| I. The Genetic BlueprintA decade after the invention of | | | | contain the needed software, broken to its elements |
| the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee is promoting | | | | (=applets, small applications). Anytime the user wishes |
| the "Semantic Web". The Internet hitherto is a | | | | to use one of the functions of the application, he will |
| repository of digital content. It has a rudimentary | | | | siphon it off the central computer. When finished - he |
| inventory system and very crude data location | | | | will "return" it. Processing speeds and response times |
| services. As a sad result, most of the content is | | | | will be such that the user will not feel at all that he is |
| invisible and inaccessible. Moreover, the Internet | | | | not interacting with his own software (the question of |
| manipulates strings of symbols, not logical or semantic | | | | ownership will be very blurred). This technology is |
| propositions. In other words, the Net compares values | | | | available and it provoked a heated debated about the |
| but does not know the meaning of the values it thus | | | | future shape of the computing industry as a whole |
| manipulates. It is unable to interpret strings, to infer new | | | | (desktops - really power packs - or network |
| facts, to deduce, induce, derive, or otherwise | | | | computers, a little more than dumb terminals). Access |
| comprehend what it is doing. In short, it does not | | | | to online applications are already offered to corporate |
| understand language. Run an ambiguous term by any | | | | users by ASPs (Application Service Providers).In the |
| search engine and these shortcomings become | | | | last few years, scientists have harnessed the |
| painfully evident. This lack of understanding of the | | | | combined power of online PC's to perform astounding |
| semantic foundations of its raw material (data, | | | | feats of distributed parallel processing. Millions of PCs |
| information) prevent applications and databases from | | | | connected to the net co-process signals from outer |
| sharing resources and feeding each other. The Internet | | | | space, meteorological data, and solve complex |
| is discrete, not continuous. It resembles an archipelago, | | | | equations. This is a prime example of a collective brain |
| with users hopping from island to island in a frantic | | | | in action.B. The Intranet - a Logical Extension of the |
| search for relevancy.Even visionaries like Berners-Lee | | | | Collective ComputerLANs (Local Area Networks) are |
| do not contemplate an "intelligent Web". They are | | | | no longer a rarity in corporate offices. WANs (wide |
| simply proposing to let users, content creators, and | | | | Area Networks) are used to connect geographically |
| web developers assign descriptive meta-tags ("name | | | | dispersed organs of the same legal entity (branches of |
| of hotel") to fields, or to strings of symbols ("Hilton"). | | | | a bank, daughter companies of a conglomerate, a |
| These meta-tags (arranged in semantic and relational | | | | sales force). Many LANs and WANs are going |
| "ontologies" - lists of metatags, their meanings and how | | | | wireless.The wireless intranet/extranet and LANs are |
| they relate to each other) will be read by various | | | | the wave of the future. They will gradually eliminate |
| applications and allow them to process the associated | | | | their fixed line counterparts. The Internet offers equal, |
| strings of symbols correctly (place the word "Hilton" in | | | | platform-independent, location-independent and time of |
| your address book under "hotels"). This will make | | | | day - independent access to corporate memory and |
| information retrieval more efficient and reliable and the | | | | nervous system. Sophisticated firewall security |
| information retrieved is bound to be more relevant and | | | | applications protect the privacy and confidentiality of |
| amenable to higher level processing (statistics, the | | | | the intranet from all but the most determined and |
| development of heuristic rules, etc.). The shift is from | | | | savvy crackers.The Intranet is an inter-organizational |
| HTML (whose tags are concerned with visual | | | | communication network, constructed on the platform |
| appearances and content indexing) to languages such | | | | of the Internet and it, therefore, enjoys all its |
| as the DARPA Agent Markup Language, OIL | | | | advantages. The extranet is open to clients and |
| (Ontology Inference Layer or Ontology Interchange | | | | suppliers as well.The company's server can be |
| Language), or even XML (whose tags are concerned | | | | accessed by anyone authorized, from anywhere, at |
| with content taxonomy, document structure, and | | | | any time (with local - rather than international - |
| semantics). This would bring the Internet closer to the | | | | communication costs). The user can leave messages |
| classic library card catalogue.Even in its current, | | | | (internal e-mail or v-mail), access information - |
| pre-semantic, hyperlink-dependent, phase, the Internet | | | | proprietary or public - from it, and participate in "virtual |
