Bill Hopkins is the Webmaster of PhotoSourceFolio* (www.photosourcefolio.com) and a regular contributor to PhotoStockNotes. Send comments via Email to wh@photosourcefolio.com. Fax: 1 818 831-0916. Or US Mail: PhotoStockNotes. (*Display 6 of your images on our Web site!) For on-line marketing questions, contact him on the Kracker Barrel at www.photosource.com/board

Copyright Registration Forms

The Library of Congress has copyright registration forms online in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format that you can download. Visit the government at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/forms. In order to view and/or print out the forms, you'll need to have the Acrobat reader installed on your computer (it's free from http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html). In addition, many other documents are available; some even come with instructions!

Clinton Backs Internet Tax Moratorium

President Clinton offered his support for the moratorium against new state and local taxes being levied on the Internet. It's a touchy issue, especially for all the state governors who fear large losses of local revenue as commerce moves out of the physical stores and into the vitural ones. (See Feb. PSN for more info).

All Is Not Equal (Yet)

Here's a surprise that was discovered during a month-long test of Internet Service Providers' (ISP) ability to avoid busy signals which was conducted last January. When comparing modem download speeds based on K56Flex technology connecting to K56Flex modems at ISPs, and X2 modems connecting to X2 modems at ISPs, the average download speed for K56Flex ports was about 30K, whereas for X2 ports, the average was around 45K. This should all even out as the 56K standard is approved and implemented. (Remember, speeds above 33.6K are one-way, download, only when using "regular modems" on ordinary phone lines.)

56K Standard Almost Here

In the beginning there was Rockwell's K56Flex and 3COM's X2 technology for faster downloads from Internet providers over regular phone lines (don't worry if the companies aren't familiar, there's been a merger or two). And the two were not compatible with one-another. The official standard, which both pledge to support, is about finalized. There will be a lag for current modem users with flash technology (downloadable software to update your modem) while the companies test out and debug the new software.

WebTV

Remember WebTV? Well, now that Microsoft has bought that company, a new product called WebTV Plus is out. The Plus? Much less expensive, faster, more powerful than the predecessor, and you can even hook up a printer. If you can find any (they're selling quickly) figure on paying around $150 (unit plus wireless keyboard), and about $20/month for the special Internet access required to use WebTV Plus. If you're one of the pioneers, let us know if you like it. Then again, you may want to wait till later in the year when broadcast/Web content is much more readily available.