Do network protocols, high speed
telecommunications lines, video conferencing, and mobile computing have any practical
relevance for most of us? The answer is a resounding yes! According to the most recent
surveys, 11 million Americans were telecommuting--working from their homes--in 1997; by
2000 about 14 million people are expected to be telecommuting. Network protocols, high
speed telecommunications, and new applications are making this shift from office work to
home work possible. The benefits of telecommuting are legion. Experts claim that
telecommuting can decrease traffic congestion and air pollution; reduce stress and help
promote a balance between work and personal life; and increase productivity and reduce
overhead costs. Telecommute America! at www.att.com/Telecommute_America/index.html
is the Web site of a public-private initiative developed to educate people about
telecommuting. At this Web site you can find information about telecommuting, view visual
examples of telecommuting jobs, and find links to other telecommuting resources on the
Internet. The Advocates for Remote Employment and the Virtual Office Web site at www.globaldialog.com/~morse/arevo/index.htm
lists the many benefits of telecommuting, provides some advice on how to set up an office
for remote employment, and provides links to additional resources on the Internet. There
are two professional organizations for people interested in telecommuting, The
International Telework Association at www.telecommute.org/
and The American Telecommuting Association at www.knowledgetree.com/ata.html. At
Extreme Telecommuting, www.officeodyssey.com/,
you can follow the odyssey of Sid and Kristanne, who telecommuted across North America in
1997.
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