Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 10:54:56 -0500 (EST) From: James McDonough Subject: EPIN Summary ********************************************************** SUMMARY OF ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWSLETTER VOL. 5, NO. 21; November 3, 1995 ********************************************************** INDEX: 1. TECHNOLOGY INADEQUATE FOR ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AGE 2. JOHNSON SAYS CHANGE IN NTIS STATUS WOULD HURT PROGRAMS 3. GOVERNMNET INFORMATION LOCATOR SERVICE BOARD TO MEET **************************************************************** For more information on the complete ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWSLETTER or to receive a FREE sample of the complete printed copy send an email message to EPIN Publishing at epin@access.digex.net. Include your snail mail address. ***************************************************************** 1. TECHNOLOGY INADEQUATE FOR ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AGE: The inability of phone lines and modems to handle large documents are the biggest barriers at this time to the systematic online dissemination of government information, according to Kurt Molholm, Administrator of the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). In a recent interview, Molholm said that information retrieval software must be made more sophisticated so that a user can extract portions from a larger document. Molholm predicted that paper will still hold its own, as DTIC moves into a predominately electronic environment. He said people just don't like to manipulate large documents in electronic form. "They prefer a paper document, then can handle and physically manipulate," Molholm said. 2. JOHNSON SAYS CHANGE IN NTIS STATUS WOULD HURT PROGRAMS: Donald Johnson, Director of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, stated (10/30) that "any change in our government status would adversely affect both federal and private sector customers who benefit from our products and service." Johnson was reacting to the House passage of the budget reconciliation bill. On Oct. 28, the House passed the "Seven Year Balanced Budget Reconciliation Act" (H.R. 2491), which, among other provisions, calls for the dismantling of the Commerce Department and the privatization of NTIS. In a carefully worded statement, Johnson noted that the privatization of NTIS, which operates on earned revenues, "will not assist in reducing the deficit." 3. GOVERNMNET INFORMATION LOCATOR SERVICE BOARD TO MEET: The Government Information Locator Service (GILS) Board will hold its first meeting in early December. A definite date has not yet been set, according to a spokesperson at the Office of Managment and Budget (OMB). The Board, which was authorized by OMB Bulletin 95-01 (Establishment of Government Information Locator Service) has the responsibility to evaluate the development and operation of GILS. The board must prepare and disseminate publicly an annual report that evaluates and recommends enhancements to GILS to meet user information needs, such as accuracy, consisteny, timeliness and completeness of coverage. It meets just before the December 31, the deadline set by OMB for agencies to make their initial GIlS core locator records available online. *************************************************************** ARCHIVE: EPIN Summaries are being archived on the Electronic Frontier Foundation system. To access past summaries, use the following addresses: ftp.eff.org, /pub/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ gopher.eff.org, 1/Publications/E-journals/EPIN gopher://gopher.eff.org/hh/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ http://www.eff.org/pub/Publications/E-journals/EPIN/ ***************************************************************** James McDonough, Editor Electronic Public Information Newsletter epin@access.digex.net; Tel: (301) 365-3621; Fax: (301) 365-2782