The coverage of the contributions is very wide, which is one of the
features that distinguishes the WebNet series of conferences from others that focus on
more specific areas. Our intention has been to provide an application oriented conference
- a meeting place of developers, researchers, practitioners, and users - as a forum
wherein persons from disparate but related fields can meet and learn about new
developments that impact their activities.
This volume contains position papers by leading experts in the
field; descriptions of ideas that are on the borderline between an idea, a prototype, and
products; reports on concrete applications of the Web; its impact on various aspects of
life; plus considerations as to how society might adjust and react to the resultant
changes.
The major areas covered at the conference and presented in this
volume include:
- Commercial, Business, Professional, and Community Applications
- Educational Applications
- Electronic Publishing and Digital Libraries
- Ergonomic, Interface, and Cognitive Issues
- General Web Tools and Facilities
- Personal Applications and Environments
- Societal Issues, Including Legal, Standards, and International
Issues
- Web Technical Facilities.
These general areas have been divided into fifty-six more
specialized topics.
In addition to the papers included in this volume, participants in
the conference also heard leading experts present Keynote and Invited lectures;
participated in tutorials, workshops, small-group discussions, and poster sessions; and
had a chance to see demonstrations of various items of interest. The conference was also
preceded by two days of tutorials and workshops. This printed record cannot show all
aspects of this highly interactive, media-rich Web meeting, but it does convey the depth
and breadth of the conference.
Let us take the opportunity to urge you to plan now to attend
WebNet 99 in Hawaii Oct.30 - Nov.4. To attend and observe the WebNet series is one of
the best ways to stay current with the rapid and intriguing developments of the Web.
Periodically check http://www.aace.org/conf/webnet/
for information.
All of us realize that the Web is coming to have a major impact in
international society. There is increasing confusion and concern on the part of many, in a
wide variety of fields, as to what the implications and possibilities of the Web are. We
all, as persons immersed in the topic, have a responsibility to explore, and clarify for
others, the practical possibilities. We urge that you, and those with which you are in
contact, consider these matters and reflect that thinking in your participation in WebNet
99.
In closing, we would like to thank all authors for submitting their
work, and all members of the Program Committee, listed on the following page, for their
cooperation and time spent reviewing submissions. Special appreciation is extended to Gary
Marks (AACE), who is one of the main driving forces behind this volume as well as the
WebNet series of conferences, and the AACE staff who contributed so much to the success of
the conference.
Program Chairs:
Hermann Maurer, Institute for Information Processing and Computer
Supported New Media, Graz University of Technology, Austria; email: hmaurer@iicm.edu
Richard Olson, Computer Science Department, Växjö University,
Sweden ; email: richard.olson@masda.hv.se