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www .at-magazin.at
english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 1 number.04 english-version-at.at (download.english.pdf.files) stories.from the.net the.internet magazine.from nic.at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 2 }03 (1) You have to be careful if you want to match with the big ones of the media world, but a bit of pride can’t be denied. If look back on the last edition of the .at-magazine (October ’05), there was also a preview to the UN World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis. The corresponding headline was www.wer-regiert-dasinternet.at. Almost exactly one month later, the German “Spiegel” published an article about the same topic with almost the same title: www.wer-regiert-das-netz.de. (2) Cooking can be a great experience for all senses: Smelling, feeling, tasting. Purists like the GaultMillau commentator Angelo Peer think that the Internet has reached its limits – at least with regard to cooking. The celebrity chef Alois Mattersberger has a different point of view and helps potential cooks to find their way on the Internet. It is obvious that the automobile market has changed significantly by the Internet. The web has become a large car exchange, and the possibilities seem to be boundless: As weird as your imagination might be, you will certainly find the vehicle of your choice on the Internet. But don’t forget to recognise the difference between a car exchange on the Internet and a virtual scrap yard. Now the big Internet world summit is over and it seems to support the truth of the expression “Announced revolutions don’t take place”: What people expected as the great showdown between the absolute Internet superpower USA and the rest of the world, turned out to be a meeting without bitter defeats but with many compromises. You can read about the details of Have you read “The Da Vinci Code”? Yes? But the summit in Tunis in this issue. you certainly don’t know what the central figure of Dan Brown’s thriller, Leonardo da Vinci, Would you have welcome xxx-domains that thinks about it. You can read about it in the clearly identify pornographic contents and make exclusive interview with the great genius. them inaccessible for non-adult Internet users? Sorry, but the US Department of Commerce But that’s not all: Writing weblogs is no longer has put this project to an end. These prude enough, as it requires moving pictures. We folks have prohibited a possible admission of have included a story about the new trend of xxx, because there can be nothing on the Inter- video blogging, and we report on the Internet net that must not be. Nevertheless, there is without barriers for handicapped people and on something going on with the .eu-domain and the world of online gaming. You will also learn other domain endings. Please find further infor- about how the new scourge of DDOS can be mation in the following pages. fought and what the ENUM technology and a historical cooking pot have in common. Normally, he is a TV star and a master of spontaneous gags in the ORF celebrity quiz show If you want to know more about these stories, “Was gibt es Neues”. For this .at-magazine, the just enter one of the headlines as an URL in cabaret artist and former boss of the cabaret your Internet browser and visit the relevant link. “Simpl”, Michael Niavarani, gives some ex- But you probably know this already. clusive comments about his personal access to the World Wide Web. We hope you enjoy reading Talking about web and gags – the interview with (1) Richard Wein Toni Polster is not just about football, he also (2) Robert Schischka talks about his experience with the new media. nic.at CEOs www.at-magazin.at english(04).at CONTENT(04): do-main-news.at.................P.04 niavarani-schreibt.at...........P.08 internet-kocht.at.................P.10 super-nummer.at................P.14 toni-polstert.at.....................P.16 voll-gas.at...........................P.18 no-ddos.at..........................P.22 net-gipfel.at........................P.24 play-it-again.at....................P.26 video-star.at........................P.28 wai-gerecht.at.....................P.30 leonardos-secret.at.............P.32 english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 4 do-mainnews.at .eu, .xxx, .cat – a variety of new domain endings is on the way. However, let’s see if this new domain category will really be much asked for. At least there is some activity regarding .eu-domains, as owners of trademark rights already have the chance to register their trademark as a .eu-domain – even before the actual registration launch. More than 143,000 applications were forwarded to the .eu-registry EURid within the first 20 days. And the name of the hottest .eu-domain is not surprising: www.sex.eu. english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 6 }07 www.do-main-news.at send&receive .eu: The European domain The plans for creating an own .eu-domain date back to the year 1996. What many people have doubted is about to become reality. On 7th December, at 11 o’clock sharp, the registry for all .eu-domains, EURid, launched its registration system, beginning with phase 1 of the .eu “sunrise period”. During this phase, public bodies and owners of registered trademarks have the possibility to apply for their .eu-domains. More than 143,000 applications for more than 107,000 different .eu-domains were sent to EURid within the first 20 days. The European domain is most popular among our German neighbours (35.5 %), followed by the Netherlands (15.1 %) and France (13.3 %). Austria ranks ninth with 3.2 % of the total applications. The next rush for the new .eu-domains can be expected with the launch of the second “sunrise period” on 7th February, when company names, business names, characteristic titles of protected literary and artistic masterpieces, trademarks and family names can be registered as .eu-domains. The hunt for the most wanted names makes use of the strangest techniques: When you search through the official Luxembourgian or Lithuanian registers you might come across products like sweets or dishes bearing the rather untypical name “sex” – actually these products don’t really exist. In both countries it is simply cheap to register a new trademark, and this is what .eu-domain hunters need in order to get what they want. As of 7th April, it will finally be possible for all EU citizens to apply for their desired .eu-domain – even if it may be expected that the most popular names will already be delegated by this time. There is a list of all registrars (ISPs and telecom providers) who accept applications for a .eu-domain at http://list.eurid.eu/registrars/ListRegistrars.htm?lang=en. However, it must be pointed out that there is no guarantee that you will actually get the desired domain, even in case of premium reservations. The 10 most desired .eu-domains Domain Number of requests * ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– www.sex.eu 234 www.hotel.eu 123 www.travel.eu 97 www.jobs.eu 93 www.hotels.eu 92 www.casino.eu 84 www.business.eu 80 www.poker.eu 79 www.golf.eu 75 www.shopping.eu 72 * as of 26 December 20055 .xxx: The domain for adults – now prohibited The discussion around a domain for adults almost dates back to the time of the plans for the .eu-domain, which is the year 1997. In the future, the domain ending .xxx should indicate websites with sexual contents that can only be accessed by adults. This will certainly find favour with many parents. However, providers of erotic and pornographic websites would have been able to register domains below .xxx on a voluntary basis, so it’s quite uncertain whether .xxx would actually have served its purpose. The heated discussions around the “red-light domain” have finally been terminated by the US Department of Commerce, which is the supreme authority of the TLD registry ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): the registration of .xxx was prohibited on the spot, thus reflecting two features: 1. The US government is consistently prude. 2. It is fully in charge, also on the Internet. .cat, .travel, .mobi – Even more new domain endings No, the domain ending .cat is not intended for cat lovers, but should identify Catalan websites in the future. .cat-domains can be registered by anyone who “serves the Catalan speech community” somehow. By the way, .jobs and .travel have been officially approved recently. And there are already copyists of the .cat-domains. For example, a Berlin-based initiative is trying to assert .berlin, and a Scottish initiative is pleading for .sco. Other domains that are currently waiting for ICANN’s approval are .asia, .mail, .tel or .mobi. But as the example of .eu shows us, it may still take a while ... 