-

'WWW', a new global network

The Young Reporter (1994, December 19), 27(03), pp. 7.
Author: Teresa Kam.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0002108

By TERESA KAM

COMPUTER technology is again showing its global influence in information exchange at academic, commercial and even entertainment levels. A new server, World Wide Web, (the Web, WWW or W3) allows their users (approximately 20 million) to share multi-media information regardless of geographical boundaries.

WWW is initiated by CERN (the European Particle Physics Laboratory) in 1989, which aims at transmitting documents and enhancing effective communication between members. It is a very simple-to-use interface to the traditionally hard-to-master resources on the Internet.

“Why WWW is so powerful is that it is a multi-media based server which contains a variety of data types such as diagrams, photos, graphics, images, sound or even motion pictures and it can link to other services in the Internet like a Gopher information access or a Usenet newsgroup bulletin board,” said Mr Tong Siu-hung, a Computing and Tele-communication Service Centre officer at Hong Kong Baptist University.

The Web uses a client/server system which have servers ranges from individuals to the federal Government of USA who make multi-media information available on the Web.

It is going to be more commercialised,” said Mr Philip Leung Kwong-hon, the head of Microcomputer Application Section at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “For example, a company can use the Web to promote its products, flats or even overseas property. Also the customers can make order through the Web.”

Besides, Hongkong people living abroad can listen to the local radio and TV programmes soon.

“We are going to digitise the Cantonese radio news and awarded TV programmes of Radio Television Hong Kong and make it available in the Web.

“And by providing some photos of Hongkong in the server, foreign people and overseas Chinese can be informed of the changes in Hongkong,” said Mr Leung.

However, WWW is not problem- proof. “Since the Web is a channel that is totally free for everyone to provide their information on, it is difficult to control the contents of information,” explained Mr Leung.

“The future challenge for us is to cope with other problems such as copyright and freedom of speech,” he added.

Headlines