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Forwarded from the NINCH list.
Judy
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From: INTERNET:[log in to unmask], INTERNET:[log in to unmask]
To: Multiple recipients of list, INTERNET:[log in to unmask]
Date: 4/29/97 1:43 PM
RE: NEXT GENERATION INTERNET: COMMENTS INVITED
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NINCH ANNOUNCEMENT
April 29, 1997
Below is a useful summary by the American Library Association of the
government's announcement of the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative.
The draft concept paper is available at
<http://www.hpcc.gov/ngi-concept-08Apr97/> and open for comment until May
15.
David Green
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ALAWON Volume 6, Number 29
ISSN 1069-7799 April 29, 1997
American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
NEXT GENERATION INTERNET DRAFT CONCEPT PAPER ISSUED BY THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION; COMMENTS INVITED
The Clinton Administration has proposed a Next Generation
Initiative (NGI) involving research and development programs
across federal agencies, with $100 million requested for FY98. A
draft paper outlining the concepts and goals of the NGI
initiative has been posted for public comment by May 15. The
draft was prepared by the Large Scale Networking Working Group of
the Computing, Information, and Communications R&D Subcommittee.
The draft concept paper notes that the Internet technology --
designed for a network of thousands -- is laboring to serve a
network of millions, but new technology, protocols, and standards
can be developed to lead to an NGI at rates thousands of times
faster than today. Several years of generic, pre-competitive
research and testing will be required. The federal government
proposes to participate because critical federal missions require
a NGI, and because much of the needed research is too long-term
or high-risk for the private sector to fund.
The draft states the NGI vision as follows:
"In the 21st Century, the Internet will provide a
powerful and versatile environment for business,
education, culture, and entertainment. Sight, sound,
and even touch will be integrated through powerful
computers, displays, and networks. People will use
this environment to shop, bank, study, entertain, work,
and visit with each other. Whether at home, at the
office, or on travel, the environment will be the same.
Privacy, security, and reliability will be built in.
The customer will be able to choose among different
levels of service with varying prices. Benefits of
this environment will include a more agile economy, a
greater choice of places to live or work, easy access
to life-long learning, and better opportunity to
participate in the community, the nation, and the
world."
The three goals for this 5-year initiative are: (1)
high-performance network fabric, (2) advanced network service
technologies, and (3) revolutionary applications.
Goal 1 involves connecting at least 100 universities at speeds
100 times faster than today's Internet, and 10 federal research
institutions at speeds 1000 times faster.
Goal 2 involves experimentation with the next generation of
networking technologies that "push the envelope."
Goal 3 involves the demonstration of new applications that meet
important national goals and missions. Examples used include
national security, disaster response, scientific research,
distance education, environmental monitoring, prediction and
warnings, and health care. The draft notes that "this program
will not provide substantial direct funding for applications."
The Advisory Committee on High-Performance Computing and
Communications, Information Technology and the Next Generation
Internet had input into the draft and will be commenting further
on it. Two members of the Advisory Committee, Ching Chih Chen,
professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science,
Simmons College; and Sherrilynne Fuller, director of the Health
Sciences Libraries and Information Center, University of
Washington, bring library experience to this committee.
ALA will send comments on the draft, and expects to focus on the
following:
1. A recommendation that a strong and specific plan be developed
for diffusion of the NGI research and development results not
just to industry but to government, education, and libraries; and
that progress toward the NGI be balanced with interoperability
with the first generation Internet.
2. A recommendation to adjust the NGI budget to reflect a
civilian as well as a military focus, and specifically to
increase the National Science Foundation share(proposed at only
$10 million of the $100 million) as the agency with the broadest
charter in support of a wide range of education and research
efforts, and to specifically add the National Library of Medicine
as a partner in the NGI Initiative.
3. A recommendation that the NGI program needs an explicit
applications component and budget because high-end applications
and fundamental network architecture are closely interdependent.
Since technology developed and tested in the NGI program is
intended to be eventually adopted by a larger user community,
more thought is needed towards areas such as libraries, education
and health. There should be an explicit role for the National
Library of Medicine. Digital library programs such as those at
the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration should be linked to the NGI effort.
The draft concept paper on the Next Generation Internet
Initiative is available at:
http://www.hpcc.gov/ngi-concept-08Apr97/
Comments may be sent to [log in to unmask] or faxed to 703/306-4727.
Comments received by May 15 will be used in preparing a final
version. ALA members who wish to contribute to the ALA comments
should send feedback by May 13 to [log in to unmask]
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