Business Help
The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) has established a Business Practices Committee Web site on the
Internet at http://sunsite.unc.edu/nppa/biz/bizprac.html. Lots of good information from ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and links to other sites containing copyright and related information. If you're really into it, the Stanford University library is working with the Council on Library Resources to compile an electronic archive of information on copyright law in an effort to keep everyone aware of the ongoing debate over the "fair use" doctrine. Their URL, http://fairuse.stanford.edu, contains the full text of court decisions, legislation and international copyright agreements, as well as related articles on the topic.

NEXT GENERATION DVD GETS CLOSER TO REALITY
Remember when DAT (Digital Audio Tape) was the big thing, offering crystal- clear audio recording and playback, but was held up for a long time in the U.S. while the entertainment industry tried to figure out how to protect their products from being easily copied? Well, same song, different city for Digital Video Disk technology. An agreement has now been reached that defines the encryption system and paves the way for DVD sales later this year. Says Time Warner, Inc.'s Warren Lieberfarb, "It gives an enhanced level of security that we have never had before." That's good news for all of us in the "visual arts" fields.

SHIPPING VIA THE INTERNET
Many photobuyers and photographers prefer to use express delivery services for shipping slides, etc. While most of these companies offer tracking services via the Internet, FedEx allows you to prepare your shipping documents on-line at http://www.fedex.com (it'll even dispatch a courier to your location!). You'll need a FedEx account (call 1-800-463-3339), internet shipments are currently limited to U.S. locations, and you'll need a laser printer to print the labels. Check out their site for complete details.

WEBTV
Yep, that's the big push for this holiday-buying season. Both Phillips and Sony are pushing hard for their TV set-top boxes, which allows the TV to serve as a connection to the Internet using a remote from the comfort of your favorite easychair. E-mail capability makes it attractive for the neophyte, but the hardware isn't cheap (starting at over $300 just for the "box") and you still have to pay for an Internet connection. What IS fascinating is that both Sony and Phillips are using the SAME WebTV network on-line service (it was co-developed by them).

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