[RRE]OCLC Research Project Measures Scope of Web (fwd)

[Gretchen Whitney]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 02:11:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Phil Agre <pagre at alpha.oac.ucla.edu>
To: Red Rock Eater News Service <rre at lists.gseis.ucla.edu>
Subject: [RRE]OCLC Research Project Measures Scope of Web

[Reformatted to 70 columns.]

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This message was forwarded through the Red Rock Eater News Service (RRE).
Send any replies to the original author, listed in the From: field below.
You are welcome to send the message along to others but please do not use
the "redirect" command.  For information on RRE, including instructions
for (un)subscribing, see http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/rre.html
or send a message to requests at lists.gseis.ucla.edu with Subject: info rre
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 13:41:53 -0400
From: "Makssour,Marifay" <makssoum at OCLC.ORG>
Reply-To: News Releases from OCLC <OCLC-NEWS at OCLC.ORG>
To: OCLC-NEWS at OCLC.ORG
Subject: OCLC Research Project Measures Scope of Web

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Edward O'Neill +1-614-764-6074
oneill at oclc.org
Nita Dean +1-614-761-5002
nita_dean at oclc.org

OCLC RESEARCH PROJECT MEASURES SCOPE OF THE WEB

DUBLIN, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1999--Researchers at OCLC have determined that
the World Wide Web has about 3.6 million sites, of which 2.2 million
are publicly accessible.  They also found that the largest 25,000
sites represent about 50 percent of the Web's content, and that the
number of sites and their size are climbing.

The project, conducted by the OCLC Office of Research, indicates that
the World Wide Web has approximately 2.2 million Web sites that offer
publicly accessible content.  These sites contain nearly 300 million
Web pages.

These results, obtained in June 1999 through OCLC's Web
Characterization Project, also show that significant portions of
the Web are not publicly accessible or do not offer meaningful
content.  About 400,000 Web sites can be considered "private," in
that they do not offer content that is accessible without fee or prior
authorization.  In addition, about 1 million sites are "provisional"
-- either in a transitory or unfinished state (e.g., the ubiquitous
"Under Construction" site) or have only content that, from a general
perspective, is meaningless or trivial.

Project findings indicate that adult content claims a small proportion
of the Web.  About two percent of the public sites--42,000 of the 2.2
million--contain sexually explicit material.

The mean size of a public Web site is about 129 pages, a 13 percent
increase over last year's estimate of 114 pages.  The Web is dominated
by a relatively small collection of "megasites"-- the largest 25,000
sites contain about 50 percent of all pages on public sites.

The number of public Web sites has approximately tripled in the
two-year period from June 1997 to June 1999, increasing from 800,000
to 2.2 million.

 "The Web has achieved the status of being one of the foremost
information resources available today," said Ed O'Neill, consulting
research scientist and manager of the Web Characterization
Project. "Because of the Web's importance to libraries around the
world, OCLC is committed to providing timely information that will
assist them in understanding the Web and using its content."

In addition to conducting independent Web research, project staff are
also working with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Characterization
Activity, a cross-industry group committed to the goal of promoting
the Web's evolution and ensuring its long-term interoperability and
robustness.

More information about the latest OCLC Office of Research Web
statistics and analysis is available at:
<http://www.oclc.org/oclc/research/projects/webstats/>.

Founded in 1978, the OCLC Office of Research is dedicated to research
that explores the place of the library in the changing technology
environment and develops tools that enhance the productivity of
libraries and their users.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC Online Computer Library Center
is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research
organization whose computer network and services link more than 34,000
libraries in 67 countries and territories.  OCLC is dedicated to the
public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and
reducing information costs.

In the United States, more information is available (via telephone:
+1-614-764-6000 or 1-800-848-5878; fax: +1-614-764-6096; or e-mail:
oclc at oclc.org).  In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, contact the
OCLC Europe office, located in Birmingham, United Kingdom (phone: +44
121 456 4656; fax: +44 121 456 4680; or e-mail: europe at oclc.org).  In
Asia and the Pacific region, contact the OCLC Asia Pacific office in
Dublin, Ohio (phone: +1-614-764-6189; fax: +1-614-764-4331; or e-mail:
asia_pacific_services at oclc.org).  In Canada, contact the OCLC Canada
office in Montreal, Quebec (phone: +1-450-658-6583 or 1-888-658-6583;
fax: +1-450-658-6231; or e-mail: canada at oclc.org).  In Latin America
and the Caribbean, contact the OCLC Latin America and the Caribbean
office in Dublin, Ohio (phone: +1-614-761-5196; fax: +1-614-718-1026;
or e-mail: america_latina at oclc.org).

More information about OCLC, its affiliated U.S. regional networks,
service centers, international divisions and distributors is available
at <http://www.oclc.org/>.  (BL/ND)

-0-