| brings to mind Richard Dawkins' seminal work "The | | | | teamwork" (see next chapter).The development of |
| Selfish Gene" (OUP, 1976). This would be doubly true | | | | measures to safeguard server routed |
| for the Semantic Web.Dawkins suggested to | | | | inter-organizational communication (firewalls) is the |
| generalize the principle of natural selection to a law of | | | | solution to one of two obstacles to the |
| the survival of the stable. "A stable thing is a collection | | | | institutionalization of Intranets. The second problem is |
| of atoms which is permanent enough or common | | | | the limited bandwidth which does not permit the |
| enough to deserve a name". He then proceeded to | | | | efficient transfer of audio (not to mention video).It is |
| describe the emergence of "Replicators" - molecules | | | | difficult to conduct video conferencing through the |
| which created copies of themselves. The Replicators | | | | Internet. Even the voices of discussants who use |
| that survived in the competition for scarce raw | | | | internet phones (IP telephony) come out (though very |
| materials were characterized by high longevity, | | | | slightly) distorted.All this did not prevent 95% of the |
| fecundity, and copying-fidelity. Replicators (now known | | | | Fortune 1000 from installing intranet. 82% of the rest |
| as "genes") constructed "survival machines" | | | | intend to install one by the end of this year. Medium to |
| (organisms) to shield them from the vagaries of an | | | | big size American firms have 50-100 intranet terminals |
| ever-harsher environment.This is very reminiscent of | | | | per every internet one.One of the greatest |
| the Internet. The "stable things" are HTML coded web | | | | advantages of the intranet is the ability to transfer |
| pages. They are replicators - they create copies of | | | | documents between the various parts of an |
| themselves every time their "web address" (URL) is | | | | organization. Consider Visa: it pushed 2 million |
| clicked. The HTML coding of a web page can be | | | | documents per day internally in 1996.An organization |
| thought of as "genetic material". It contains all the | | | | equipped with an intranet can (while protected by |
| information needed to reproduce the page. And, | | | | firewalls) give its clients or suppliers access to |
| exactly as in nature, the higher the longevity, fecundity | | | | non-classified correspondence, or inventory systems. |
| (measured in links to the web page from other web | | | | Many B2B exchanges and industry-specific purchasing |
| sites), and copying-fidelity of the HTML code - the | | | | management systems are based on extranets.C. The |
| higher its chances to survive (as a web | | | | Transport of Information - Mail and ChatThe Internet |
| page).Replicator molecules (DNA) and replicator HTML | | | | (its e-mail function) is eroding traditional mail. 90% of |
| have one thing in common - they are both packaged | | | | customers with on-line access use e-mail from time to |
| information. In the appropriate context (the right | | | | time and 60% work with it regularly. More than 2 billion |
| biochemical "soup" in the case of DNA, the right | | | | messages traverse the internet daily.E-mail applications |
| software application in the case of HTML code) - this | | | | are available as freeware and are included in all |
| information generates a "survival machine" (organism, | | | | browsers. Thus, the Internet has completely assimilated |
| or a web page).The Semantic Web will only increase | | | | what used to be a separate service, to the extent that |
| the longevity, fecundity, and copying-fidelity or the | | | | many people make the mistake of thinking that e-mail |
| underlying code (in this case, OIL or XML instead of | | | | is a feature of the Internet.The internet will do to phone |
| HTML). By facilitating many more interactions with | | | | calls what it has done to mail. Already there are |
| many other web pages and databases - the | | | | applications (Intel's, Vocaltec's, Net2Phone) which |
| underlying "replicator" code will ensure the "survival" of | | | | enable the user to conduct a phone conversation |
| "its" web page (=its survival machine). In this analogy, | | | | through his computer. The voice quality has improved. |
| the web page's "DNA" (its OIL or XML code) contains | | | | The discussants can cut into each others words, |
| "single genes" (semantic meta-tags). The whole | | | | argue and listen to tonal nuances. Today, the parties |
| process of life is the unfolding of a kind of Semantic | | | | (two or more) engaging in the conversation must |
| Web.In a prophetic paragraph, Dawkins described the | | | | possess the same software and the same (computer) |
| Internet:"The first thing to grasp about a modern | | | | hardware. In the very near future, computer-to-regular |
| replicator is that it is highly gregarious. A survival | | | | phone applications will eliminate this requirement. And, |
| machine is a vehicle containing not just one gene but | | | | again, simultaneous multi-modality: the user can talk |
| many thousands. The manufacture of a body is a | | | | over the phone, see his party, send e-mail, receive |
