Internet Service on White House

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

                         THE WHITE HOUSE
                   OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
_________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY, October 20, 1994                 CONTACT: 202-456-7035






    VICE PRESIDENT UNVEILS FIRST INTERACTIVE CITIZENS'HANDBOOK
    Internet Service on White House, Administration Provides
                Multimedia Electronic Information


     WASHINGTON --  In an effort to make government information
more readily accessible to citizens across the country, Vice
President Gore, joined by Associate Director for Techology in the
Office of Science and Technology Policy, Lionel S. (Skip) Johns
and world-renowned artist Peter Max, today (10/20) unveiled the
first interactive, multimedia, electronic citizens' handbook on
the White House, including detailed information about Cabinet-
level and independent agencies, and information about the First
Family and the White House.


     "This first-of-its-kind program is an electronic roadmap to
the federal government -- a place on the information superhighway
where people can get needed information about government services
and where they can provide immediate feedback to the President,"
Vice President Gore said.


     "Welcome to the White House:  An Interactive Citizens'
Handbook" provides a single point of access to all electronic
government information on the Internet, a vast electronic
computer network used by people in more than 150 countries.
Examples of accessible material demonstrated at today's event
include information about the President and Vice President and
their families, a virtual tour of the White House, detailed
information about Cabinet-level and independent agencies, a
subject-searchable index of federal information, and a map of
Washington, D.C.


     By using free software such as Mosaic, developed by the
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, a person can
access this information through a multimedia interface which
includes photographs, audio, and "hotlinks" in the text that take
the user to related areas of interest.  It also is accessible by
individuals who are hearing or sight-impaired through the use of
Lynx, special software developed by the University of Kansas.
For those individuals without a computer, the information will be
accessible through public libraries, designated businesses, non-
profit organizations, schools, universities, and museums.




                      [more]







     The service promotes interaction and participation between
citizens and their federal government.  It is part of President
Clinton and Vice President Gore's vision to create a National
Information Infrastructure -- a seamless web of communications
networks that will forever change the way we live, learn, work
and communicate with each other.
_________________________________________________________________


"Welcome to the White House" can be accessed at:


                http://www.whitehouse.gov


After the Vice President concludes his remarks.


                      30-30-30-30






____________________________________________________________________________
                               Jonathan P. Gill
                               Special Projects
                           Office of Media Affairs
The White House                                               (202) 456-7150
____________________________________________________________________________