v Centre for Lifelong Learning Report on Technologies. This report, compiled by Paul West at the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Technikon SA, summarizes some relevant technological developments. In this issue, he focuses on the emergence of new Microsoft products, particularly Internet Explorer 5 and Office 2000.

He also reports on the concept of transmitting data over electricity cables, which is not new but has, to date, not really taken off in a great way. Siemens in Germany is said to be having discussions with a view to commercializing this possibility within two years.

Other technological notes include the development of Pentium III processor chips and investments in satellite technology to offer clients a 16 megabit uplink and 400 megabit downlink for the Internet by 2002, as well as a new IBM 64bit, 4-way server.

Paul also reports on Internet connectivity in Africa, which continues to lag behind many parts of the world. There is hope of a rapid catch-up over the next few years. The current state of Internet connectivity in Africa is reflected on a site maintained by Mike Jensen at http://www3.sn.apc.org/africa/.

Another news snippet introduces the Association of African Universities http://www.aau.org/, which has made information technology one of its principal themes in striving to revitalise higher education on the continent. Things are happening fast and with the support from around the world, great changes will become visible over the next few years. The universities are in many cases the organizations that lead the way in establishing Internet service providers, such as they did in Mozambique, Zambia, and other countries.

v This circular also provides links to a range of online resources. These include:

v A report on Latin American Telecentres: The Community Networking Pilot Project (at http://www.idrc.ca/pan/telecentres.html);

v The Personal Space Training and Development website, which provides a range of self-development ideas and activities for users to access and use (at http://www.personalspace.co.uk);

v The Better Business website, which is a mine of information for small businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers (at http://www.better-business.co.uk);

v An article entitled Freedom From The Press: Alternative Academic Publication Strategies and the True Potentials of Information Technology by Mike Sosteric (at http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/commentary/1999-04.asp);

v An edited book, "The *First* Mile of Connectivity: Advancing Telecommunications for Rural Development", now available from the website of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (at http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/SUSTDEV/Welcome_.htm); and

v The website of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) site for the NETS (National Educational Technology Standards for Students) which outlines standards for accrediting teacher and student competence in using technologies (at http://www.iste.org/Standards/index.html).

v This TAD circular includes an announcement about a research project of the Panos Institute. The Panos Institute is looking to conduct a study of communication technologies in southern Africa. The study aims ‘to examine the policy environments in southern African countries, and to assess the extent to which policy and technology are likely to address the needs and aspirations of the politically and economically marginalized’.

v Finally, the circular includes a longer article on use of radio and other ‘traditional’ media outlets. The article was written by Thalif Deen. It reports that a coalition of 133 developing countries wants the United Nations to keep radio, and other traditional media outlets, as a means of disseminating information, rather than relying only on the Internet.

The switch to the global information super highway would give an unfair advantage to rich nations over the poor, say the developing nations. Ambassador Samuel Insanally of Guyana, chairman of the Group of 77, says that the introduction of modern information technology increasingly has favoured rich nations and is detrimental to the peoples of the developing world ‘who are clearly disadvantaged by their lack of access to such advanced technologies.’ The report summarizes the response of the United Nations to this concern, particularly as it applies to information dissemination.