Non-commercial Applications

The focus on "electronic commerce" and the electronic "marketplace" ignores the basic fact that the Internet is foremost a communications medium, which is a fundamental element of human activities. To some, commerce represents the least important use of the global network. Political processes enabled by the Internet is one area for further analysis.

Some non-business applications may still be considered part of economic activities, which we discuss in this section. For example, government services (taxation, public finance and welfare programs). Cybercommunities by themselves may be non-economic, but communities are elemental units of economic entities.

Q: How will electronic commerce affect the way governments work?

Electronic commerce processes will affect diverse functions carried out by governments, including:

• Government agencies exchange information and work collaboratively. Thus, open EDI implementation within intergovernmental agencies will improve efficiency;
• Electronic service deliveries include distributing welfare payments via smart cards, carrying out interactive services (e.g. county property tax queries), and disseminating public information.
• Various forms may be filed and administered electronically including tax forms, motor vehicle registration, and others, which may be linked to geographical and other public databases.
• A more exotic example is the digitized highways with smart roads, traffic signals and automobiles. The complex process of street administration, traffic control and commuting may be affected profoundly.