Universal Service: Separating the Grain of Truth from the Proverbial Chaff

The prevailing notions of information egalitarianism impel us to seek uniform solutions for all those who lack adequate access to information and communication resources. However, a careful separation of the symbolism of universal service from the real issues reveals that uniform solutions make sense for some resources and not others. This article proposes that uniform solutions should be formulated for resources used in the communication mode, but a segmented approach should be adopted for those used in the information access mode.     

论网络化环境下的用户信息需求

面向21世纪的社会发展,信息网络化交流和信息资源开发、组织与利用的网络化业已构成了用户信息需求的新环境。在社会信息化和信息社会化的综合作用下,用户信息需求处于不断变革之中,由此决定了网络化时代信息服务的基本组织模式。基于这一认识,本文从分析网络化环境下用户信息需求特点和演化出发,研究了网络化中用户信息需求的内容与结构,探索了以用户信息需求引动为中心的网络化信息眼务的优化以及我国的基本对策。     

Universal Service Expansion: Two Perspectives

It is now widely accepted that universal service will have to be redefined time and again as the technological environment evolves. Accordingly, policymakers have sought to institute a process for a periodic review of the universal service package. In order to "automate" the initiation of the review process, they have devised market-indicators-based trigger mechanisms to flag new technologies that should be considered for inclusion in an expanded universal service package. This article interrogates the majoritarian assumptions behind the design of the trigger mechanisms. It shows how the pressures generated by systems to induce adoption of a new technology by citizens/consumers play as important a role as their uncoerced choices in the emergence of new consumption norms. The article calls for balanced thinking that also considers the system perspective.     

Universal Service Expansion: Two Perspectives

It is now widely accepted that universal service will have to be redefined time and again as the technological environment evolves. Accordingly, policymakers have sought to institute a process for a periodic review of the universal service package. In order to "automate" the initiation of the review process, they have devised market-indicators-based trigger mechanisms to flag new technologies that should be considered for inclusion in an expanded universal service package. This article interrogates the majoritarian assumptions behind the design of the trigger mechanisms. It shows how the pressures generated by systems to induce adoption of a new technology by citizens/consumers play as important a role as their uncoerced choices in the emergence of new consumption norms. The article calls for balanced thinking that also considers the system perspective.     

高校图书馆开展知识服务的探索

分析现代信息环境对高校图书馆工作的影响，指出高校图书馆实行知识服务的必然性，论述了知识服务的特点和运作模式以及深化知识服务的几种新技术，在此基础上阐述了高校图书馆开展知识服务的内容与对策。     

网络环境下如何深化高校图书馆的信息服务

本文主要从网络环境下深化高校图书馆信息服务的着眼点入手，论述了高校图书馆从思想观念，服务内容，服务方式，服务手段，服务对象，机构调整，读者培训，人才培训，科学管理等方面应采取哪些措施来促进信息服务的深化，以提高其服务水平，适应网络化信息化时代发展的需要。     

论网络环境下高校图书馆信息素质的培养

从几个方面论述了网络下的信息服务是信息素质培养的前提，提出信息素质是网络环境下高校图书馆的首要问题和内容。     

试论集成化信息产品服务

现代网络信息环境给文献情报机构提供了一个方便、快捷的集成化服务平台,用户一体化需求的发展趋势,又促使文献情报机构必须打破原有的服务模式的限制,树立适应环境和用户需求的服务理念,加大信息资源的加工与整合力度,充分利用自身优势为用户提供集成化信息产品服务,促进科技知识转变为生产力,进而转化成经济效益和社会效益。本文对开发集成化信息产品服务的步骤及内容进行了初步探讨。     

网络环境下学术信息开放存取研究

随着计算机网络技术的快速发展,传统信息传播模式日显弊端。信息传播及信息资源获取方式出现了多样化,作为信息传播中重要组成部分的学术信息传播,必然会随着网络环境的变化而变化。开放存取符合网络环境下的信息交流特征,属于一种高效的、新的交流模式,是学术信息传播的必然选择模式。阐述了开放存取模式的产生及其特征,并在此基础上对开放存取方式与途径进行了研究。     

