Joe Flower

About the author: Joe Flower is principal of The Change Project, a Larkspur, California, consulting organization that specializes in health care and high technology. Flower's articles frequently appear on The Well, a San Francisco-based computer network.

The Internet's popularity has increased tremendously; more than ninety nations now have a direct connection to this network. World Wide Web use accounts for approximately one-half of Internet traffic. The future of the Internet is uncertain, but any of several possibilities could occur: The Internet could become an unrestrained entity, molded according to the diversity of its users; or it could transform into a commercial network dominated by large companies. The network could be threatened if governments decide to monitor Internet communications and transactions. Because it allows a free flow of information, some governments may place...