructors.  A new body - to be called the New
Library Network team - will be established at the LIC to co-ordinate
these three elements.

So now we have our work cut out.  We are about to recruit the NLN team
leader, and the NOF is starting to draw up guidelines for the content
and training bids which it will be inviting later this year.  Also,
we're still £100 million short on what the consultants estimate will
be needed to pay for network infrastructure.  Fortunately, people have
been buying a lot more lottery tickets than expected, so the NOF will
be coming to our rescue again, although we don't know yet exactly how
much money it will be able to provide. Finally, the timescale is
nail-bitingly tight; we are facing a Network roll-out deadline of
2002.  To bring about the biggest revolution Britain's incredibly
popular public library service has ever seen, we have three years -
starting from now.

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tim joined the LIC as its Policy Adviser in August 1998.  Previously
he was Principal Information Officer at the London Research Centre,
responsible for the content of its Urbaline and Acompline databases.
Before joining the LIC, he also wrote regularly for Information World
Review, contributing continuously from its very first issue, and he
helped to found CoPI: the Coalition for Public Information.  He runs
training sessions for Aslib and is the author of the best selling
Library Association publication 'Success at the Enquiry Desk'.  He can
be contacted on tim.owen@lic.gov.uk.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

               >>>  WHAT IS A FREE PINT WORTH?  <<<

Free Pint will never cost you a penny. Therefore, why not visit one
of our sponsors (and tell them where you saw their advert) or tell
a colleague or friend about the newsletter. It couldn't be easier at:

                http://www.freepint.co.uk/reco.htm

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

                QUICK TIP ... INTERNET CONSULTANCY

If you are producing graphics for Web sites then try using a graphics
package offering Layers. You can overlay text, graphics and photos 
easily, and shuffle things around until they look just right.
                                                           ~ W.Hann ~
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

                        FREE PINT FEEDBACK

Thank you for all your letters, feedback and questions.  Keep them
coming to feedback@freepint.co.uk.

Subject index:

  * Computer Assisted Journalism (Free Pint #30)
  * Internet Resources for Seniors (Free Pint #31)
  * Best book buys
  * Quick Tips (Free Pint #31)
  * Becoming a researcher

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Subject: Computer Assisted Journalism (Free Pint #30)
From:    Simon Matty, Information Officer
         Research and Innovation Centre, The British Library
Date:    Thursday 4th February 1999

As an addendum to the piece on computer assisted journalism I would 
like to mention that the British Library Research and Innovation 
Centre recently funded a project called "Journalism and the Internet" 
which was a study of the impact of the Internet on the information 
seeking behaviour of journalists. The project has now finished and I 
believe a report will be published by Aslib. The project had a website
which includes contact details for the researchers, should anyone wish
to pursue this. URL is --> http://www.soi.ac.uk/~pw/ji_home.html
     
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Subject: Internet Resources for Seniors (Free Pint #31)
From:    Emma Aldridge, Age Concern England
Date:    Thursday 4th February 1999

Thanks for a great newsletter.  I work for an organisation called Age
Concern so I was particularly interested in John Lewell's article
today "Internet Resources for Seniors".  Three other valuable 
resources for seniors and for people interested in ageing issues are 
the Age Concern England Web site http://www.ace.org.uk, the Age 
Resource Web site for active seniors http://www.ace.org.uk/ageres and
the Debate of the Age Web site for information about how demographic 
change is affecting our lives, our families, our work and the world 
around us http://www.age2000.org.uk

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Subject: Best book buys
From:    Andrew Shuttleworth Localisation Engineer
         SDL International http://www.sdlintl.com/
Date:    Wednesday 27th January 1999

Just because we all love the net doesn't mean we don't read books 
anymore (does it?). Well here's a great site to recommend to
Free Pinters ...

Acses http://www.acses.com/ is a site which very efficiently searches 
25 bookstores and tells you the cost of the book (total and broken 
down) in your own currency and including shipping rates. I always 
order from Amazon.co.uk without thinking, but I'll certainly check 
here next time I want a book.

I've also found http://www.bestbookbuys.com/ which does pretty much
the same thing, but does not include shipping costs. Still, it's worth
experimenting with both until you decide which you prefer.

