Internet telephony, electronic transactions our guys stepping ahead of others in silicon valley, steady effort soon arrow down the digital divide e-governance slowly permeating every department of the government in a few states all speak of one discernable trend information technology is fast transforming our day to day life. It is a revolution of rising expectations in history. More significantly, India is likely to play a crucial role in moulding this revolution than Chinese in professional services and executive jobs and the greater dominance in start-ups in the Silicon Valley in the U.S. As is well known worldwide, Indians are unbeatable in software, while Chinese are ahead in hardware, while they are equipped with the U.S. degrees and a higher level of technical education, they also have lower level managerial education. The entrepreneurial skills imparted by the star institution in India make Indians dominate executive position and start-ups.

In spite of all the attraction s in the USA the Indian and Chinese look to their countries of birth places to return to, subject to the right conditions, such as professional opportunities, Bangalore in India, Taipei in Taiwan and Shanghai in China are the preferred destinations, While 41.4 % of the Indians respondents held executive jobs, only 9.6 % Chinese did. At the same time Chinese occupy 67.7 % technical and non-managerial posts, compared with 28.7 % of Indians. There is preponderance of Chinese workers in semiconductor engineering manufacturing related and bioscience industries, while Indians dominate the Internet, software and professional services.

In India there is huge scope for the expansion of IT sector. One million job opportunities will be created in IT-enabled services, software services, hardware and other IT-related areas across different cities in the state of Karnataka along during the next ten years, according to a study conducted by global market research firm. Being a favorite destination among global firms, Bangalore will generate six lakh jobs in the next decade. Preliminary findings study of McKinsey indicates that about four lakh jobs will be created in the Mangalore and Hubli cities with IT enabled services driving the market.

Things are moving with jet like speed that an ordinary man cannot size up as to what is happening around him. The internet is putting a whole new twist on box office receipts as Hollywood gears up to beam movies directly to "boxes" in people's homes. Movie fans too lazy to run to nearest video centers or the theatre, will be able to watch films when they want rather than on cable channel's schedules, provided they get a high speed internet connect. Studios like Sony Corp's Sony Pictures entertainment and Walt Disney Co. other big movie makers are ramping up plans to distribute movies on line. It all began with a bang in Feb 2001 when vivendi universal's universal studios signed a multi year deal with broadband network entertainer to deliver his Programs such as "Meet the parents" over entertainers digital cable platform. Universal and Miramax Films announced a deal with sight sound technologies to release 12 films for download over Internet. Sony pictures is planning to launch soon its own on line movie service, movie fly, which will rent hundreds of films from Sony, Universal studios and new crop's Twentieth Century Fox. And there is no end to innovations here in our country also. A Chennai based company, which specializes in information technology enabled services, has come up with an innovation. You don't need a personal computer to send e-mail and you don't even have to go to an Internet cafe. The mail can be sent justby dialing up a service center which offers to take the world through a satellite link up, all at a cost of Rs.5 thanks to the Chennai based center.

The company is currently providing e-cell services through franchise at selected telephone booths where one can buy an e-cell card costing Rs-5 .The card has a secret password the sender can dictate the message to the telephone number mentioned on the card. A message consisting of maximum of 30 words can be sent anywhere in India through their satellite network. The message will reach their destination within 15 minutes, according to the company. The company also informs the sender on the phone about the status of the message in half an hour time. There is facility for receiving reply too for which sender has to buy an additional e-call card which would cost another Rs.5.

There may be just five million personal computers in a country of one billion people, but the number is steadily rising. More and more people including children are using computers. There has been a profilaration of computer parlors or net cafes, which in an attempt to meet competition have begun offering rates that are attractive even for students.

A chain of innovative Internet browsing centers has come in some of the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and many more cities. These cyber cafes, known as 'Satyam I ways; offer subscription packs in two denominations of Rs.50, Rs.100 and Rs.250, Member scheme can be taken by individuals by using these subscription packs through an online process. The member can choose his own user ID and password. The members pay only for time he/she browses, unlike other cyber cafes which operate on flat rates .As in case of pre-paid telephone card, the value of account diminishes based on the time slot and duration of usage .The members can browse using the user name and ID in any of the outlet of 'Satyam I ways' through the country. The balance value in the customer's account will be available online. High speed connectivity and faster downloads are other facilities. A total of over 500 I ways are now operational in all the nine cities already mentioned. The members can also avail themselves of a free e-mail ID apart from the 'rooming facility.'

.............to be continued