Digital Equipment Corp has announced a program to replicate its existing AltaVista World Wide Web site across the world, to give it what the company describes as a local feel. Details of the mirror sites are to be announced later this year but according to Dr David Probert, DEC’s European Internet business manager, many PTT and telephone manufactures around the world have expressed an interest. The partners will work closely with DEC and will be expected to invest in its AltaVista technology. In return it has been suggested that operators are to be authorized to offer advertisement sites to third parties – something DEC has distanced itself from since the launch of the search engine five months ago. DEC is also said to be in the process of enhancing AltaVista’s search and workflow capabilities. More announcements are expected next quarter, but the company’s vice-president of the Connectivity Software Business Unit Ilene Lang said of the recent announcements, DEC’s Internet software business is open for business, anywhere on earth, or in cyberspace.
