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To avoid traffic jams that frequently clog the Internet today, the US universities are planning for Internet II, a new super fast, national network system. The leading research universities of nearly 60 countries are designing the network for a new class of applications. The network will have speeds 10 times as fast as today's Net. Internet II is being developed to give US universities a broadband connections which can easily accommodate distance learning presentations, video conferencing, and online collaborative research, says J Gary Auguston, executive director of computer systems at Penn State, USA and chairman of the national Internet II steering committee.

The network can dispatch an entire encyclopedia in 10 seconds at a speed of 600 million bits per second. The first prototype Internet II is a high speed, high band-width link which has been installed in the campus of the Penn State. The network runs between computer and engineering buildings.

Bay watch The use of Internet in New Zealand will enable port authorities to spot boats making illegal discharges and researchers to track subtle changes on foreshores without leaving their labs. A video system is being installed at beaches and ports through out the country.

Each unit consists of a video camera, a computer and a modem linked to a phone line. Solar panels have been set up to provide power to the system. Images and data taken by the units from poles and buildings, will be sent to the central computer at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The images will be stored for scientific analysis and then immediately transferred to the NIWA's site at http://www.niwa.cri. nz. Net surfers, fishermen, scientists and local officials can use the web site for collecting information about a particular beach.

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