7 Monika Kerck WEIRD STORIES FROM THE INTERNET Over the last 100 years, many perplexing artefacts have been found that do not fit into the currently accepted theories of the history of man and earth ... http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa011402a.htm That’s bad luck: A man flirts with a woman on the Internet. But at their first real date he finds out that she is his mother ... http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/news/wwn/20051209/11341 4040002.html Marie Antoinette as an action figure with a removable “ejector head”... http://www.mcphee.com/items/11563.html Just for watching … http://blueballfixed.ytmnd.com/ What does normal mean? Are you normal, or how would others evaluate your situation? Just find out on the following website ... http://isitnormal.com/ Johann Almer is the master of the skies, whose private passion is quite earthly, although a bit extraterrestrial: ballooning. The domain himmelvater.at belongs to him. He hasn’t got a website yet, but you can send him an e-mail: ballon@himmelvater.at You can also find all these domain links in the online version of the .at magazine at www.redaktion-at.at. We hope you enjoy surfing! 7 english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 8 }09 LAVENDELFRAU IM INTERNET oder 10 Jahre online I must confess that I’m not the typical surfer, as I don’t actually spend much time surfing worldwide. Of course I have got my “favourites”, which I visit regularly, but it’s not more than one new site I discover each month. Anyway, I use the web in order to inform myself, even if it usually means the search for needless information. Yesterday, for example, I was searching for the name “Kevin Kropatschek”, which has been invented by me. I’ve got no idea why. It was 2.30 in the morning, I could not sleep and felt the urge to eat a peanut butter roll. I was positively surprised that Google returned 57 results for Kevin Kropatschek (0.62 seconds). But unfortunately, as none of these websites contained the complete name Kevin Kropatschek, just the names Kevin and Kropatschek, I was feeling disappointed: The Internet betrayed me. Well, I made a second try: I used quote signs. The result was: Your search – “Kevin Kropatschek” – did not match any documents. Suggestions: > Make sure all words are spelled correctly. > Try different keywords. > Try more general keywords Autumn 1996: The cabaret Simpl in Vienna presents a new programme called the “Lavender Woman on the Internet”, and there are actually people who don’t know anything about the Internet. It took us a long time to discuss whether we should make an opening sketch which is only about the Internet. At last we did it, and in the beginning we had to explain to the audience the meaning of “www” and that Internet surfing is not a new kind of sport. The World Wide Web was brand-new, the opening sketch was late-breaking. Meanwhile, millions of people are online and everyone knows what the Internet is about – but what is it really about? niavaranischreibt.at I see. You (whoever you are) are telling me that I probably misspelled the name I have just invented. Well, okay. “Kevin Kropacek“. Result: 647 hits for Kevin Kropacek. (0.10 seconds). But not a single Kevin Kropacek among them. I’m start getting ambitious, so I try Kevin Kropaceck. Result: 1 hit for Kevin Kropaceck. (0.12 seconds) and his name still isn’t Kevin. I feel frustrated, get myself another peanut butter roll and enter the search term: Kevin Cropacek. Result: ZERO! Your search ... didn’t ... and so on. Well, at least they suggested using different keywords. Which terms could I use instead of “Kevin Kropatschek”? “Fictitious names“ Result: 1,460 hits for "fictitious names". (0.30 seconds). Very good. A short release of endorphins. So there are 1,460 websites containing the term “fictitious names“. 1,460 people all over the world deal with fictitious names in some way. One of these sites states: [“fictitious names are subject to a witness-protection programme – and they are allocated by the relevant authority.”]* This information startles me – I’m shokked. Assuming that I in appear as a witness in a legal proceeding against the Mafia, just because I accidentally witnessed three Russians or Chinese getting rid of a body in the Danube river, I get a new name preventing that the same thing happens to me. That’s really nice, but: I’m not allowed to choose the name myself! I feel angry, worrying about the name Kevin Kropatschek for the rest of my life! How horrid. I could never testify against the Mafia. People know me as Michael Niavarani. I would have to start over with the name Kropatschek. “The new boss of the cabaret Simpl, Kevin Kropatschek!” deighthundred!!!! I’m a real star! Sixtyfourthousandeighthundred!!!! I was paralysed!! I immediately enter the search term “paralysed“. 738 hits for "paralysed". (0.25 seconds) This search leads me to a website about a medieval text. I’m getting excited and continue searching. There is one special thought that keeps me from getting back into bed: How many hits does my fellow cabaret artist Düringer have? 98,300 hits for Roland Düringer. (0.11 seconds). Well, he probably deserves it. Rainhard Fendrich? 264,000 hits for Rainhard Fendrich. (0.08 seconds). That sucks! Peter Alexander? 498,000 hits for "Peter Alexander". (0.09 seconds) Bad luck for Fendrich! I have tasted blood and want more: Who is the greatest star of all? Once again I think of getting to bed, at least it’s already 3.45 am..... Never mind, I need to know. Robbie Williams? 7,300,000 for "Robbie Williams". (0.09 seconds) Seven million!!!! Seems like he really made it! God? 9,220,000 hits for God. (0.08 seconds). Of course, he must be the superstar. But it’s hard to believe that more people are concerned with death than with god – there must be several scared atheists among them. 12 million websites – that’s unsurpassable. I’m feeling enthusiastic. Just a moment, what about the often mentioned assertion that most people search the Internet for sexual contents? Sex? 197,000,000 hits for sex. (0.09 seconds). I have to pause for a moment......onehundredninetysevenmillion websites containing sex. I ask myself: Why? Internet pornography? Yes, but..... I begin looking into it. Several pop-ups appear. You can watch people having sexual intercourse... I’m prompted to enter my e-mail address in order to get free access to the entire movie...I also get a password granting me access to even more websites...... Well, so far so good. But what happens next? Shall I really start to masturbate, sitting in front of my computer? Obviously there are millions of men (I guess the number of women is marginal) who actually masturbate in front of their desktop. Or do they just watch the movies and remember them under the shower? Well, you could actually download the movie, burn it on a DVD and watch it on a notebook in the bedroom – or on the DVD player in the living room. But all these hardships for only five seconds!?!?! This isn’t really in line with my sexual preferences. But we oughtn’t to be so prude and close-minded. I will probably continue my research within the next few days. We should really make more use of the Internet. Or should I start right now...... Oh, I must specify my credit card number, but that might turn out to be embarrassing... if they learn that I, Michael Niavarani, started.... in front of my computer ... at five o’clock in the morning..... No, I will put off my consumption of Internet pornography until I have successfully testified in the Mafia trial. Then I will register at www.geileschnitten.com, participate in the discussions of various sex forums. Then there will be at least one hit for Kevin Kropatschek on the Internet. 