Web Round-Up – W/E 28/3/97

The Plain English Campaign has turned its attention to Web sites and has announced its first Cyber-Crystal Mark. The NatWest Group is the first to be awarded the mark, to check out the standard go to http://www.natwest.co.uk. The Plain English Campaign has five teams checking 100 sites a day for good and bad use of English. The campaign is on-line at http://www.demon.co.uk/plainenglish.

The Net is now being taken increasingly seriously as a business tool. The Internet Bookshop sought investors via the Net and has raised £1 million by issuing shares in bookshop.co.uk PLC. This site was used to issue prospectuses; it can be found at http://www.bookshop.co.uk. While, Comic Relief raised £26,000 from donations made through its Web site, http://www.comicrelief.org.uk.

Of course, some people are using the Web for illegal business practices. In recognition, of this the Business Software Alliance, an international organisation dedicated to fighting software piracy, opened its London bureau this week. This is the organisation’s only base outside of the US. To grass on a pirate call the hot-line on: 0800 510 510.

Internet junkies may want to book into Internet World UK Spring ’97 at Olympia. Leading industry figures will be taking part in the conference scheduled for 20-22 May 1997. Contact: 01865 388 000.