The success of this film confirmed that New Zealand is not all scenery, but has a sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure and computer technology. For example, thanks to satellite video delivery links combined with a data compression technology arranged by local telco Telecom NZ, segments of the film were able to be transmitted hot from various locations around the country direct to the production studio at a very low cost. Apparently this required quite a bit of innovation, which in local lingo is known as "Kiwi ingenuity" or "No. 8 wiring". And the special effects technology provided by a Wellington company proved to be first class. So, I may live in Middle Earth at the edge of the globe, but we’re not a technology backwater!

This issue presents four articles and interviews with an underlying focus on the world of digital content access in the Asia-Pacific region. We decided to go back to Google and AskJeeves and follow up on our last interviews back in April 2001. In addition to the fact that search engines hold critical importance for information mining in cyberspace, we are particularly interested in how these organizations are developing Asian market strategies. Furthermore, search engines face mounting technical challenges, which makes them potential key indicators of future technology trends. Find out how these two high profile search engine providers are moving into the Asian markets and adding greater value with state of the art technology.

In this highly web-centric context, the next article, by Richard Weltz, might seem to be a guide to a disruptive technology. He brings us back to the reality of the translation world in print media. Despite fast-emerging digital and virtual work environments, we are still firmly rooted in the world of hard copy. I wonder, for example, how often readers print out their LISA Newsletter when they find something they are really interested in. Despite predictions of a paperless society, there seems to be an unslaked demand for ever greater quantities of paper. To me, this article clearly demonstrates the havoc being created through a typically "reactive" approach to translation, and contrasts starkly with the primarily proactive solution language support based on "internationalization first".

Richard’s article resonates with some of the issues examined in Designing Global Language Support for Cyberspace, which I contributed. A number of people I met at LISA's global summit in Singapore last year indicated their interest in my forthcoming co-authored publication, so I decided to introduce it here, picking out some of the main concepts discussed in the book. They include internationalization and the problem with processing "package" features, a topic partly dealt with by Richard. To find out more, read on.

Lastly, I would like to mention an intriguing invention on the drawing board of Japan's mobile giant DoCoMo. They are working on a silent phone that can scan the user's facial muscles as they mouth words, and then transpose the movements into hearable speech for the other party using a sound processor. This is intended to alleviate the problem of mobile phone users talking loudly in public places, especially packed commuter trains. Well, just imagine, you’ll be able to swear without raising the eyebrows of the people around you! Enough said - I hope these articles will provide you with food for thought and stimulate your imagination.

Editor's note: The OLIF2 consortium recently announced OLIF version 2. For more information see the press release in this issue.