7 * www.metaportal.at/cgi-bin/ikonboard/post.cgi?action=replyquote&forum=12&topic=670&postno=3 After all I’m quite famous in Austria. How famous am I actually? I enter the search term “Michael Niavarani”. Result: 64,800 hits for "Michael Niavarani". (0.38 seconds). Sixtyfourthousan- english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 10 internetkocht.at Let’s polarise a bit today, so nobody can claim that we only talk about the Internet’s benefits. Obviously there is an enormous market on the Internet which is treated in a quite unkind and unoriginal manner: the topics food and drink. Apart from some well-working online shops and a few useful recipe websites, it is quite surprising that there is a great potential that has really been neglected in the past. Angelo Peer, a strict gastronomy critic and writer, who is a bit eccentric, has dealt with this topic using three examples. Nevertheless, as thinking positive is fun, the celebrity chef and nutrition expert Alois Mattersberger has provided several links, which are as useful as the other four million website are supposed to be. The conclusion is that eating and drinking is a matter of our five senses, which is hard to realise in the two-dimensional world of the Internet. It’s time for all the innovators to get behind their computers – there is plenty to do! english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 12 }13 www.internet-kocht.at Sherlock Oft findet man nicht den Genuß, den man mit Recht erwarten muß. Wilhelm Busch Indulgence in the times of the Internet I must confess – there were times when I used to buy wine on eay or several other Internet online marketplaces. At first things seemed quite well, as it is certainly a bargain to get a Chateau Petrus for 300 Euro, even if the vintage was doubtful. But I soon began to break this habit, as you always buy the pig in the poke, despite the detailed descriptions and photos. It might happen to you that the place of delivery is a shady house in the third urban district of Vienna, where you meet a couple of teenagers who probably inherited a few bottles from their uncle trying to make the big deal without realising that this product has to be properly handled. Or when you buy salmon, sausages, cheese or sweets – old, grey and unattractive. Should you send the parcel back? On the one hand, this is quite troublesome, and on the other hand, you never know what you are getting into, as there might be a dedicated disputer on the other end of the deal. This isn’t usually worthwhile: All the enjoyable things you can buy on the Internet are also offered in any average city – face to face. If you use a search engine, you will abandon all hope right at the beginning: More than 44 million websites about restaurants appear within split seconds. Regarding this vast number, it is hopeless and not recommendable to go on: the majority of these sites are useless PR. The ready-made phrases – just like those of the print media – are served up electronically. And you often get things you don’t even want. On the other hand, the small number of websites that really try to be objective hardly use the advantages of this medium. You will probably find gastronomy reviews that are two years old and have long been updated in the printed versions. The Internet is often used as an alibi, but the presence alone is not sufficient. If the only purpose is being online, you’d better stay offline. Why do people cook anyway (and I’m not talking about those who regard cooking as a daily routine, just like making the beds or cleaning the toilet)? Because it is a sensual artwork they produce in front of their eyes, ears and noses. And the cookery book is definitely a decisive matter for the eyes. Looking at the meal of your choice on a glossy, coloured picture is a motivation which no Internet recipe could provide. It probably won’t look like this in the end, but you will at least remember the ideal example. Just imagine a Viennese Schnitzel that was scorched, just because the website you were trying to consult took several minutes to build up. In the living room, of course, as you wouldn’t use a laptop in the kitchen. Otherwise, the place would definitely look like a laboratory considering all the physical and chemical processes. And last but not least, there are those romanticlooking cooking traces left on the books, which make you remember one or two historical feasts, whereas you would just throw away an ordinary printout copy. “If you have got your own axe, you don’t need a carpenter”, says a German proverb. However, the Internet doesn’t replace the library (yet). Even if an axe would be quite handy regarding the vast number of cookbooks. 7 Angelo Peer 5. Play and learn: www.mcdonalds.at. Here you can compose a variety of meals. The data listed shows that McDonald’d offers many products – from the low-calorie menu to the almost dangerous fattener. Conclusion: fast food is not thickening as long as you eat deliberately. 6. Eating out takes practice – even on the Internet. Advice: A printed restaurant guide is still the best solution. The online version of the Gault Millau is almost one year old but still better than many others. www.gaultmillau.at 7. A good meal needs a good glass of wine. Visit the leading expert at: www.winespectator.com “I have already prepared it” – now online Mattersberger is not alone – the TV chef gets a competitor. We want to present you three online cooks…. Alois Mattersberger cooks and gives his advice... 1. www.mattersberger.com or www.gesundnaund.com “Gesund, na und?®“ is the new project of the celebrity chef Alois Mattersberger. It is about something that seems quite unbelievable – but it is possible: losing weight with indulgence. With Alois Mattersberger and his team of nutrition you won’t experience an age of fasting or your twentieth instant diet. You will rather find pleasure in eating and enjoy the right meals. The weight-losing package includes eight personal consultations over three months and is adapted to your personal needs. Its aim is to change your food patterns with fun and joy. 2. The book classic of our grannies as the best German cookbook on the Internet – the Thea cookbook: www.thea.co.at 3. A funny website, which leaves nothing to be desired for those who regard cooking just as an act of removing hunger. Many people are quite clumsy, but there are many tips and tricks that make cooking real fun. Here is the URL: www.frag-mutti.de 4. If you want to learn something about food, you will certainly find it at www.lebensmittellexikon.de. Although www.eatturkey.com is only about turkey, it has 30 chefs dealing with it. Numberless recipes are presented in Quick-Time format. If you cook together, be careful and don’t cut your finger. Of course, the US celebrity cook Julia Child also has her own online videos (www.pbs.org/juliachild). They are very extensive but fee-based, just like the virtual cooking lessons by Eric Arrouzé. (www.911cheferic.com) english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 14 }15 supernummer.at If you think of the latest technologies, timing is almost as important as the technology itself. But you can only choose the right time if you are at the top. Regarding ENUM, Austria is actually at the top, as enum.at has taken part in the development of this technology itself and commissioned the first registry worldwide in 2004. Papin's pot In 1681, the Royal Society did not show much interest in participating in Denis Papin’s second presentation. At least, the first demonstration of his high-pressure pot ended in a catastrophe. The pot blew up in the middle auf the audience, spreading its unknown contents everywhere. Although the second attempt was successful (Papin had also invented the pressure-relief valve in the meantime), it was 200 years too early – nobody was interested in the product. In the middle of the 90’s, the first experience with Voice over IP was much the same: Instead of a telephone number you had to dial an IP-address, which you had to ask for beforehand (usually by a phone call). The callee was scarcely audible and the modem dial-in demonstrated the absurdity of the whole thing: While the voice was transmitted via Internet, the Internet packets were transferred via voice telephony in turn. The entire technology disappeared after an intensive trial phase for almost 10 years, because the basic conditions were obviously missing. After this break, the second generation seemed to have all the necessary requirements: “always-on” broadband interfaces, appropriate hard- and software, fast computers for a high voice quality, and VoIP telephones that looked like the usual devices and were not dependent on the PC. Just like Papin’s high-pressure pot, some people looked back on the first generation and they had to be convinced to try again. The most significant evidence for its technological maturity was that many phone calls from the conventional telephone network were already transacted via Internet. And just like the essential “pressure-relief valve”, it also had a feature against the lack of usability: ENUM enables the use of telephone numbers instead of Internet addresses and transmits calls between two VoIP users via Internet – a technology that entered the market exactly at the right time. Domains that are connected to a telephone number are registered, and the Internet addresses available with a number are entered. In Austria this technology has become routine, as ENUM has already been in operation for a year and is offered by several service providers. Other countries are still testing and will pick up in 2006 – the German registry has announced that the regular operation will start at the beginning of this year, and the politically delicate country code “+1” (as it is shared by the USA, Canada and several Caribbean states) should be brought on line later this year. However, enum.at already thinks ahead, and the next project is the use of ENUM as a router between different network operators. In this process, the entries are not made by the user of the phone number but by his operator. These entries can be used by other operators in order to find the best communication line. In 2006, this so-called “Infrastructure ENUM” will be the focus for standardisation issues within the Engineering Taskforce (IETF) – and Austria will again play a major role. 7 Alexander Mayerhofer ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– enum.at is a sister company of nic.at, which operates the registry of ENUM domains within the Austrian country code “+43”. Please find further information at www.enum.at. Alexander Mayrhofer is a systems engineer with enum.at and a secretary of IETF’s ENUM workgroup. