Web Round-Up – W/E 15/05/98

In the face of the controversies surrounding the easy availability of pornographic material on the internet, a company is planning to introduce coin-fed, uncensored web browsers in pubs. The result of the cocktail of lads, beer and the internet is guaranteed to be pretty squalid.

A company called Purtech uses a system which is licensed from a Canadian company called Coynet, and provides a keyboard and full access to any site on the Net. An example of the machines that may be placed in pubs can be seen here.

Similar machines may be introduced to libraries and other public areas where the information which the web can provide would be of benefit to those who cannot get hold of learning material anywhere else. Nevertheless, an anti-porn outcry is almost inevitable.

…A recent survey by Fletcher Research’s Adwatch has shown, for what Fletcher claims to be the first time, which advertisers are advertising most on the internet. The Adwatch survey claims to record advertising information on a daily basis across all major UK sites.

The leading internet advertisers in the UK, in terms of spend, were found to be IBM, British Airways and LineOne.

…A company called ORB Digital Direct has developed a new internet advertising tool called ORBit 3.0. It describes ORBit as “an end-to-end system that produces complete online transaction advertising campaigns, including creative, media planning, central ad serving, transaction processing, tracking and optimisation”. Have a look at the ORB Digital Direct website for more information.

A website called eXposure (http://www.exposure.co.uk/) has been launched to give advice to young filmmakers. The site is full of advice, links and allows filmmakers and writers to collaborate with one another via a discussion forum. Let the freeflow of anarchistic ideas commence…

The NetBites:

• The drug which is currently making the world stand to attention, Viagra, has its own official website, http://www.viagra.com/. The site has been approved by America’s Food and Drug Administration.
• The Brighton & Hove Virtual Festival has its home at http://www.virtualfestival.org.uk. Not quite as rock ‘n’ roll as Glastonbury, but pretty good if you’re building a website.
• The Beeb is asking for feedback on all its online services and has created a survey for users to complete. It can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/consult/.