Universal Service in a Ubiquitous Digital Network

Before there was the digital divide there was the analog divide– and universal service was the attempt to close that analogdivide. Universal service is becoming ever more complex in terms ofregulatory design as it becomes the digital divide. In order to evaluatethe promise of the next generation Internet with respect to the digitaldivide this work looks backwards as well as forwards in time. Byevaluating why previous universal service mechanisms failed andsucceeded this work identifies specific characteristics ofcommunications systems – in particular in billing and managinguncertainty – and argues that these characteristics underliesuccess or failure in terms of technological ubiquity. Developing a setof characteristics of services rather than a set of services is afundamental break with the tradition of universal service. In fact, theimplications of our proposal is that basic characteristics in theoffering of the service rather than the absolute price are critical toclose the digital divide: certainty of total charge, ability to avoiddeposits or disconnection via best effort service, and payer-basedcontrol of all charges. While all of these principles sound obvious infact none of these hold in the telephony network. Universal service hasevolved from common carriage (serve all with no discrimination) to aright to basic services (100% penetration). Universal service isnow discussed as the digital divide, as the access to information asopposed to services becomes increasingly critical. However, we arediscussing in this paper access to the bits and the network rather thanaccess to the information (or intellectual property) once connected. Theprovision of universal service is seen as a technical problem only in thatthe technology costs money – universal service debates have longbeen the domain of economists. Yet the design of protocols has been thedomain of engineers, the building of systems the corporate domain, andthe discussion of equity the interest of ethicists. The design ofprotocols can define the parameters of the corporate decision-makers,the variables of the economist, and the questions for the ethicist. Thedesign decisions made at the fundamental levels can make communicationsequity more or less likely. In this work I focus on the design ofprotocols for the next generation Internet, protocols which willfundamentally change the best-effort nature of Internet services.Building on the economic and ethnographic work of others I argue thatthe effects of protocols adoption on universal service can be predictedto some degree. By examination of past and current technologies Iexamine a set of technical mechanisms to determine how such mechanismsmight harm or enhance universal service. I define each mechanism (e.g.denial of entry) and offer observations about each particularmechanism's implicit pricing assumptions. I close with a discussion ofinterest to ethicists and regulators on evaluating communicationsprotocols with respect to universal access. Protocols for developingmultiple qualities of service for packet-switched networks have focusedon economic efficiency (e.g. Mackie-Mason, 1995; Choi, Stahl &Winston, 1997; Shapiro & Varian, 1998), billing to encouragewidespread adoption of network innovations (e.g. Xie & Sirbu, 1985)and billing in a manner consistent with the underlying network (e.g.Clark, 1996). Here we examine a set of protocols which include varyingquality of service mechanisms with respect to the compatibility of theprotocols with universal access.     

Rethinking Universal Service: Citizenship, Consumption Norms, and the Telephone

One of the reasons the proponents of expanded universal service have not made much headway is that they have not been able to provide a coherent justification for the major resource and policy commitments it requires. The lack of consensus on the very meaning of the term "universal service" has added to the confusion. This article argues that it is critically important to articulate a clear justification for universal service before we discuss what it should include and how it should be funded, the two main preoccupations of the current debate. It answers the "why" question by drawing on the literature on consumption norms and citizenship rights and thereby provides a cogent justification for universal service. A clear articulation of the rationale for universal service should reduce some of the confusion in the current debate and bring greater clarity to the ongoing debate on this important public policy issue.     

网络环境下信息服务及信息资源组织管理

文章探讨了网络环境下信息服务及信息资源组织管理之间的关系,并从虚拟馆藏、现实馆藏两方面对网络环境下信息服务的模式进行了论述,同时对网络环境下信息资源组织管理提出了一些方法。     

信用信息系统的分析与设计

针对信用信息系统的特性,设计了信用信息系统。该系统分为4个层次:系统应用接入、数据交换、数据存储与应用、信用信息发布以及基础服务平台。从系统建设的目标与原则、总体框架设计、基础服务平台设计、应用安全设计这几部分来设计信用信息系统。     

基于网络载体的科学信息服务模式初探

文章认为，在不同的载体技术条件下，科学信息的服务芤不尽相同，现行的科学信息服务模式是与纸介质载体技术相适应的。进入网络环境下，科学信息的服务模式也将发生相应的变化，文章着重论述了科学信息的“自助”式查询利用模型作科学信息的“阅读”模式。     

