Interview of December 21, 1998

= How did using the Internet change your professional life?

I can't imagine my professional life without the Internet. Most of my
communication is now via e-mail. I've been using email for the last 20 years,
most of that time to keep in touch with colleagues in a very narrow field. Since
the explosion of the Internet, and especially the invention of the Web, I
communicate mainly by e-mail. Most of my presentations are now on the Web and
the courses I teach are all web-extended. All the details of my Silicon Valley
Tours are on the Web. Without the Internet we wouldn't be able to function. And
I use the Internet is as a giant database. I can find information today with the
click of a mouse.

= How do you see the future?

I think I'll be relying more and more on it for information and activities
related to my work. As for languages, I'm delighted there are so many offerings
in the original language now. I much prefer to read the original with difficulty
than getting a bad translation.

= How do you see the growth of a multilingual Web?

I see multilingualism as a very important issue. Local communities that are on
the Web should principally use the local language for their information. If they
want to present it to the world community as well, it should be in English too.
I see a real need for bilingual websites.

*Interview of August 23, 1999

= What do you think of the debate about copyright on the Web?

It is an important issue and will be solved like in the past with all new
technologies.

= How do you see the growth of a multilingual Web?

There are two main categories on the Web in my opinion. The first one is the
global outreach for business and information. Here the language is definitely
English first, with local versions where appropriate. The second one is local
information of all kinds in the most remote places. If the information is meant
for people of an ethnic and/or language group, it should be in that language
first with perhaps a summary in English. We have seen lately how important these
local websites are -- in Kosovo and Turkey, to mention just the most recent
ones. People were able to get information about their relatives through these
sites.

= What is your best experience with the Internet?

Getting pictures directly from space (Jupiter).

= And your worst experience?

Information overload. I get too much and I do not have the tools yet to get only