INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FORUM AT THE
FOREST PRODUCTS SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING
PORTLAND, OREGON
Thanks to everybody who responded, exchanged ideas and gave us their
support, all of which helped in putting this meeting together.
We would like to invite you:
Information Technology Forum
6-8 PM
Monday June 26
in the Sellwood Room at the Red Lion Hotel/Lloyd Center
Mission of this meeting is to exchange ideas on information technology
and discuss where we want to go with these ideas and issues in the future
in our industry.
This information can be also found on Louisiana Forest Products
Laboratory World Wide Web Server: http://www.lsu.edu/~wwwlfpl/index.html
PROGRAM
6:00 - 6:10 pm Opening Remarks (Joe Massey, keynote speaker)
6:10 - 6:25 pm How to get connected to the Internet (Stephen Shaler)
6:25 - 6:40 pm World Wide Web (Rado Gazo)
6:40 - 6:55 pm PURSUING GOLD: Libraries and other Internet treasures
(Doreen Liberty)
6:55 - 7:10 pm Marketing on the Internet (Martin J. Desmond)
7:10 - 7:25 pm Education and Internet-Distance Learning (Thomas Elder)
7:25 - 8:00 pm Information Technology Wrapup (Discussion led by Rich
Vlosky)
Biographies and abstracts of presenters:
Stephen Shaler
Abstract
How To Get Connected to the Internet
Connecting your computer to the Internet is becoming simpler as the
number of providers and popularity of this resource explodes.
Hardware and software needs for residential, commercial, and university
users are described. Examples for PC and UNIX workstations will be given,
along with costs. Once connected, the two most common programs include
telnet and ftp. Available commercial and free software to accomplish
these functions will be listed. Additionally, the potential of desktop
conferencing software to allow visual, audio, and graphical collaboration
between geographically distributed users will be presented. This
functionality will be illustrated using the InPerson software package,
running on multiple Silicon Graphics workstations.
Biography
Stephen Shaler is an Associate Professor of Wood Science and Technology
at the University of Maine. He received his B.S. and M.S. from Colorado
State University, and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. Steve
avidly applies computer technology including data and image acquisition,
image processing, mathematical modeling, and visualization techniques,
to research problems. His favorite computer platform is a Silicon Graphics
workstation, but has been known to use Intel hardware, as long as it is
running Linux.
steve@pith.umenfa.maine.edu
Doreen Liberty
Abstract
`PURSUING GOLD: Libraries and Other Internet Treasures`
The Internet has changed the way many of us work as well as the people
and organizations that we work and interact with. As Internet travelers,
we are faced with learning new, and constantly changing complex skills.
Yet often as we embark on our journey along this new and fascinating
`highway`, we quickly discover the lack of a concise road map to assist
in locating the elusive `pot of information gold` that we seek. The trip
can be an exciting, or most frustrating experience. As librarians, it is
our role to provide the right information, to the right people, at the
right time and while access to the Internet has increased the quantity of
accessible information exponentially, how does one quickly locate quality
information amongst the vast quantity? The goal of this presentation is
to provide a `mini-map` to some of the resources and libraries located on
my Internet journeys that may be of interest and assistance to other Internet
travelers in the forest products industry.
Biography
Doreen Liberty is an information professional with more than 22 years of
experience in both academic and special library environments. For the
past 14 years she has been employed by Forintek Canada Corp.`s Eastern
Laboratory, originally in Ottawa, Ontario and presently in Sainte-Foy,
Quebec. Her interest in computers and information began in 1981 and has
provided many interesting career opportunities and roles -- from
participation in the first international biotechnology computer
conference in 1981, through software application and database development,
to utilizing Internet resources to increase library productivity,
services and knowledge. As an Internet user, she has both an appreciation
for the wealth of resources available, as well as an interest in seeing
a definitive access point for the many and varied resources relating to
the forest products industry.
Doreen.Liberty@qc.forintek.ca
Martin J. Desmond
Abstract
Marketing on the Internet is a maze of contradictions, blind alleys, few
measuring tools, and unknown opportunities. As the Internet makes a
transition from a government/educational network to a more commercial
network, companies that wish to explore the marketing potential through
the Internet need to develop a strategy. Presently, the trick is how to
advertise and market on the Internet without looking like your company is
advertising and marketing. Overt commercialism will generate lots of
flame mail.