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– THE ENUM YEAR 2006 > Germany lauches the commercial operation > IETF standardises Infrastructure ENUM > Canada becomes the registry for the country code “+1” > Austria launches a trial run for Infrastructure ENUM english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 16 }17 tonipolstert.at Football star, comedian, and almost an all-round entertainer: Anton Polster, who is known in the German-speaking area as “Toni” the goalgetter. In the TV show “Dancing Stars” he even proved his skills on the dance floor, and his name is always mentioned when a statement starts with “In the times when Austria was a real football nation“. But how does he cope with the world of the new media? Another “.at” star interview. Are most of your friends and relatives Internet freaks or total refusers? How important are modern means of communication for you? What does your future look like? Football, singing or dancing? Very important. Nowadays it’s hard to live without these things. My mobile phone rings non-stop, but I don’t have to answer it all the time (laughs). To be honest, I have accustomed myself to simply switching it off sometimes. Regarding e-mails: In terms of business, many things can be handled via e-mail. This is both practical and time-saving, as my phone calls usually take much longer than writing an e-mail! I especially enjoy writing e-mails in private life, and there are many funny things people send you – I like reading them in between, although they sometimes become too many. I mainly use the Internet in order to get information – especially about companies I do business with or about other people. For how long have you been an Internet user and how intensely do you use it? When I was an active football player, I didn’t care about computers at all. My first contact with the Internet took place when I joined the management of the Gladbach football club (6 years ago). Regarding the intensity, I would consider myself an “average” user. Like I said before, my son is a real computer junkie. My father hardly uses it and my mother never – she doesn’t even touch the computer. I guess that many older people feel like that, but that’s a great pity considering that there would be many advantages for them. I often tried to convince my mother, but I had no luck. At the moment I’m a businessman, but football should become the central part of my life again. Of course, the conditions must be right. I certainly won’t enforce things. On the other hand, I’m even concerned with football now. I’m a TV presenter with the TV station Premiere and I’m going to work for T-Mobile during the world championship. Who will become world champion and who will become the German champion? Brazil will become world champion, winning against Argentina in the final. And Bayern München will certainly get the title in Germany! One brief statement about the situation in Austria... In the Austrian football league there will be a duel between Austria Salzburg and Austria Vienna – of that I’m sure. The chances are 50/50, but I think that Vienna will keep the title. What is your opinion about the national team – what can we expect from the European Championship? Is there a funny story to tell about Internet or e-mail? Well, when I started surfing, I used to open anything I found. But nobody told me that all those files and e-mails had to be closed again sometime! You can imagine how my screen looked like after a while… How does your family use the Internet? Is your son your personal web instructor? My son, Anton, is now 15 years old and he’s an absolute computer freak. He has been learning it in school and keeps himself busy doing it at home, too. In my point of view, he spends too much time in front of the “box”. My daughter (Lisa-Marie, 12 years old) and my wife are normal users, just like me. Only if all persons and parties involved – i.e. players, trainers, managers, clubs and associations – devote themselves to this event, we will have a real chance to stand our ground in the European Championship. I think that our team manager Pepi Hickersberger will work hard on it, and as a big fan of our national team I wish him good luck. Thank you for the conversation. 7 english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 18 ar” . This “c to speak rn a ve le ra s g le babie row 12, word ma place – d g air in m th rk r a e a at’s th final p r all c “Car”, th us to our partner fo t s n ry ie a e n v rt a e o p p f accom girls o e an im literally s becom oys and a b h yu t le e B tt . rn li y e Inte ny wa ons of no. 5. Th quite fun and billi a ars in v e e d r” a a th rs, tr arding word “c nufacture least reg nce the t u e a o , th n le ro to b p l a still urpass le mode age, who et is uns nfigurab e rn o m c te o y In s ll e r a e on th individu ver, aft ing a car e. Howe d from the n ic – a o h g ts c n c ti r u rod teres of you riety of p further in and car d m n -h o d fi c n l o e il c w th r se h you luding c rc a in e s particula s e e il siv n... utomob an exten ady begu orld of a luck and has alre ut the w o h b ic a h s w il deta ternet, various nd the In of cars a re tu fu mon english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 20 }21 www.voll-gas.at shoppingcart Searching for a used car on the Internet is really great. In the past, people used to drive from one trader to the next or leaf through tons of newspapers pages. Nowadays, you just have to search for the car of your choice in one of the large online marketplaces, and you will find it – with a probability of 99%. That’s not surprising, as since the 90’s, which was obviously the time of many poor websites, several Internet sites have emerged that have up to 800,000 articles for offer. You even have the possibility of having the instalment or leasing and insurance rates calculated. Only a test drive requires leaving your home. The 200,000 Euro VW & the tank with 200 km/h Recently, several online marketplaces have been in the headlines of many newspapers: 189,900 Euro for a car that isn’t even worth 15,000 (former “popemobile” – VW Golf), or a VW van from the German army, 20 years old, including bullet-proof screens and camouflage painting. Talking about bullet-proof screens: Have you ever considered acquiring a car with the highest possible safety level on the market? Your personal James-Bond car including all amazing gadgets? Well, apart from the integrated ejector seat, ground-ground missiles or hidden smoke-bombs: In case of a gas attack, the passenger compartment is inflated with oxygen, and if the sensors detect fire, it will be extinguished with dry powder within seconds. Additionally, there are gas masks available in case of an emergency. If anyone tries to shoot your tyres, you needn’t be upset. The emergency system “Pax” allows you to drive on and reach your target safely without any damage (unless your tyre is hit by another bullet...). The cost factor is between 200,000 and 400,000 €, depending on the model type and producer. pre-order your personal model at www.moller.com. Estimated time of delivery: 2009. 