网络攻防实验室建设探究

网络攻防实验室作为信息安全领域方向的一个重要综合实验平台,需要从实验环境、支撑的教学内容、可能的扩展服务以及实验室自身的管理等多方面来进行建设,以实现实验室的高效运转。因此,南海东软学院对攻防实验室进行了中长期的建设规划,根据学院实验室建设的各期经费预算,不断完善,从而实现实验室的可持续性发展。     

略论证券信息服务的构架与流程

本文论述了证券信息商业化生产与经营应该具备的信息构架与流程，认为证券信息服务的有效运作必须依赖于科学合理的信息内容构架、信息产品构架、信息组织构架和信息技术构架以及这四类构架与严密而流畅的信息流程之间的贯通与配合。     

创新是网络环境下传统信息服务业的唯一出路

网络环境下，传统信息服务的业务空间受到冲击。如何在新环境下寻求生存与发展，是目前迫切需要解决的问题。本文在分析了传统信息服务业面临的现状与自身的优势之后，提出了传统信息服务业创新发展之道，并给出了一个服务产品的实现思路。     

网络环境下信息资源管理的新问题--浅谈信息服务机构

本文提出了网络环境下信息服务机构面临的机遇与挑战,并对信息服务机构信息资源管理中若干个具体问题作了讨论.     

Universal Service in a Ubiquitous Digital Network

Before there was the digital divide there was the analog divide– and universal service was the attempt to close that analogdivide. Universal service is becoming ever more complex in terms ofregulatory design as it becomes the digital divide. In order to evaluatethe promise of the next generation Internet with respect to the digitaldivide this work looks backwards as well as forwards in time. Byevaluating why previous universal service mechanisms failed andsucceeded this work identifies specific characteristics ofcommunications systems – in particular in billing and managinguncertainty – and argues that these characteristics underliesuccess or failure in terms of technological ubiquity. Developing a setof characteristics of services rather than a set of services is afundamental break with the tradition of universal service. In fact, theimplications of our proposal is that basic characteristics in theoffering of the service rather than the absolute price are critical toclose the digital divide: certainty of total charge, ability to avoiddeposits or disconnection via best effort service, and payer-basedcontrol of all charges. While all of these principles sound obvious infact none of these hold in the telephony network. Universal service hasevolved from common carriage (serve all with no discrimination) to aright to basic services (100% penetration). Universal service isnow discussed as the digital divide, as the access to information asopposed to services becomes increasingly critical. However, we arediscussing in this paper access to the bits and the network rather thanaccess to the information (or intellectual property) once connected. Theprovision of universal service is seen as a technical problem only in thatthe technology costs money – universal service debates have longbeen the domain of economists. Yet the design of protocols has been thedomain of engineers, the building of systems the corporate domain, andthe discussion of equity the interest of ethicists. The design ofprotocols can define the parameters of the corporate decision-makers,the variables of the economist, and the questions for the ethicist. Thedesign decisions made at the fundamental levels can make communicationsequity more or less likely. In this work I focus on the design ofprotocols for the next generation Internet, protocols which willfundamentally change the best-effort nature of Internet services.Building on the economic and ethnographic work of others I argue thatthe effects of protocols adoption on universal service can be predictedto some degree. By examination of past and current technologies Iexamine a set of technical mechanisms to determine how such mechanismsmight harm or enhance universal service. I define each mechanism (e.g.denial of entry) and offer observations about each particularmechanism's implicit pricing assumptions. I close with a discussion ofinterest to ethicists and regulators on evaluating communicationsprotocols with respect to universal access. Protocols for developingmultiple qualities of service for packet-switched networks have focusedon economic efficiency (e.g. Mackie-Mason, 1995; Choi, Stahl &Winston, 1997; Shapiro & Varian, 1998), billing to encouragewidespread adoption of network innovations (e.g. Xie & Sirbu, 1985)and billing in a manner consistent with the underlying network (e.g.Clark, 1996). Here we examine a set of protocols which include varyingquality of service mechanisms with respect to the compatibility of theprotocols with universal access.     

建设网络化自动化图书馆信息服务系统的思考与实践

建设面向网络环境的网络化自动化的图书馆文献信息服务系统，以适应CALIS联机文献信息服务的需要，为读者提供方便快捷的网上文献信息服务系统和丰富的数字化信息资源，是高校图书馆面临的重要建设任务。