| cooperative venture of such intricacy that it is almost | | | | messages and transfer documents - without |
| impossible to disentangle the contribution of one gene | | | | obstructing the flow of the conversation.The cost of |
| from that of another. A given gene will have many | | | | transferring voice will become so negligible that free |
| different effects on quite different parts of the body. | | | | voice traffic is conceivable in 3-5 years. Data traffic |
| A given part of the body will be influenced by many | | | | will overtake voice traffic by a wide margin.The next |
| genes and the effect of any one gene depends on | | | | phase will probably involve virtual reality. Each of the |
| interaction with many others...In terms of the analogy, | | | | parties will be represented by an "avatar", a 3-D |
| any given page of the plans makes reference to | | | | figurine generated by the application (or the user's |
| many different parts of the building; and each page | | | | likeness mapped and superimposed on the the avatar). |
| makes sense only in terms of cross-reference to | | | | These figurines will be multi-dimensional: they will |
| numerous other pages."What Dawkins neglected in his | | | | possess their own communication patterns, special |
| important work is the concept of the Network. People | | | | habits, history, preferences - in short: their own |
| congregate in cities, mate, and reproduce, thus | | | | "personality".Thus, they will be able to maintain an |
| providing genes with new "survival machines". But | | | | "identity" and a consistent pattern of communication |
| Dawkins himself suggested that the new Replicator is | | | | which they will develop over time.Such a figure could |
| the "meme" - an idea, belief, technique, technology, | | | | host a site, accept, welcome and guide visitors, all the |
| work of art, or bit of information. Memes use human | | | | time bearing their preferences in its electronic "mind". It |
| brains as "survival machines" and they hop from brain | | | | could narrate the news, like the digital anchor |
| to brain and across time and space ("communications") | | | | "Ananova" does. Visiting sites in the future is bound to |
| in the process of cultural (as distinct from biological) | | | | be a much more pleasant affair.D. The Transport of |
| evolution. The Internet is a latter day meme-hopping | | | | Value - E-cashIn 1996, four corporate giants (Visa, |
| playground. But, more importantly, it is a Network. | | | | MasterCard, Netscape and Microsoft) agreed on a |
| Genes move from one container to another through a | | | | standard for effecting secure payments through the |
| linear, serial, tedious process which involves prolonged | | | | Internet: SET. Internet commerce is supposed to |
| periods of one on one gene shuffling ("sex") and | | | | mushroom to $25 billion by 2003. Site owners will be |
| gestation. Memes use networks. Their propagation is, | | | | able to collect rent from passing visitors - or fees for |
| therefore, parallel, fast, and all-pervasive. The Internet is | | | | services provided within the site. Amazon instituted an |
| a manifestation of the growing predominance of | | | | honour system to collect donations from visitors. |
| memes over genes. And the Semantic Web may be | | | | PayPal provides millions of users with cash substitutes. |
| to the Internet what Artificial Intelligence is to classic | | | | Gradually, the Internet will compete with central banks |
| computing. We may be on the threshold of a | | | | and banking systems in money creation and transfer.E. |
| self-aware Web.2. The Internet as a Chaotic LibraryA. | | | | The Transport of Interactions - The Virtual |
| The Problem of CataloguingThe Internet is an | | | | OrganizationThe Internet allows for simultaneous |
| assortment of billions of pages which contain | | | | communication and the efficient transfer of multimedia |
| information. Some of them are visible and others are | | | | (video included) files between an unlimited number of |
| generated from hidden databases by users' requests | | | | users. This opens up a vista of mind boggling |
| ("Invisible Internet").The Internet exhibits no discernible | | | | opportunities which are the real core of the Internet |
| order, classification, or categorization. Amazingly, as | | | | revolution: the virtual collaborative ("Follow the Sun") |
| opposed to "classical" libraries, no one has yet invented | | | | modes.Examples:A group of musicians is able to |
| a (sorely needed) Internet cataloguing standard | | | | compose music or play it - while spatially and |
| (remember Dewey?). Some sites indeed apply the | | | | temporally separated;Advertising agencies are able to |
| Dewey Decimal System to their contents (Suite101). | | | | co-produce ad campaigns in a real time |
| Others default to a directory structure (Open | | | | interaction;Cinema and TV films are produced from |
| Directory, Yahoo!, Look Smart and others).Had such a | | | | disparate geographical spots through the teamwork of |
| standard existed (an agreed upon numerical | | | | people who never meet, except through the |
