Foreign Web Sites and Gateways

By Dr. Steve O'Neil, N'Fusion, Inc.

As we enter the real 21^st century, it's time once again to take a look at what's ahead. In years gone by, Bird-Doggin' has focused largely on hard resource sites for design engineers.
With the broadening of interest in all things Web, and the increasing incursion of the Internet into daily life and business, we will look this year at some broader technologies such as conferencing, wireless applications, and innovative applications that the world at large is finding for this new communications medium. Of course, you are invited to suggest items of interest you would like to see in this column. Just send me an e-mail.

Find country- and industry-specific information quickly with Search Engine Colossus.

One request made by readers with increasing frequency is to provide information on how to access sites and searching resources which address concerns outside of our immediate environment. This is a timely request, as Internet research firms estimate that by the year 2005, more than half the Web users in the world will be using languages other than English. In fact, according to the e-newsletter Iconocast, based on a March 2000 survey by Computer Economics Research, the Asia-Pacific region will displace Europe as the 2^nd largest Internet region by 2003. Contemporaneous surveys by Nielsen/NetRatings conclude that by 2003 China will place third, while overall Internet penetration will be highest in New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore with 34%, 32%, and 29% respectively.

When one thinks of international destinations, the first that usually spring to mind are the U.S.-originated hybrids such as http://www.lycos.fr for France, http://www.excite.co.uk for the U.K., and like sites for Italy, Germany, China, etc. While these sites can provide useful general information, they seldom include substantial local content. Rather, they are restricted to news headlines, interest group chat, the weather, and so forth.

One step in the right direction has been the development of local sites in both English and native languages. The preponderance of these sites is for European and Asian/Pacific Rim destinations, with South America and the Middle East rounding out the selection. Among these, AsiaSource http://www.OneRS.net/101df-540 -- sponsored by the Asia Society -- does a credible job of providing not only the standard news and calendar functions, but also mapping, statistical, business, database, language, and search resources. A subscription model is available.

Search Engines Worldwide http://www.OneRS.net/101df-541 is also a broad source of information on countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe --149 of them as of this writing. Click on a country name, and a page comes up giving you direct links to that country. Selections not only include the familiar Yahoo-type resources, but also native language and country specialty engines, forums, and search engine discussion groups. As a product of the Coal Mining Engineer you will expect, and find, good content links on mining, civil engineering, energy, and many things geo-. It also offers searching capabilities and a mailing list features for you to receive site update information.

Search Engine Colossus http://www.OneRS.net/101df-542 is another of my favorites, especially when I need to do some quick background searching for country- and industry-specific information. While it contains many of the engines listed in Search Engines Worldwide, it also has others which SEW does not have (and vice versa).

Orientation http://www.OneRS.net/101df-543 is a third resource I use in combination with those above. In addition to the standard news, weather, and travel fare, this site offers information by country or continent, chat rooms, business and trade directories, health, science-technology sections, and even a section on the Internet and computers. Searching the various Web sections gives the visitor a summary of individual sites, together with their country of origin, and what the language of the site is. In the course of bumbling through their contents, I found more than 6,000 engineering sites and service providers on my last visit.

As useful as these sites are, they are no substitute for focused sites offering the user information directly related to his or her area of interest. While it is impossible to list the hundreds of sites that relate to engineering and design disciplines, a representative sample is in order. For our neighbors to the north, the Canadian Engineering Network http://www.OneRS.net/101df-544 is a good start. Canadian focused, the site has an extensive list of links to engineering and consulting firms, universities, government organizations and offices, manufacturers, and other engineering organizations and associations.

Locate electrical engineering books in Spanish at Revista Espaņola de Electronica.

On the Spanish language front, the Revista Espaņola de Electronica http://www.OneRS.net/101df-545 lets you browse the current edition as well as search for technical books available on the Web (usually for purchase). Topics include computers, electrical engineering, CAD/CAM, microprocessor technology, and dozens of others. The component locator site Chip Directory http://www.OneRS.net/101df-546 is another site useful source those doing engineering research and development. Originally accessed through the "Japanlink" system, the site directly links you to hard-to-find domestic and foreign sources of connectors, capacitors, diodes, etc.

One word of warning. Be expected to download numerous "language packs" if you want to access foreign language sites. There are several "translator" engines, most of which are associated with search engines. These are not very reliable, and while they may give you some idea of the content of a site, they are, for the most part, literal translation software engines that don't have any comprehension of foreign words in context. The old fashioned way (using a native speaking translator) is still the way to go.

Steve O'Neil, Ph.D. is President of N'Fusion, Inc., an editorial and Internet consultancy which aids technology companies in integrating their print and online strategies, improving advertising and branding accountability, and building end-to-end e-commerce solutions. The company is headquartered in the Tampa Bay, FL area with offices and affiliates throughout the US, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Steve can be reached at stephenjo@earthlink.net or 727-742-9169.