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Name:
Eric Schiller
Web address: http://www.chesscity.com
Why
did you get on the web?
Chess related services: promotion, organization, training
and instruction (chesscity.com);
and linguistic consulting (chessworks.com/ling).
Next year natural language processing will be a higher priority.
What
do you like most about the web?
I like the speed of access to information.
What do you like least about
the web?
Bogus
indexing. Spammers do serious harm to the web by falsely indexing
their sites in irrelevant categories.
They destroy the main purpose of the web and create
a high ratio between amount of work and effectiveness of promotion,
which should not be necessary. I think that there will be
a groundswell of support for radical anti-spam tactics in
the coming years. I support the activities of the Black Guard,
and hope that similar efforts will teach the spammers a lesson
they will not be able to forget.
What
for
you is the most useful web technology?
XML.
It will change everything! The combination of XML and Java
seems ideal for the presentation of information. And Unicode,
which still needs more support.
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Why do you use Fusion?
Great flexibility, Fusion allows me to mix and match
technologies. I use HTML, XML, Java, JavaScript, and, of course,
Coolmaps components. I have to say I am getting a bit frustrated
with Fusion's need to regenerate the entire site every time
I want to publish or preview, as this takes up to ten minutes
on my 300 MHz P2. It is a very big site. I've discussed the
problem with them, and perhaps we'll see an improved publishing
facility in future releases. I find myself using more and
more external HTML just because it is much faster to edit,
preview and publish.o:p>
What are your
websites?
I'm the editor of Chess City Magazine, chesscity.com,
which covers all aspects of chess and is sponsored by Cardoza
Publishing, who publishes many of my books. This is a large
site, and Fusion keeps it organized. I have a small company
website chessworks.com
for Chessworks Unlimited, which organizes and promotes
chess events. Tucked
in there is my linguistics site, chessworks.com/ling,
for my Linguistics Unlimited consulting services. That
site is also the major repository for work in the linguistic
framework, Auto lexical Grammar. What
future technologies are needed improve the web?
Scalability is going to be more of a problem as the
web population continues to grow. Voice and audio must play
a greater role, and be more tightly integrated into browsers.
Instant, online translation has been needed for a long time,
or at least, something to check and improve English for non-native
speakers. I hope that our work will contribute something to
this last point.
What is required for eCommerce to reach its full potential?
To start, eCommerce should rely less on credit cards.
We need a form of eCommerce that allows participation by all
segments of society. A purchaser should be able to transfer
funds directly from any bank account. The technology is here,
but the banks are not cooperating.
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What are the biggest
dangers posed by the net?
The net is accessed disproportionately by
the wealthy and middle-class. We risk alienating and cutting
off many citizens by limiting access. A greater danger is
the inherent ability of the net to convey false information.
This affects not only business (fraud) but also will have
a deep and disturbing impact on our political life. Newsgroups
are bad enough, but websites are even worse. An intelligent
person is relatively safe, but those less intellectually endowed
can easily be fooled. There has not been a case of a worldwide
religious cult...yet. Such things will come, and we will have
to deal with them without imposing censorship.
Are you working
on any innovative technology yourself?
Yes, we are building facilities for online chess
training, and instant translation of chess commentaries into
many languages, so that an online lecture can be appreciated
in the user's native language. We are also developing additional
applications based on the ALGAE framework of Auto lexical
Grammar as time and capital permit.
What are your five
favorite web sites?
espn.com,
abc.com,
sfgate.com,
dead.net,
developer.com.
My least favorite sites include cnn.com,
whose fragmentation and customization often overlooks major
stories; the World Chess Federation site (hopeless!) and the
US Chess
Federation site, which should hold a contest to see if
anyone can come up with a less functional design.
Do you think
the web will change the world?
It already has, significantly, and will continue
to do so, in ways that are both inspiring and terrifying.
There is too much information, not enough effective agents
to process it. That will change, in time.
What do you
do for fun?
I like to catch shows at the Fillmore, Warfield, Shoreline
or Great American Music Hall, esp. Phil Lesh & Friends.
Eating out in San Francisco. Playing chess, though that is more
of a profession than a hobby. Well, the Hawaii International
is mostly fun! Or just enjoying a rare sunny day on the coast
Thanks Eric!
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