| cataloguing method) - each site could have | | | | Net.These examples illustrate the concept of the |
| self-classified. Sites would have an interest to do so to | | | | "virtual community". Space and time will no longer |
| increase their visibility. This, naturally, would have | | | | hinder team collaboration, be it scientific, artistic, cultural, |
| eliminated the need for today's clunky, incomplete and | | | | or an ad hoc arrangement for the provision of a |
| (highly) inefficient search engines.Thus, a site whose | | | | service (a virtual law firm, or accounting office, or a |
| number starts with 900 will be immediately identified as | | | | virtual consultancy network). The intranet can also be |
| dealing with history and multiple classification will be | | | | thought of as a "virtual organization", or a "virtual |
| encouraged to allow finer cross-sections to emerge. | | | | business".The virtual mall and the virtual catalogue are |
| An example of such an emerging technology of "self | | | | prime examples of spatial and temporal liberation.In |
| classification" and "self-publication" (though limited to | | | | 1998, there were well over 300 active virtual malls on |
| scholarly resources) is the "Academic Resource | | | | the Internet. In 2000, they were frequented by 46 |
| Channel" by Scindex.Moreover, users will not be | | | | million shoppers, who shopped in them for goods and |
| required to remember reams of numbers. Future | | | | services.The virtual mall is an Internet "space" (pages) |
| browsers will be akin to catalogues, very much like the | | | | wherein "shops" are located. These shops offer their |
| applications used in modern day libraries. Compare this | | | | wares using visual, audio and textual means. The visitor |
| utopia to the current dystopy. Users struggle with | | | | passes through a virtual "gate" or storefront and |
| mounds of irrelevant material to finally reach a partial | | | | examines the merchandise on offer, until he reaches a |
| and disappointing destination. At the same time, there | | | | buying decision. Then he engages in a feedback |
| likely are web sites which exactly match the poor | | | | process: he pays (with a credit card), buys the product, |
| user's needs. Yet, what currently determines the | | | | and waits for it to arrive by mail (or downloads it).The |
| chances of a happy encounter between user and | | | | manufacturers of digital products (intellectual property |
| content - are the whims of the specific search engine | | | | such as e-books or software) have begun selling their |
| used and things like meta-tags, headlines, a fee paid, or | | | | merchandise on-line, as file downloads. Yet, slow |
| the right opening sentences.B. Screen vs. PageThe | | | | communications speeds, competing file formats and |
| computer screen, because of physical limitations (size, | | | | reader standards, and limited bandwidth - constrain the |
| the fact that it has to be scrolled) fails to effectively | | | | growth potential of this mode of sale. Once resolved - |
| compete with the printed page. The latter is still the | | | | intellectual property will be sold directly from the Net, |
| most ingenious medium yet invented for the storage | | | | on-line. Until such time, the mediation of the Post Office |
| and release of textual information. Granted: a | | | | is still required. As long as this is the state of the art, |
| computer screen is better at highlighting discrete units | | | | the virtual mall is nothing but a glorified computerized |
| of information. So, these differing capacities draw the | | | | mail catalogue or Buying Channel, the only difference |
| battle lines: structures (printed pages) versus units | | | | being the exceptionally varied inventory.Websites |
| (screen), the continuous and easily reversible (print) | | | | which started as "specialty stores" are fast |
| versus the discrete (screen).The solution lies in finding | | | | transforming themselves into multi-purpose virtual malls. |
| an efficient way to translate computer screens to | | | | Amazon.com, for instance, has bought into a virtual |
| printed matter. It is hard to believe, but no such thing | | | | pharmacy and into other virtual businesses. It is now |
| exists. Computer screens are still hostile to off-line | | | | selling music, video, electronics and many other |
| printing. In other words: if a user copies information | | | | products. It started as a bookstore.This contrasts with |
| from the Internet to his word processor (or vice versa, | | | | a much more creative idea: the virtual catalogue. It is a |
| for that matter) - he ends up with a fragmented, | | | | form of narrowcasting (as opposed to broadcasting): a |
| garbage-filled and non-aesthetic document.Very few | | | | surgically accurate targeting of potential consumer |
| site developers try to do something about it - even | | | | audiences. Each group of profiled consumers (no |
| fewer succeed.C. Dynamic vs. Static InteractionsOne | | | | matter how small) is fitted with their own - digitally |
| of the biggest mistakes of content suppliers is that | | | | generated - catalogue. This is updated daily: the variety |
| they do not provide a "static-dynamic | | | | of wares on offer (adjusted to reflect inventory levels, |