7 Wolfgang Mader Exciting Links: Moller Aircraft Corp. www.moller.com The Skycar M400 http://www.moller.com/skycar/m400/ Demolition Derby http://www.derbypro.com/ Wrecked Exotics www.wreckedexotics.com Pimp my ride – do it yourself: http://www.streetracersonline.com/ flash/pimp.php Value of used cars www.dat.de Purchase & sale of vintage cars: http://www.classicsandcustoms.com/ totally wrecked If you have wrecked your car, you still have the chance to make some money out of it by visiting totallywrecked.com. This website not only offers photos of Ferraris, Jaguars and Bugattis that have been wrapped around a tree, you can also read about the weirdest and most sarcastic car accidents in the USA. And if the condition of your car is not that bad, you can register for the American Demolition Series... Take a glance at derbypro.com, which provides videos of burning cars and guarantees spectacular action. Individualisation With America being the perfect example, the Europeans are becoming more and more enthusiastic about modifying their cars. This trend is not least due to the American TV production “Pimp my ride”, which for instance turns an 84 Caddy into a “pimpmobile”. Watchers of this MTV series can apply for taking part in the show and having their old junk car transformed into a completely renovated high-quality automobile for free. These cars are not only roadworthy, but will probably have an integrated entertainment center including state-of-the-art TFTs as well as games consoles or entire fitted kitchens. Nevertheless, the US-based Moller Aircraft Corp. is certainly more than one step ahead – with their “SkyCars” (special about these “cars” is that they can fly!). These high-flyers offer seats for four persons and have a top speed of 480 km/h. The demand is accordingly high. If you have at least 500,000 € in your pockets and want to join the exclusive “flying motorists” club, you can already english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 22 }23 DDOS. This is not a new operating system, a typing error or a part of the new German orthography – another one. No, it’s a vicious threat to well-working systems and probably the actual source of Flash-Mob. DDOS is actually based on a quite simple principle. Even in the world of computers DDOS works according to the childish motto: “All against one! (... how cowardly...)” The technical term is called “Distributed Denial of Service“. Once again the computer world has adopted something that also exists in the real world – like viruses, Trojans and worms. What is DDOS about? It’s the simple overstraining of a target by a coordinated request overload. Blocking fax machines, telephone terror – these are methods that have already existed in the times of telecommunication, before the invention of the Internet. Looking back it may sound funny, as a few years ago the oldest type of such attacks has become modern again: Coordinated via Internet, SMS and telephone, hundreds of people got together in cities in order to assault a shop and do quite unreasonable things. Shop owners in the Mariahilfer Street in Vienna can tell a thing or two about how it is when hundreds of people enter a shop, make telephone calls with their mobiles and tell a fictitious person about an air trip for 5 minutes while inspecting a pair of blue jeans, and leave the shop together after exactly 5 minutes: This is called “Flash-Mob” – a new phenomenon whose effects remind you of DDOS, telephone terror and blocking fax machines. In a coordinated action different computers with even different locations worldwide attack a server by overstraining it with senseless queries until software and hardware pass out. The aim of such attacks is to make a website or its services break down. In case of a thoroughly organised attack, computer users don’t even notice that their computer is just taking part in a query attack of a particular server: Viruses and Trojans enable the attacker to take control of the unaware user’s computer, which starts acting like a zombie and forwards queries to a server until it can no longer answer. Who is the target of an attack? The most common targets are servers from important institutions, large companies – especially those which are not quite popular among the “scene” – and, of course, central Internet authorities. Some of these central bodies of the Internet are the global registries. The places where domains are delegated are most vulnerable, as they are responsible for the vital functions of the Internet – email and the World Wide Web. These services are dependent on such authorities, which forward the domains to the relevant webesite or e-mail server. The .at-magazine has asked the nic.at expert Gerhard Winkler about the situation in Austria and what steps nic.at, the registry for “.at”domains, takes in order to protect itself from such attacks. noddos .at Basically, nic.at has three weak points. The first one is the actual registration service for domains. However, nic.at doesn’t make it easy for attackers, as the queries from registrars (ISPs who register domains on behalf of their customers) are forwarded to an automated system via e-mail. Several security measures, like SPAM filters and an appropriate anti-virus software, protect the nic.at registration system against an e-mail overload. In addition, authorised registration e-mails are PGP-signed. This signature indicates whether the sender is known, which means that the system blocks any unauthorised information. The second weak point are the services for the public use. In order to check when a domain expires or who owns a particular domain, nic.at offers a free “Whois service” for all Internet users. This database contains information about every domain ending with “.at”, like the holder and his address. Using an automated query with billions of letter combinations or even entire dictionaries, commercial Internet providers sometimes try to find out which domains are free or when they become available again, in order to register them in time. Such mass queries might really cause distress to a server, but nic.at has even taken measures against this kind of threat. A redundant infrastructure provides a smooth operation, and any irregularity – like continuous bulk queries from a particular server – will set off the alarm. Subsequently, proper blocks can be installed, in order to prevent another query that uses the words of the entire Encyklopedia Britannica with “.at” endings. Thus, nic.at is also able to react fast against this problem. The most vulnerable part are the name servers, as these are responsible for forwarding the domain name to the right web server, which contains the website, services or e-mails. Therefore, the domain registry has to build a real fortress, which means: Strong diversification: Using many different servers, various hard- ware elements, different operating systems and versions, as well as different types of software, prevents the complete vulnerability of all servers. Having a higher performance and more potential and capacity than the attacker is also an effective technique. Cunning front servers try to avoid DOS and DDOS and search for irregularities by using statistics and traffic monitoring. AnyCast: This is an important keyword for the protection of the network infrastructure. Many servers in different locations pretend to be one and the same server. If this server is attacked from different points worldwide, the attackers don’t even realise that they only see the server which is nearest to them. The truth is, however, that they all attack different servers. Gerhard Winkler, Anti-DDOS-expert for nic.at What can you do? One more thing: The protection against viruses and Trojans and the use of inhomogeneous systems – all the things Gerhard Winkler from nic.at has just described also work in a smaller context, and you can make use of them yourself – is not only a means of self-protection, but also protects other users from things your computer can do without your knowledge. Gerhard Winkler’s expert advice: “Choosing different techniques is vital for locating attacks and blocking the service if needed, but also for being able to repel attacks. As a result, attackers can not tune in to one particular procedure. And in some cases it is even useful having the ‘larger network wire’”. 7 Roland Vidmar english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 24 }25 netgipfel.at Really big international summits have one thing in common: The event is considered successful if there is a result at all. In view of that, the UN World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis has really been successful: The USA, which dominate the Internet, have granted a few allowances to the rest of the world. But they exactly comply with the US fitness principle: They are “super extra light”. The big bang didn’t take place. Before the summit, people expected a great showdown between the formerly (and still) very powerful USA and other great nations – like China, India and Brazil. But in the end, there was the forced harmony of a typical multinational meeting: No winners, no losers and some achievements for everyone. However, the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in the North African city of Tunis didn’t only save faces, but there were also decisions made. The Internet is apparently no longer governed by the Americans alone. