One-Way Versus Two-Way Videotex

One-way and two-way videotex are often claimed to be more or less competing services, particularly if dedicated channels are used for the broadcast variety. In this paper we will try to dispel this notion. We will try to demonstrate that not only are the two services somewhat complementary in nature but that videotex will increase its potential by choosing a balanced combination of the two services. We also study the likely market penetration of videotex based on the speed of penetration of other communications-oriented services in the past and draw some conclusions how they might influence the market penetration of videotex systems and services

Public-Key Cryptosystems, Telesoftware and Other Novel Applications of Videotex

Telephone-based videotex systems are slowly changing from systems based on numeric, menu-type access methods that permit only information retrieval and limited message sending to more sophisticated, multiuser, interactive, transactional systems. This is partly due to the concept of adding external computers to the videotex network and partly due to the emergence of more intelligent terminals. In this paper, some major application areas that have been made possible by these developments, but have not yet received the attention they merit, are discussed in some detail: teleplaying, telegambling, telesoftware, telecomputing, and public-key cryptosystems. We maintain, and try to demonstrate, that these areas will significantly influence the market penetration and social impact of videotex. A number of the applications discussed will be available in Austria's videotex trial by September 82, making Austria the first country to offer such services on a nationwide videotex system

Printing without Paper?

More and more information is being read from cathode ray tube (CRT) screens. Despite improvements in many areas--display technology, readability of character sets, usable amount of information on a frame, software for handling pages--a glaring fact remains: Reading and browsing through information is still more pleasant using a stack of sheets of paper than using a display screen and electronically stored information. Yet, the preparation of hard-copy pages for once-only (or never) reading seems expensive and wasteful. It is our contention that this need not be the case if new concepts, such as printing on demand, and a concept we shall call multi-time paper (M-paper, for short) are used

On Alphabetic Searching in Videotex Systems

Of the four major types of interactive videotex systems currently being tested (Telidon, Teletel, Captains and Prestel-like) only one (Teletel) permits the use of alphabetic keywords for searching. It is contended that alphabetic keyword searching should be incorporated into future videotex systems. Methods of alphabetic keyword searching in the absence of alphanumeric keyboards are then discussed. A novel technique which has recently been implemented on Prestel-like systems is proposed as an interim solution until genuine alphabetic searching becomes available