| interaction".Internet-based content can now easily | | | | consumer preferences, and goods in transit) - and |
| interact with other media (e.g., CD-ROMs) and with | | | | prices (sales, discounts, package deals) change in real |
| non-PC platforms (PDA's, mobile phones).Examples | | | | time. Amazon has incorporated many of these |
| abound:A CD-ROM shopping catalogue interacts with | | | | features on its web site. The user enters its web site |
| a Web site to allow the user to order a product. The | | | | and there delineates his consumption profile and his |
| catalogue could also be updated through the site (as is | | | | preferences. A customized catalogue is immediately |
| the practice with CD-ROM encyclopedias). The | | | | generated for him including specific recommendations. |
| advantages of the CD-ROM are clear: very fast | | | | The history of his purchases, preferences and |
| access time (dozens of times faster than the access | | | | responses to feedback questionnaires is accumulated |
| to a Web site using a dial up connection) and a data | | | | in a database. This intellectual property may well be |
| storage capacity hundreds of times bigger than the | | | | Amazon's main asset.There is no technological |
| average Web page.Another example:A PDA plug-in | | | | obstacles to implementing this vision today - only |
| disposable chip containing hundreds of advertisements | | | | administrative and legal (patent) ones. Big brick and |
| or a "yellow pages". The consumer selects the ad or | | | | mortar retail stores are not up to processing the flood |
| entry that she wants to see and connects to the | | | | of data expected to result. They also remain highly |
| Internet to view a relevant video. She could then also | | | | sceptical regarding the feasibility of the new medium. |
| have an interactive chat (or a conference) with a | | | | And privacy issues prevent data mining or the |
| salesperson, receive information about the company, | | | | effective collection and usage of personal data |
| about the ad, about the advertising agency which | | | | (remember the case of Amazon's "Readers' |
| created the ad - and so on.CD-ROM based | | | | Circles").The virtual catalogue is a private case of a |
| encyclopedias (such as the Britannica, or the Encarta) | | | | new internet off-shoot: the "smart (shopping) agents". |
| already contain hyperlinks which carry the user to sites | | | | These are AI applications with "long memories".They |
| selected by an Editorial Board.NoteCD-ROMs are | | | | draw detailed profiles of consumers and users and |
| probably a doomed medium. Storage capacity | | | | then suggest purchases and refer to the appropriate |
| continually increases exponentially and, within a year, | | | | sites, catalogues, or virtual malls.They also provide |
| desktops with 80 Gb hard disks will be a common | | | | price comparisons and the new generation cannot be |
| sight. Moreover, the much heralded Network Computer | | | | blocked or fooled by using differing product |
| - the stripped down version of the personal computer - | | | | categories.In the future, these agents will cover also |
| will put at the disposal of the average user terabytes | | | | brick and mortar retail chains and, in conjunction with |
| in storage capacity and the processing power of a | | | | wireless, location-specific services, issue a map of the |
| supercomputer. What separates computer users from | | | | branch or store closest to an address specified by the |
| this utopia is the communication bandwidth. With the | | | | user (the default being his residence), or yielded by his |
| introduction of radio and satellite broadband services, | | | | GPS enabled wireless mobile or PDA. This technology |
| DSL and ADSL, cable modems coupled with | | | | can be seen in action in a few music sites on the web |
| advanced compression standards - video (on | | | | and is likely to be dominant with wireless internet |
| demand), audio and data will be available speedily and | | | | appliances. The owner of an internet enabled (third |
| plentifully.The CD-ROM, on the other hand, is not | | | | generation) mobile phone is likely to be the target of |
| mobile. It requires installation and the utilization of | | | | geographically-specific marketing campaigns, ads and |
| sophisticated hardware and software. This is no user | | | | special offers pertaining to his current location (as |
| friendly push technology. It is nerd-oriented. As a result, | | | | reported by his GPS - satellite Geographic Positioning |
| CD-ROMs are not an immediate medium. There is a | | | | System).F. The Transport of Information - Internet |
| long time lapse between the moment of purchase and | | | | NewsInternet news are advantaged. They are |
| the moment the user accesses the data. Compare | | | | frequently and dynamically updated (unlike static print |
| this to a book or a magazine. Data in these oldest of | | | | news) and are always accessible (similar to print |
| media is instantly available to the user and they allow | | | | news), immediate and fresh.The future will witness a |
| for easy and accurate "back" and "forward" | | | | form of interactive news. A special "corner" in the |