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers – a detailed article about this “worldwide regulator” for the web can be found in at-magazine no. 3) is no longer the sole institution regarding Internet policy. The Californian company, a central Internet junction on the entire globe which is massively influenced by the US government, gets a little brother – a very, very weak little brother. The “Internet Governance Forum” is intended (not to decide but at least) to discuss questions around the Internet regulation and web policy. This should officially please both sides: Everyone outside the USA, as the Americans’ ultimate dominance has fallen at least symbolically, and the Americans, as the forum isn’t (yet) more than a many-voiced global discussion club that has no actual decision-making power. And both sides are right. Richard Wein, nic.at manager and local observer of the summit, gives a slightly sarcastic summary: “Many have expected a grand duel between the major opponents. However, it wasn’t resolved the Western way, and it could rather be characterised as “much ado about nothing”. They used a well-proven strategy in order to solve the conflict in a smooth way: If you can’t get ahead, just establish a working group”. The “Internet Governance Forum” represents this working group, and currently nobody expects more from it: On the one hand, the democratic principle constrains efficient debates. The discussion shouldn’t only include government representatives but literally everyone who is concerned regarding the Internet. And who isn’t actually concerned nowadays? On the other hand, there isn’t much known about the procedures, organisation and coordination of the international committee. Except that the forum will first meet in Athens in early 2006. And there are still things be discussed regarding its dimension, formation and leadership. So the USA doesn’t really seem to be awestruck. Nevertheless, a completely new standard has been defined in paragraph 63 of the summit’s final document: No country is allowed to have control over the country-specific domain of another country. Although it may sound only moderately sensational for laypersons, it is a decisive turning point regarding the influence of the Americans. ICANN had enabled them to “shut down” any country code (e.g. .at) – at least theoretically. The nic.at manager Wein attaches much significance to this regulation: “It is not a legal but a moral decision and it still has to stand the test of practice, but it is a strong symbol of the world against the omnipotence of one single country”. For Wein the political development is far less exciting than another development, which is quite significant – not for the public but with regard to its practical consequences: Since its foundation in the late nineties, ICANN was the bearer of the so-called IANA function. IANA stands for Internet Assigned Numbers Authority and means no less than control over the entire technical equipment for the worldwide coordination of the Internet. This function, which is the basis of ICANN’s power, will possibly be opened for a competitive bidding for the first time: “This basic task for the operation of the Internet was already regarded as a right of succession, which could result in idleness and mistakes. Thus, creating a competitive environment by tendering is going to bring both dynamics and quality improvements”. By the way: With enum.at, which is a sister company of nic.at, being on the cutting edge regarding the use of the ENUM technology, the Austrian delegation to the summit took an internationally respected role. 7 David Mock BROADBAND SUMMIT IN SALZBURG Another summit – much smaller but more efficient: nic.at invited to Salzburg, where a debate around the main topic broadband took place. Location: a former bell-foundry in the outskirts of the city. The symbolism: While people used to ring in former times, people nowadays surf in order to communicate. Gabi Burgstaller, the head of the provincial government, opened the event and declared Salzburg the “secret Internet capital of Austria”, because nic.at is located there. nic.at manager Richard Wein supplied evidence for this thesis: The .at-zone is controlled by nic.at, and the fast development regarding domains is a positive sign for the situation of the Internet in Austria: Whereas there were about 270,000 domains registered with .at in the year 2002, the current number for 2005 is almost as high as 500,000. Martin Hagleitner from the Malik Management Center in St. Gallen pointed out the ongoing change to an economy of knowledge: “Making knowledge productive is the current purpose of companies and location policy”, says the originator of Austria’s first region-wide broadband study. Broadband density is not the only crucial factor, as “it means nothing without content, development and proper end devices”, according to Hagleitner. Regarding e-government, i.e. administration via electronic communication, Austria has a leading position. The respective EU ranking shows the country on the second position, right behind Sweden. The participants discussed, philosophised and communicated with each other – not only on the podium. Exhibitors from the IT business and local industry used this event as a chance to do networking among the target group. And: Due to its great success, the nic.at event series will continue even this year. 7 Salzburg Research manager Siegfried Reich evaluates the broadband factor from the users’ point of view. In his opinion, by using weblogs, websites and podcasts the users have become “prosumers”, which is a combination of producers and consumers. So they have become more and more critical. In his opinion, the main challenge is to produce high-quality contents. The audience’s national pride was strengthened by Christian Rupp, who is the spokesman of the “Platform Digital Austria”: left to right: Univ.- Doz. Dr. Siegfried Reich, Salzburg Research, Richard Wein, nic.at, Mag. Robert Schischka, nic.at, Landeshauptfrau Mag. Gabi Burgstaller und Mag. Hans Scharfetter, Salzburger Landesregierung. Foto © www.kaindl-hoenig.com english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 26 }27 world championships. Numerous game servers, which require the registration of all team-mates, offer their “guests” Source-TV access – the game itself should be installed on the user’s computer, too, so the spectator can switch between the participating players and even explore the playing field where it is most interesting. So you can easily watch the game – just like on TV. The first “couch potato” computer players are emerging – who would have thought that the development would continue that way? Practically everything that existed in the real world of sports already exists on the Internet and in the world of the electronic sportsmen. There are even moderated “Source TV” platforms, where show hosts from the gaming scene comment these games live, who are almost as famous as Heinz Prüller from the ORF (Austrian TV broadcasting station). The enthusiastic player is not a strange character, and although the non-gaming world might be sceptical about these e-sportsmen, the argument which states that the most important muscle of the human body – namely the brain – is trained can not be completely ignored. A fast reaction is vital, just like a completely automated use of the mouse and keyboard, a fast eye and a full concentration on different actions. This is what makes an e-sportsman successful (apart from a capable graphic card that should be able to deal with a monitor in the size of an airfield with high resolution). All right, a new high-score! play-it-again.at Computer games are broadcasted live, there are world championships with outstanding rewards, groups of gamers make their own movies with computer games, and the advertising industry affixes posters in the virtual games – to make a long story short: computer games have not grown up, they have rather become a medium of its own. Even PC producers benefit from the urge to play: technically sophisticated games require an enormous computing power, which probably makes it a vital factor for the decision of buying new technical equipment. Computer games have been a driving force of the technological development. The multimedia hype was never based on text processing or spread sheet – the performance of graphic and sound cards was determined by the requirements of complex computer games. Computer games have never been a matter only for kids, and now even the world of computer games itself has grown up. The decisive factor for this development was, finally, the networking of computer games. Nowadays, they are no longer played on one single computer, but there are several players or even teams who can play together or against each other via Internet using central game servers. These servers coordinate the data of the participating players, so every local