INTRODUCTION

 

Bauknecht

Kurt Bauknecht

 

University of Zurich,
President of the International Federation
for Information Processing - IFIP

 

I take great pleasure in inviting you to take part in the 15th IFIP World Computer Congress on "The Global Information Society on the Way to the Next Millennium".
This Flagship event of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) is a product of the active involvement of hundreds of IT specialists and many national computer societies around the globe. Its program and agendas are targeted at topical areas of information processing intended to catch your interest and stimulate debate to suit the needs of IT professionals from academia and industry alike.

The debate will aim to disclose the current state-of-the-art and to project the trends for new developments, which will transcend the threshold of the 21st century and lead society in the magic future of technology.

Moreover, the venues of this IFIP Congress are in the heart of Europe. Vienna and Budapest are historical, cultural and technological crossroads of achievement and civilization. In September 98, these beautiful cities will host the IFIP Congress which in turn will provide a forum and a platform for people to meet and discuss issues of common interest and concern. Do not miss this chance to be one of the IFIP Congress 98 participants. You will meet old friends and make many new ones by joining the IFIP family for this exceptional IFIP Event.

I look forward to personally welcoming you in Budapest and Vienna.

Kurt Bauknecht

 

 

HOERBST

Egon Hörbst

 

Siemens AG Munich,
Technical University of Munich,
International Program Committee Chair

 

I am proud to be able to present this technical program. About 700 papers from 86 countries have been submitted. The Program Committees of the 7 conferences, some of which are already well established, worked hard to select about 350 papers.
The conferences which you are allowed to switch from one to another cover the main technical aspects of the global information society, like basic theories in the Fundamentals and IT&Knows conference, the hot topics security and legal conditions using net and computers, and important applications such as teleteaching, telecooperation and the use of computers by people with special needs. In the keynote sessions, outstanding experts will introduce the fundamental technologies which made and will continue to make information society possible.
The congress is accompanied by a set of panels, tutorials and workshops. I would like to draw your special attention to the Youth Summit. It will be for the first time that young people will have the opportunity to articulate their views and expectations to the IT community and politicians.
The program gives a good opportunity to study the major technologies and applications which will be the base of future society and to discuss its impact with colleagues from more than 80 countries of our globe.

I hope you enjoy the program, which was so carefully assembled by about 200 ladies and gentlemen in the various program committees, and that your attendance at the congress will have a positive impact on your professional work.

Egon Hörbst

 

 

RISAK

Veith Risak

 

President of OCG,
Co-Chair of the IFIP '98 Advisory Board

 

It is a great honour for me to welcome you at "our" IFIP'98 Congress in Vienna and Budapest.
The cooperation of the "Austrian Computer Society" and the "John v. Neumann Society" did not come by chance. Both countries have a very long common history in former "Österreich-Ungarn". In our congress we will mirror this by the order of events.
I think that this combination of scientific content and cultural background is unique and I hope that you will find sufficient time to use the opportunities to enjoy the highlights of Central European culture, to meet at various formal and informal occasions and to learn from each other and find new friends.
The IFIP World Computer Congress is different from more specialized congresses and workshops, because IFIP'98 gives us all the opportunity to show the whole breadth of information-technology and its global use. I think that this "information-technology" must not be an end in itself, but lead to a global "information-culture".

I wish you interesting and nice days in Vienna and Budapest.

Veith Risak

 

 

SIMA

Dezsö Sima

 

President of NJSzT,
Co-Chair of the IFIP '98 Advisory Board

 

It is my privilege on behalf of the John von Neumann Computer Society to invite you to participate in IFIP'98. Our Society is proud to host numerous conferences and prominent international events each year in the field of informatics such as the 12th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence in 1996 or the ´96 International Student Olympics in Informatics. As a World Computer Congress, IFIP'98 surpasses all of these events in cope, and all signs point to it becoming the best attended World Computer Congress in the past decade.

The John von Neumann Computer Society and the Austrian Computer Society, our sister society, are united in our efforts to make IFIP'98 an outstanding scientific event for the informatics community and a remarkable personal experience for all visitors to this dynamically changing part of the world.

I look forward to welcoming you to Hungary, the homeland of such famous scientists as John von Neumann, Dennis Gabor, Edward Teller, Leo Szilard and Andrew Grove.

Dezsö Sima

 

 

GRADO

Walter Grafendorfer

 

IFIP Vice President,
Secretary General of OCG,
Co-Chair of the IFIP '98 Organizing Committee

TOTH

Mária Tóth

 

Honorary Secretary General of NJSzT,
Co-Chair of the IFIP '98 Organizing Committee

 

Hosting IFIP World Computer Congresses, which are always regarded as the most outstanding events in the field of Information Technology, is not only a great honour for the organizers but also a big chance to present themselves to the international IT-community. The two organizing societies have taken this opportunity and made every possible effort to make this congress one of the most successful ones in its history.
As a matter of fact this congress is really something special from two points of view: First of all it is jointly hosted by the computer societies of two neighbouring Central European countries in Vienna and Budapest, on the historic and fateful River Danube. Secondly, it is organized as a federated congress consisting of seven special conferences. An attractive social program will round up the event. The congress starts in Vienna with a tutorial and workshop day ending up in a Welcome Party. The official Opening Ceremony (sponsored by Oracle Austria), will take place in the world famous Musikvereinssaal, from where the New Year‘s Day concerts by the Wiener Philharmoniker are broadcast all over the world. It continues with the seven conferences at the Vienna University of Technology, with outstanding keynote speakers every day. The Lord Mayor of Vienna together with Sun Microsystems will invite the participants to a dinner reception.
The transfer of the congress to Budapest by boat on the picturesque River Danube (sponsored by IBM Hungary) will enable participants to meet IT-professionals in a relaxed atmosphere and will make this journey unforgettable. The participants are greeted then in Vígszínház (sponsored by Oracle Hungary), one of the most spectacular theatre buildings in Hungary, and the scientific and technical program is continued and closed at the Budapest University of Technology followed by another tutorial and workshop day. Participants are also invited to a typical Hungarian Evening with dinner and folklore on the beautiful Margaret Island.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the IFIP President, Prof. K. Bauknecht, the Chairman of the International Program Committee, Prof. E. Hörbst, the program committees of the conferences, the sponsors and the IFIP secretariat for their valuable support.
Hoping for the privilege of meeting you at the congress, we are at your personal disposal at any time.

Walter Grafendorfer Mária Tóth