| functions.Perhaps the biggest mistake of CD-ROM | | | | news Web site will accommodate "breaking news" |
| manufacturers has been their inability to offer an | | | | posted by members of the the public (or corporate |
| integrated hardware and software package. | | | | press releases). This will provide readers with a |
| CD-ROMs are not compact. A Walkman is a compact | | | | glimpse into the making of the news, the raw material |
| hardware-cum-software package. It is easily | | | | news are made of. The same technology will be |
| transportable, it is thin, it contains numerous, | | | | applied to interactive TVs. Content will be downloaded |
| user-friendly, sophisticated functions, it provides | | | | from the internet and displayed as an overlay on the |
| immediate access to data. So does the discman, or | | | | TV screen or in a box in it. The contents downloaded |
| the MP3-man, or the new generation of e-books (e.g., | | | | will be directly connected to the TV programming. |
| E-Ink's). This cannot be said about the CD-ROM. By | | | | Thus, the biography and track record of a football |
| tying its future to the obsolete concept of stand-alone, | | | | player will be displayed during a football match and the |
| expensive, inefficient and technologically unreliable | | | | history of a country when it gets news coverage.4. |
| personal computers - CD-ROMs have sentenced | | | | Terra Internetica - Internet, an Unknown |
| themselves to oblivion (with the possible exception of | | | | ContinentLaymen and experts alike talk about "sites" |
| reference material).D. Online ReferenceA visit to the | | | | and "advertising space". Yet, the Internet was never |
| on-line Encyclopaedia Britannica demonstrates some | | | | compared to a new continent whose surface is |
| of the tremendous, mind boggling possibilities of online | | | | infinite.The Internet has its own real estate developers |
| reference - as well as some of the obstacles.Each | | | | and construction companies. The real life equivalents |
| entry in this mammoth work of reference is | | | | derive their profits from the scarcity of the resource |
| hyperlinked to relevant Web sites. The sites are | | | | that they exploit - the Internet counterparts derive their |
| carefully screened. Links are available to data in | | | | profits from the tenants (content producers and |
| various forms, including audio and video. Everything can | | | | distributors, e-tailers, and others).Entrepreneurs bought |
| be copied to the hard disk or to a R/W CD.This is a | | | | "Internet Space" (pages, domain names, portals) and |
| new conception of a knowledge centre - not just a | | | | leveraged their acquisition commercially by:Renting |
| heap of material. The content is modular and | | | | space out;Constructing infrastructure on their property |
| continuously enriched. It can be linked to a voice Q&A | | | | and selling it;Providing an intelligent gateway, entry point |
| centre. Queries by subscribers can be answered by | | | | (portal) to the rest of the internet;Selling advertising |
| e-mail, by fax, posted on the site, hard copies can be | | | | space which subsidizes the tenants (Yahoo!-Geocities, |
| sent by post. This "Trivial Pursuit" or "homework" | | | | Tripod and others);Cybersquatting (purchasing specific |
| service could be very popular - there is considerable | | | | domain names identical to brand names in the "real" |
| appetite for "Just in Time Information". The Library of | | | | world) and then selling the domain name to an |
| Congress - together with a few other libraries - is in | | | | interested party.Internet Space can be easily |
| the process of making just such a service available to | | | | purchased or created. The investment is low and |
| the public (CDRS - Collaborative Digital Reference | | | | getting lower with the introduction of competition in the |
| Service).E. Derivative ContentThe Internet is an | | | | field of domain registration services and the increase in |
| enormous reservoir of archives of freely accessible, or | | | | the number of top domains.Then, infrastructure can be |
| even public domain, information.With a minimal | | | | erected - for a shopping mall, for free home pages, for |
| investment, this information can be gathered into | | | | a portal, or for another purpose. It is precisely this |
| coherent, theme oriented, cheap compilations (on | | | | infrastructure that the developer can later sell, lease, |
| CD-ROMs, print, e-books or other media).F. | | | | franchise, or rent out.But this real estate bubble was |
| E-PublishingThe Internet is by far the world's largest | | | | the culmination of a long and tortuous process.At the |
| publishing platform. It incorporates FAQs (Q&A's | | | | beginning, only members of the fringes and the |
| regarding almost every technical matter in the world), | | | | avant-garde (inventors, risk assuming entrepreneurs, |
| e-zines (electronic magazines), the electronic versions | | | | gamblers) invest in a new invention. No one knows to |
| of print dailies and periodicals (in conjunction with on-line | | | | say what are the optimal uses of the invention (in |