player gets all the necessary information about the positions and scores of the other players on his computer. Although the games look quite complex, the transfer of data which is necessary to play together is quite low, because most data, i.e. game graphics and sound, is locally stored on each player’s hard disk. H. Prüller’s network competitors People play against each other around the globe. The “e-sportsmen” even compete against each other in tournaments and Movies from computer games? Yes, that’s something readers of the .at-magazine have certainly heard before. There have always been computer games that were based on real Hollywood movies, and fans from all over the world were eager to buy posters, movie requisites, the DVD including the cut scenes and director interviews, as well as the corresponding computer game. The times have changed, and the computer games industry has not only become more creative, it also has a decisive advantage: Hollywood movie proI don’t think ducers often have to search for he loves me anymore! the appropriate actor for months, while the gaming industry just designs its own character in a graphic studio – a powerful 3-D animation is no longer an exception, it has rather become the rule. In the meantime, more and more movies are produced that are based on computer games. But things seem to become more bizarre, as there a creative masterminds who have recently influenced the scene even more noticeable than the professional gamers on their joysticks, mice and keyboards. Computer gamers cooperatively make their own “movies” using “in-game material”, which are mostly movie shorts that are available on the Internet. Sounds weird and it actually is. The technical production is not very difficult. The monitor display of one player who observes the scene is filmed, while the other players act according to the script, which is usually in contrast to the game’s original purpose. For example, there are ballet dances in military games, performed by the players who move synchronously according to the rhythm of a music added to the video. And there are other fanciful ideas, like movie scenes that are imitated in a computer game environment. Readers of the .at-magazine can find some of these rather entertaining videos on the .at-magazine website. Just click on the links and enter the movie world of computer gamers… 7 Roland Vidmar Here is a first introduction, and the homepage of the .at-magazine offers even more: http://www.eurogamer.net/ One of the largest European gaming platforms that offers game critics and even SourceTV http://www.gamespot.com Gaming platform with a large community that also provides numerous reports about new computer games http://www.transbuddha.com/mediaHolder.php?id=601 A true ballet performance made by computer gamers… english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 28 }29 videostar.at In the last two issues of the .at-magazine our readers learned much about text blogs and audio blogs (also known as “podcast”). The time is due for users to enjoy even amateur-TV: The time of waiting is over – now everything is going to be filmed! This is basically all a vlogger needs. For those who want to start right now – here are a few tips from someone who already does it himself: It wasn’t before the end of 2004 that vlog – this is the correct abbreviation of video weblog – became popular in the Germanspeaking area. To be more specific: it was the 26th of December 2004. Horrible events happened that day, and just like podcasting and text weblog (i.e. the traditional blog type), the mass media was once again responsible for making this phenomenon so popular. The 26th of December 2004 will long be remembered by many tourists of South-East Asia: Tsunami. Because they didn’t have their own material due to the fact that their correspondents could not be reached, many TV broadcasting stations in Europe and America showed vlog sequences from tourists who had cameras and Internet connections. The consumers suddenly became the producers of television. It has often been the same with many phenomena of the wonderful wide world of the Internet: It’s not a brand-new thing. The first known “vlog” entry was quite unspectacular. On 27 November 2000 – so more than 5 years ago – Adrian Miles (University of Melbourne, Australia) published the first known “vlog” entry online. Even at those times, he clearly told the media theorists: A “vlog” isn’t a reincarnation of television, as there is no broadcasting (“streaming”), but the videos are provided for other users to be downloaded. Anyway, vlogs are obviously a sneaking revolution in the television society. Just like it happens everywhere in the Web, consumers are becoming producers – “prosuming” is the new trend of sending and receiving. Neo-programming directors walk through the streets using their webcams or video-compliant mobile phones. The range of vlogs seems to have no limits – they are flashy, documentary, satirical, political or private. While a group of vloggers show their creative skills as video editors, artists or visual designers, others make documentary blogs that are so weird and amusing that they even have their own groups of subscribers. Real subscribers. Just like a Podcast, a vlog can not only be viewed on the vlogger’s homepage, but can also be subscribed via iTunes, so the viewer needn’t miss a single broadcast. The system downloads the files from the Internet and the user can watch the vlog on his screen – according to his daily, weekly, or monthly subscription. While initially only few were “acquainted” with the medium, now there are hundreds and thousands who publish their videos on the Internet, and the “prosumers” are becoming more and more each day – without the need of a radio transmitter, broadcasting station or broadcasting license. The necessary technical equipment is no longer a problem for the typical technically equipped households: > > > > Internet connection Computer with video editing program Video camera Idea 1: Save the vlog as iPod compatible. The proper format is usually provided by the video program on your computer, as the potential audience has been increasing since Apple introduced iPodVideo on the market. Those who don’t have an iPod can open the file anyway. 2: Get some music – and don’t forget to observe the rights. Of course, it would be best to compose the music yourself. If you are not able to do this, just search for the “Creative Commons”. 3: Tell your friends immediately and remember the 1st issue of the .at-magazine: If you don’t have friends, you should have a vlog – if you’ve got many friends, you must have a vlog. Moreover, some constructive feedback is always a benefit for neo-TV producers. And now you are a part of them. In order that you don’t have to start from scratch, click on the website of the .at-magazine. There you can pick up some courage not only by watching things others have published but also by finding some relevant sources for your required material – even music. 7 Roland Vidmar english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 30 }31 The Internet has evolved so tremendously because it was boundless, because it was possible to communicate between distances and times, and because it provided access to information within the entire “global village”, even if it was thousands of kilometres away. Boundless, without barriers – that’s what the Internet is supposed to be. But up to now, this has only applied to those who were familiar with computers and who weren’t handicapped in some way. waigerecht.at “Accessible Internet websites” are about making the Internet and all its information available for all people – and they literally mean “all”, as they comply with the regulations of the “Web Accessibility Initiative” (“WAI”). This initiative, which consists of different persons, companies and associations, is a part of the so-called “World Wide Web Consortium“. This means that it can take part in the decisions regarding the function of HTML, which is the “computer language” that defines and designs Internet websites. The line of Braille Since 4 January 1809, there has even been a solution for blind people – just in time for the Internet. On this special day Louis Braille was born, the man who later developed the script that blind people have been learning all over the world. However, a printing that needs to be felt is not easily applicable for a computer, as perforating a monitor would definitely destroy it. So a different solution had to be found in order to make the Internet touchable. As of 2008, the “WAI” regulations will become binding for Austrian authorities and public organisations with regard to their websites. These guidelines define the properties and technologies that should allow all