Also, as there are many specialists who read Free Pint, can I 
recommend the Open Directory Project at http://directory.mozilla.org/
where you can volunteer to become editor for as many subcategories 
you can handle.

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Subject: Quick Tips (Free Pint #31)
From:    Christine Early, Sofregaz US Inc.
Date:    Thursday 4th February 1999S

Being a novice to Web pages, but chosen to maintain our corporate Web
site, your tip about ". . . if you are responsible for creating or
maintaining a Web or intranet site, then set it as the first page you
see when you start your browser. . ." was very timely for me. I've set
our Web site home page as my IE4 "home", and take a quick look now 
most days. Found part of the page was corrupted that way! It turned 
out to be a glitch with the server, but our system administrator was 
able to handle it the same day I found it, instead of possibly dozens 
of potential customers seeing such a mess!  The quick tips are very 
nice, and will come in handy! Keep up the good work, and I'll keep 
telling folks about this wonderful resource! Thanks!

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Subject: Becoming a researcher
From:    Rik Kershaw-Moore, Web-Design Analyst
Date:    Wednesday 10th February 1999

For a while I have been thinking of changing my career and I would 
like to become a researcher.  Unfortunately I have no real idea as to
how to make this change.  I was wondering if any of the other 
Free Pint subscribers could throw some light on things?

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

             DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION, COMMENT OR REPLY?

Let us know your feedback or favourite site by sending an email to 
the Free Pint team now to feedback@freepint.co.uk
remembering to include your name, title and company or organisation. 
Please note, if you write to us we may publish your letter in whole 
or part for the interest of our subscribers unless you request 
otherwise at the time of writing. Please let us know if you wish 
your contact details to be withheld.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

           >>> Want to see past issues of Free Pint? <<<
            http://www.freepint.co.uk/issues/issues.htm

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

                          FREE PINT FACT

The production team includes two professional information scientists.
Free Pint's Managing Editor has a first class honours degree in
Information Science and is a Member of the Institute of Information
Scientists, whilst its Editor is a Fellow of the Institute and also
a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Thank you for reading Free Pint.  We hope you will forward this copy
to colleagues, friends and journalists, or ask them to visit our Web 
site soon at http://www.freepint.co.uk/ to see past issues.

                       See you in two weeks!

                           Kind regards,
                   William Hann, Managing Editor
                      william@freepint.co.uk
                    http://www.freepint.co.uk/

(c) Willco 1999
http://www.willco.co.uk/

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

                   FREE PINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES

  * Immigration Sources * Competitive Intelligence * Animal Health *
  * New Media * Web Site Authentication * Pharmaceutical Sources *
                     * Engineering * Privacy *

                                                        [Provisional]
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

                        CONTACT INFORMATION

William Hann MIInfSc, Managing Editor
e: william@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1784 455435 f: +44 (0)1784 455436

Rex Cooke FIInfSc FRSA, Editor
e: rex@freepint.co.uk t: +44 (0)1784 455435 f: +44 (0)1784 455436

Jane, Administrator e: jane@freepint.co.uk

Address (no stamp needed)
  Willco "Free Pint", FREEPOST (SEA3901), Staines
  Middlesex, TW18 3BR, United Kingdom

Web - http://www.freepint.co.uk
Advertising - ads@freepint.co.uk
Subscriptions - subs@freepint.co.uk
Letters & Comments - feedback@freepint.co.uk
Latest Issue Autoresponder - auto@freepint.co.uk

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

Free Pint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a free email newsletter for anyone who
uses the Internet to get information for their work in any business
or organisation. The newsletter is written by professionals who share 
how they find quality and reliable information on the Internet.

To subscribe, unsubscribe, find details about contributing, 
advertising or to see past issues, please visit the Web site at 
http://www.freepint.co.uk/ or call +44 (0)1784 455 435.

Please note: The newsletter is published by the information
consultancy Willco (http://www.willco.co.uk/) providers of Internet 
consultancy, training and publishing services. The publishers
will NEVER make the subscriber list available to any other company
or organisation.

The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the
sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care
has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the
publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its
entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or
distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers.
Product names used in Free Pint are for identification purposes only,
and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Free Pint disclaims
any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved.

> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

« Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter »

About this Newsletter