| news and information services), reference material, | | | | other words, what is its future). Many - mostly |
| e-books, monographs, articles, minutes of discussions | | | | members of the scientific and business elites - argue |
| ("threads"), conference proceedings, and much more | | | | that there is no real need for the invention and that it |
| besides.The Internet represents major advantages to | | | | substitutes a new and untried way for old and tried |
| publishers. Consider the electronic version of a | | | | modes of doing the same things (so why assume the |
| p-zine.Publishing an e-zine promotes the sales of the | | | | risk of investing in the unknown and the |
| printed edition, it helps sign on subscribers and it leads | | | | untried?).Moreover, these criticisms are usually |
| to the sale of advertising space. The electronic archive | | | | well-founded.To start with, there is, indeed, no need for |
| function (see next section) saves the need to file back | | | | the new medium. A new medium invents itself - and |
| issues, the physical space required to do so and the | | | | the need for it. It also generates its own market to |
| irritating search for data items.The future trend is a | | | | satisfy this newly found need.Two prime examples of |
| combined subscription to both the electronic edition | | | | this self-recursive process are the personal computer |
| (mainly for the archival value and the ability to hyperlink | | | | and the compact disc.When the PC was invented, its |
| to additional information) and to the print one (easier to | | | | uses were completely unclear. Its performance was |
| browse the current issue). The Economist is already | | | | lacking, its abilities limited, it was unbearably user |
| offering free access to its electronic archives as an | | | | unfriendly. It suffered from faulty design, was absent |
| inducement to its print subscribers.The electronic daily | | | | any user comfort and ease of use and required |
| presents other advantages:It allows for immediate | | | | considerable professional knowledge to operate. The |
| feedback and for flowing, almost real-time, | | | | worst part was that this knowledge was exclusive to |
| communication between writers and readers. The | | | | the new invention (not portable). It reduced labour |
| electronic version, therefore, acquires a gyroscopic | | | | mobility and limited one's professional horizons. There |
| function: a navigation instrument, always indicating | | | | were many gripes among workers assigned to tame |
| deviations from the "right" course. The content can be | | | | the new beast. Managers regarded it at best as a |
| instantly updated and breaking news incorporated in | | | | nuisance.The PC was thought of, at the beginning, as a |
| older content.Specialty hand held devices already allow | | | | sophisticated gaming machine, an electronic baby-sitter. |
| for downloading and storage of vast quantities of data | | | | It included a keyboard, so it was thought of in terms of |
| (up to 4000 print pages). The user gains access to | | | | a glorified typewriter or spreadsheet. It was used |
| libraries containing hundreds of texts, adapted to be | | | | mainly as a word processor (and the outlay justified |
| downloaded, stored and read by the specific device. | | | | solely on these grounds). The spreadsheet was the |
| Again, a convergence of standards is to be expected | | | | first real PC application and it demonstrated the |
| in this field as well (the final contenders will probably be | | | | advantages inherent to this new machine (mainly |
| Adobe's PDF against Microsoft's | | | | flexibility and speed). Still, it was more of the same. A |
| MS-Reader).Currently, e-books are dichotomously | | | | speedier sliding ruler. After all, said the unconvinced, |
| treated either as:Continuation of print books (p-books) | | | | what was the difference between this and a hand |
| by other means, or as a whole new publishing | | | | held calculator (some of them already had computing, |
| universe.Since p-books are a more convenient medium | | | | memory and programming features)?The PC was |
| then e-books - they will prevail in any straightforward | | | | recognized as a medium only 30 years after it was |
| "medium replacement" or "medium displacement" | | | | invented with the introduction of multimedia software. |
| battle.In other words, if publishers will persist in the | | | | All this time, the computer continued to spin off |
| simple and straightforward conversion of p-books to | | | | markets and secondary markets, needs and |
| e-books - then e-books are doomed. They are simply | | | | professional specialties. The talk as always was |
| inferior and cannot offer the comfort, tactile delights, | | | | centred on how to improve on existing markets and |
| browseability and scanability of p-books.But e-books - | | | | solutions.The Internet is the computer's first important |
| being digital - open up a vista of hitherto neglected | | | | application. Hitherto the computer was only |
| possibilities. These will only be enhanced and enriched | | | | quantitatively different to other computing or gaming |