people to use such Internet websites, even those who are unable to move, spectacle wearers, users of older hardand software types, as well as deaf and blind persons. This group of persons with limited possibilities, who actually represent a very large user group, should benefit from the WAI guidelines. The “Braille display” reads out the text on the display screen and presses the letters against the user’s fingers, according to the Braille script: 6 dots per letter, i.e. 3 lines with 2 dots each are necessary. Everyone should take the opportunity of watching a blind Internet user surfing. You will be fascinated about how incredibly fast a blind Internet user is able to read the websites... but only those websites that are accessible, i.e. that correspond with the WAI guidelines. A website that does not meet these criteria would be completely useless for blind Internet users. Making a text larger and using a strong contrast will certainly help those who don’t have their glasses with them, who are (red-green) amblyopic or who have a different kind of visual impairment. Accessible websites already offer contrasts with different adjustments – the user is free to choose. The Austrian Blind Union provides such contrast adjustments on its website, and there are also other commercial and public institutions who have adopted this “label”. Mobile communication is becoming accessible! The technological advance in the mobile communication sector hasn’t only brought more (rather annoying) TV spots. Even if the developers had more in mind than just providing equal opportunities for everyone, people with special needs have also benefited from these developments – at least partially. Already back in December 2001, an internationally respected project of the “Post & Telestyrelsen” in Sweden, which was working by order of the Swedish government, started opening up the mobile communication sector for deaf people. mation, the use of broadband connections is the crucial factor – an area where the technical development of the recent years has significantly contributed to the realisation of human needs. The key element of this technology is the development of the so-called “3G” mobile telephony. This third generation of mobiles, which offers more than SMS and voice telephony, has a decisive advantage for people who are deaf: the transmission of video telephony. While lip-reading is quite difficult even for experienced lipreaders considering the low transfer rate and the inadequate smoothness, a solution would be the use of sign language and text. By the way, the mobile phone industry has also taken care of blind users: “Braillino” is a mobile phone which allows users to read SMS and other texts by means of Braille. In the future, the main challenge will be making graphical information, like city maps, available for blind people. And there are already masterminds who are working on new brilliant inventions – the right visions for people who cannot see have already removed many barriers. 7 In the years 2004 and 2005, the experiments of the project “Mobile video communications for people who are deaf“ was very successful, but the project leaders still continued their research. They started working on a central system that interprets data for deaf people which is transferred by signals via Internet Protocol (IP). Especially when audio information is replaced by video infor- Roland Vidmar english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 32 }33 leonardossecret.at He was a scientist, artist, philosopher and the namesake of a Ninja Turtle. Whenever Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t busy slitting open dead bodies or constructing war machines, he probably used to hide encrypted messages in paintings. The illegitimate son of a notary was doing research on almost everything he got hold of and, additionally, invented about eleven thousand things. And that’s what’s most special about it: The Italian universal genius agreed to an exclusive interview with the popular .at-magazine interview series with the greatest geniuses in world history. english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 34 Leonardo, you were much ahead of your times. If you could choose your birth date, how would you decide: 1452 or 2000? As tempting as it sounds to be born among all these new technologies and modern sources of wisdom, I would choose my original birthday, though. If you want to achieve something in science or research nowadays, you will have to concentrate on a tiny part, whereas I rather represent the all-rounder. This was the reason why I only finished a few of my paintings. While I’m busy painting the one day, I might devote myself to studying the female anatomy the other day. By the way, it is quite childish to laugh about my comments... I’m sorry. On the other hand, this century has opened a lot of doors that were still closed at those times. For example, I was not allowed to study at the university just because I was an illegitimate child. Another problem was the acquisition of dead bodies I needed for my autopsies. Back then, opening human corpses was considered a sacrilege, and I had to secretly exhume my research objects from the graveyard – in the dark. Nowadays, I could kill two birds with one stone. But anyway, I’m glad that I wasn’t born in the year 2000, as I would be only five years old now and I certainly wouldn’t be here to talk to you. Yes, you could be right. But now you see how the world has changed. Did many of your prognoses prove true? At least some of them. For example, I predicted that there will be carriages that are “not drawn by an animal and move with unimaginable power”. In fact, your rusty car doesn’t really represent an unimaginably powerful vehicle, but you finally got the basic principle. Concerning the exchange of information, I would probably have imagined a steam-powered carrier pigeon in my obscurest dreams, whereas the Internet in its current form exceeds all my speculations. I have never bothered publishing my inventions. Now it would be possible to spread my ideas easily via World Wide Web, and I could sell my paintings in an online shop. In 2004, Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code” was published. The thriller was translated into 44 languages and sold millionfold. Many people believe in the story and accuse you of giving details about the private life of Jesus in your paintings. How are you dealing with these accusations? To be honest, I originally included even more hints in “The Last Supper”, but my sponsor instructed me to paint over the unicorns and space ships. To the right and left of Jesus there is neither John nor Maria Magdalena but Paris Hilton after a time travel. And concerning encoded messages, I still need some practical experience. The people should stop searching for possible conspiratorial elements in every detail, and they should rather see my paintings as what they really are: invaluable artwork. You don’t seem to have a lack of self-confidence. Why are you so sure of yourself? I painted my first angel in “The Baptism of Christ”. When I showed it to my former teacher Verrocchio, he dropped his paint-brush and never touched it again. I think that was quite motivating for me. You are an animal lover, vegetarian and pacifist – so you are a real softie. Why does someone like you decide to create deadly war machines? I was young and needed the money. Well, I was not that young, but I needed the money anyway. But according to my records… Okay, I actually was quite rich my entire life, but in order to please you: war machines turn me on. Well, I think it’s enough for now – I’m busy. I’m just chatting with some da Vinci experts about the question whether Mona Lisa is a man or a woman and if her smile is the sign of a Far Eastern sect. I guess they have some quite hilarious suggestions... Thank you for the conversation. 7 IMPRESSUM: Copyright holder, editor and publisher: nic.at Internet Verwaltungs- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. Jakob-Haringer-Straße 8/V, A-5020 Salzburg Place of publishing, production and publication: Vienna Verlagspostamt: 5020 Salzburg Printer: „agens ketterl“ Druckerei GmbH Editorial staff: David Mock, Monika Kerck (legend/PLEON Publico), Christian Strasser Interneteditor: Roland Vidmar (echonet) Art direction: Dieter Lebisch Responsible for the content: Richard Wein, Robert Schischka requests.complaints.suggestions. plus.even.more.info.concerning.the. articles.of.this.issue.enter.the.urls. of.the.headlines.and.at: www.at-magazin.at english(04).at 07.02.2006 12:17 Uhr Seite 36 .rebmun 40 ta.ta-noisrev-hsilgne )selif.fdp.hsilgne.daolnwod( Zn: 04Z035786M. Verlagspostamt 5020 Salzburg, P.b.b. morf.seirots ten.eht tenretni.eht morf.enizagam ta.cin