Once upon a time, we were just one great, glorious Web space borderless, unfettered by rules, a great virtual community. We were so awestruck when creating the Web that we overlooked the fact that this was really a worldwide media platform. Little things such as requiring visitors to identify themselves as Mr., Mrs., or Miss may seem innocent, but they may be perceived as insults in certain countries. So we have to get off our little boats circling the It s a Small World amusement ride at Disneyland and deal with a truly worldwide and increasingly sophisticated Web. While it s true that from space the geography is unmarred by borders, in the real world even true Webheads must have passports.
Borders are real and meaningful things.
Yes, in the U.S. we have been ahead of everyone, but the rest of the world is quickly catching up. Real internationalization, not merely having Internet access, is going to make Web life more complicated. And Web-land is already becoming a more formidable place to do business. This may come as a surprise to some who believe that because they re moving at Web speed, the traditional rules somehow don t apply. Another example concerns legal mandates, such as the ones in French-speaking Canada that declare that French should not only be available, but also be the dominant language on all publications and signage.