Martin Desmond, president of ForestNet, will discuss low-key strategies
to advertise your company's products and services through the careful and
selective use of UseNet discussion groups and mailing lists. He will
discuss how to respond to inquiries of help posted by users that are
seeking information, products, or services. Desmond will describe how to
set up a mailing list and how to use a personal e-mail address for
marketing. Desmond will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
setting up a Web page presence on the Internet. WEB pages can generate
lots of traffic if users know how to "surf" or find the Web page. WEB
pages can provide information about products and services of your
company. Desmond will also discuss the costs of setting up a Web page.
Marketing on the Internet is akin to the Wild, Wild West of the last
century. Some gold miners and explorers became quite wealthy while others
did not ever find the elusive gold nuggets. This presentation will
hopefully save the participant several trips into blind alleys as
everyone tries to figure out how to best market on the Internet.
Biography
Martin J. Desmond is president of ForestNet, Inc. He was born in
Hartford, Connecticut in 1952. Somehow, he managed to graduate with an
English degree at the University of California, San Diego. He has worked
as a seasonal forestry technician for the US Forest Service and National Park
Service for seven seasons. He worked as the business manager for Skookum
Reforestation for three years before establishing Forestry Financial
Services. Forestry Financial Services has provided staffing services for
the Northwest Reforestation Contractors Association for six years. ForestNet
was incorporated by 1994 by Mr. Desmond and two other partners.
mdesmond@forestnet.com
Richard Vlosky
Abstract
Rich will lead a discussion on how information from a variety of sources
might be made available from a single location through the use of
hyperlinks and other communication connections.
Biography
Richard Vlosky has worked in marketing and product line management for
Plum Creek Timber Company, an integrated wood products company located in
the Pacific Northwest United States; as general manager for a bar code
products and service provider and; vice-president sales and marketing
for a technology based information company. His Masters of Science degree
is in international forest products trade and economics and he has a B.S.
in Natural Resources and Forestry Management. Dr. Vlosky has a doctorate
in wood products marketing at the Pennsylvania State University where he
was involved in researching competitive technology strategies for
domestic and international wood products producers and distribution
intermediaries. He is currently Assistant Professor of Forest Products
Marketing at the Louisiana Forest Products Laboratory, Louisiana State
University Agricultural Center where he is researching competitive
factors for the forest products industry and communication technologies.
vlosky@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
Rado Gazo
Abstract
Setting-up World Wide Web server can be easier than you think. Hands-on
approach how to design and create your own WWW site with minimal effort
will be demonstrated. Hypertext format and programs which will help you
write in this format will be discussed. Accessing WWW via SLIP connection
as well as without it (over the modem) and some network browsers will be
explained.
Biography
Rado Gazo received his M.S. in Economics and Management of Forest
Products Industry in 1989 from Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia
and Ph.D. in Forest Resources in 1994 from Mississippi State University.
Rado Gazo worked as an researcher at Technical University in Zvolen,
Slovakia and at Mississippi Forest Products Laboratory, Mississippi State
University. Currently, he works as a post-doctoral researcher at
Louisiana Forest Products Laboratory, Louisiana State University in Baton
Rouge, LA. His background includes forest products, computer programming,
industrial engineering, business and management. His research interests
include computer simulation and its application to forest products
manufacturing, electronic databases and internet communicating.
rgazo@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
Thomas Elder
Abstract
During the very recent past there has been a veritable explosion of
resources available through the Internet. Educational applications of
such a technology has tremendous potential with concomitant advantages
and unanswered questions. A virtual classroom in wood science/forest
products could provide students with lecture materials, visual aids,
interactive experiments, and audio/visual demonstrations of industrial
processes. As faculties are downsized, the expertise available within
a given academic department becomes limited. Internet access to courses
in the various disciplines would obviate this problem. Regardless of a
student's geographic location, he or she could be exposed to the most
current information available, presented by recognized leaders in a given
topic area, in an extremely cost-efficient manner, and without the time or
scheduling constraints that can be associated with conventional
instruction. These methods are currently in use on the internet within
other educational contexts, and will be discussed. Complicating the
educational and technological opportunities, however, are the inevitable
legal ramifications, associated with questions on intellectual property
rights, which will be briefly addressed.
Biography
bs-southern methodist university
mf-stephen f. austin state university
phd-texas a&m university
assistant professor auburn university-1979-1985
associate professor auburn university 1985-present
elder@Forestry.Auburn.edu
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