Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : CheckFree (CKFR) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: chirodoc who wrote (1005)	12/18/1997 1:10:00 PM
From: pat mudge	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 8545

[IBM and e-commerce in today's IBD] <<< Capital Agenda: E-Business Tops Big Blue's Plans Date: 12/18/97 Author: Genevieve E. Wilkinson Electronic commerce is changing business and establishing new relationships among customers and suppliers. Technology leaders such as International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have jumped on the e-commerce bandwagon. They market products and services for cyber-commerce. IBM, with a broad strategy and a $200 million ad campaign for what it calls ''E-business,'' has been among the most aggressive in promoting electronic commerce on Capitol Hill. Christopher Caine, vice president of IBM's government programs, recently spoke with IBD about Big Blue's lobbying plans for the coming year. IBD: What tops IBM's '98 legislative agenda? Caine: The focal point will be to support policies that help electronic commerce grow and become more of a reality than it is today. IBD: What aspects of e-commerce will you address specifically? Caine: We've identified five principle issues that are being addressed by policy-makers and by IBM and other people in the high-technology industry. First, access to a robust information infrastructure, and in particular access to high-capacity bandwidth at local levels. Second, the concept of tax neutrality, so that doing business on the Internet isn't discriminated against by tax policies in a way that would be disadvantageous to its growth. Third, constructing a proper legal framework for how terms and conditions and contracts are conducted in cyberspace. Fourth, security and encryption. How do we instill trust in people that the business they do over the Internet is as secure as - if not more secure than - the business they do physically? Fifth, privacy in the form of protection of personal data - a person's name, phone number, age, likes and dislikes. Improving business and consumer confidence is important to us. IBD: What laws and regulations need loosening? Caine: The area of access to a competitive telecommunications infrastructure. There is a strong belief on our part that we want to accelerate competition for high-capacity bandwidth so that people can get access to the Internet and other networks. The more competition we have, the more capability we will be putting into the marketplace and the greater the price competition that will exist. It's important to recognize that in the area of electronic commerce, because it is a newly emerging area, there are many things that need to be allowed to develop more, rather than things that need to be overturned or loosened. Government officials are becoming more aware of the issues involved, and to their credit they are saying they want the private sector to lead. I think there is a greater attitude to want to be helpful than to be restrictive right now. IBD: Has the Clinton administration supported e-commerce? Caine: President Clinton and Vice President Gore understand the new economy quite well and are accessible to people who want to help them think through what the social dimensions are of the new economy. So I think they have taken a very good approach to how government can help the promise of a new economy unfold . . . in moving to a digital economy from a more physical economy. I would give them pretty high marks. We are trying to work with the administration to understand the proper policy balance that needs to be struck in the area of encryption. IBD: How much cooperation is there among tech companies in lobbying? Caine: There are issues that one company may feel a little more strongly about than another, but by and large the computer industry has the same set of issues they are concerned about. Capital Agenda: E-Business Tops Big Blue's Plans Date: 12/18/97 Author: Genevieve E. Wilkinson Electronic commerce is changing business and establishing new relationships among customers and suppliers. Technology leaders such as International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have jumped on the e-commerce bandwagon. They market products and services for cyber-commerce. IBM, with a broad strategy and a $200 million ad campaign for what it calls ''E-business,'' has been among the most aggressive in promoting electronic commerce on Capitol Hill. Christopher Caine, vice president of IBM's government programs, recently spoke with IBD about Big Blue's lobbying plans for the coming year. IBD: What tops IBM's '98 legislative agenda? Caine: The focal point will be to support policies that help electronic commerce grow and become more of a reality than it is today. IBD: What aspects of e-commerce will you address specifically? Caine: We've identified five principle issues that are being addressed by policy-makers and by IBM and other people in the high-technology industry. First, access to a robust information infrastructure, and in particular access to high-capacity bandwidth at local levels. Second, the concept of tax neutrality, so that doing business on the Internet isn't discriminated against by tax policies in a way that would be disadvantageous to its growth. Third, constructing a proper legal framework for how terms and conditions and contracts are conducted in cyberspace. Fourth, security and encryption. How do we instill trust in people that the business they do over the Internet is as secure as - if not more secure than - the business they do physically? Fifth, privacy in the form of protection of personal data - a person's name, phone number, age, likes and dislikes. Improving business and consumer confidence is important to us. IBD: What laws and regulations need loosening? Caine: The area of access to a competitive telecommunications infrastructure. There is a strong belief on our part that we want to accelerate competition for high-capacity bandwidth so that people can get access to the Internet and other networks. The more competition we have, the more capability we will be putting into the marketplace and the greater the price competition that will exist. It's important to recognize that in the area of electronic commerce, because it is a newly emerging area, there are many things that need to be allowed to develop more, rather than things that need to be overturned or loosened. Government officials are becoming more aware of the issues involved, and to their credit they are saying they want the private sector to lead. I think there is a greater attitude to want to be helpful than to be restrictive right now. . . . >>> For full text, go to: investors.com