Interview of Julia Lyubimova to organizers of RIF-2006

 

- In your view, what difficulties will members of the Program Committee face? What will be the most difficult thing in Committee work?

- I think the correct program composition will be the most difficult issue. The program will consist of two parallel streams. It is quite difficult to decide what topics of round tables should be set at a time so that all interests are considered.

- The third year round the Runet celebrates anniversaries: in 2004 — the 10th Runet anniversary, in 2005 – the 15th anniversary of the SU domain. Next in the order is the 10th RIF anniversary …
It’s evident that a very important phase is over: what are the Runet achievements? 

- In the first place, we should mention the fastest growth rate in the number of users throughout the world. This figure grew from 16 to 22 million people during 2005 only. The Internet is the only industry in Russia that grows 24 – 26% a year. I believe these are important indicators, which can be also confirmed by heightened attention to the Internet from governmental organizations.

In developed countries non-commercial Internet plays a more significant role than that in Russia. We are at last approaching them in the number of non-commercial resources. And their quality is much better now. We hope this trend will continue.

- What results do you expect from the 10th RIF?

- For many years the RIF comprised mostly Moscow people. There was a feeling that there was no Internet in Russia except for Moscow. I hope the 10th RIF will become a break point in this respect and quantitative superiority of regional participants will be evident. Moscow is just one of the Russian regions.

- The RIF mission seems to differ from that of 10, 5 or 3 years ago. What is its main objective today?

- In my opinion the objective is to turn from a narrow-professional conference into a really well-established forum focused equally on professionals and end users. Unfortunately, before the forum began we witnessed a paradoxical situation – the leading Internet companies do not take part. It’s not clear what was the reason of such state of things. Nobody welcomes a split in the industry. We know that the state intends to get the Internet under its control, but why give more reasons for it?

- What questions do you think are the most urgent for the modern Runet and what of them must be discussed in the RIF?

- As Alexei Dudinov, chairman of the Russian Webmasters Union, said in one of his interviews: “to find compromise ways between the desire of the state to set strict control on the industry and the position of the Internet community. To boycott the state activity of establishing frames and censorship is not the solution of the problem. Representatives of the industry must declare their position at the top of their voice”.

- What question would you like to ask representatives of governmental organizations? What help or support exactly do Runet representatives need from the state?

- This question can be answered in one phrase from an old joke: “Do not teach us how to live, you’d better help us with money”.

- Anniversaries always make us think about something serious, people sum up thinking about the future... The future is said to be in the Internet … What can the World-Wide Web expect, where will we come in the end?

- This question sounds like that of a polemic in the beginning of the ХХ century: “How much the world will change after motor-cars are created?”. It won’t change! The Internet is just one of the instruments for human life. Excess of agitation in terms of its influence on human mind and the world is blown-up.