| by the introduction of e-paper and e-ink. Among | | | | devices. Multimedia and the Internet have made it |
| them:Hyperlinks within the e-book and without it - to | | | | qualitatively superior, sui generis, unique.Part of the |
| web content, reference works, etc.;Embedded instant | | | | problem was that the Internet was invented, is |
| shopping and ordering links;Divergent, user-interactive, | | | | maintained and is operated by computer professionals. |
| decision driven plotlines;Interaction with other e-books | | | | For decades these people have been conditioned to |
| (using a wireless standard) - collaborative authoring or | | | | think in Olympic terms: faster, stronger, higher - not in |
| reading groups;Interaction with other e-books - gaming | | | | terms of the new, the unprecedented, or the |
| and community activities;Automatically or periodically | | | | non-existent. Engineers are trained to improve - |
| updated content;Multimedia;Database, Favourites, | | | | seldom to invent. With few exceptions, its creators |
| Annotations, and History Maintenance (archival records | | | | stumbled across the Internet - it invented itself despite |
| of reading habits, shopping habits, interaction with other | | | | them.Computer professionals (hardware and software |
| readers, plot related decisions and much | | | | experts alike) - are linear thinkers. The Internet is non |
| more);Automatic and embedded audio conversion and | | | | linear and modular.It is still the age of hackers. There is |
| translation capabilities;Full wireless piconetworking and | | | | still a lot to be done in improving technological prowess |
| scatternetworking capabilities.The technology is still not | | | | and powers. But their control of the contents is waning |
| fully there. Wars rage in both the wireless and the | | | | and they are being gradually replaced by |
| e-book realms. Platforms compete. Standards clash. | | | | communicators, creative people, advertising |
| Gurus debate. But convergence is inevitable and with it | | | | executives, psychologists, venture capitalists, and the |
| the e-book of the future.G. The Archive FunctionThe | | | | totally unpredictable masses who flock to flaunt their |
| Internet is also the world's biggest cemetery: tens of | | | | home pages and graphomania.These all are attuned to |
| thousands of deadbeat sites, still accessible - the | | | | the user, his mental needs and his information and |
| "Ghost Sites" of this electronic frontier.This, in a way, is | | | | entertainment preferences.The compact disc is a |
| collective memory. One of the Internet's main functions | | | | different tale. It was intentionally invented to improve |
| will be to preserve and transfer knowledge through | | | | upon an existing technology (basically, Edison's |
| time. It is called "memory" in biology - and "archive" in | | | | Gramophone). Market-wise, this was a major gamble. |
| library science. The history of the Internet is being | | | | The improvement was, at first, debatable (many said |
| documented by search engines (Google) and | | | | that the sound quality of the first generation of |
| specialized services (Alexa) alike.3. The Internet as a | | | | compact discs was inferior to that of its |
| Collective Nervous SystemDrawing a comparison | | | | contemporaneous record players). Consumers had to |
| from the development of a human infant - the human | | | | be convinced to change both software and hardware |
| race has just commenced to develop its neural | | | | and to dish out thousands of dollars just to listen to |
| system.The Internet fulfils all the functions of the | | | | what the manufacturers claimed was more a |
| Nervous System in the body and is, both functionally | | | | authentically reproduced sound. A better argument |
| and structurally, pretty similar. It is decentralized, | | | | was the longer life of the software (though when |
| redundant (each part can serve as functional backup | | | | contrasted with the limited life expectancy of the |
| in case of malfunction). It hosts information which is | | | | consumer, some of the first sales pitches sounded |
| accessible through various paths, it contains a memory | | | | absolutely morbid).The computer suffered from unclear |
| function, it is multimodal (multimedia - textual, visual, | | | | positioning. The compact disc was very clear as to its |
| audio and animation).I believe that the comparison is not | | | | main functions - but had a rough time convincing the |
| superficial and that studying the functions of the brain | | | | consumers that it was needed.Every medium is first |
| (from infancy to adulthood) is likely to shed light on the | | | | controlled by the technical people. Gutenberg was a |
| future of the Net itself. The Net - exactly like the | | | | printer - not a publisher. Yet, he is the world's most |
| nervous system - provides pathways for the transport | | | | famous publisher. The technical cadre is joined by |
| of goods and services - but also of memes and | | | | dubious or small-scale entrepreneurs and, together, |
| information, their processing, modeling, and integration.A. | | | | they establish ventures with no clear vision, |
| The Collective ComputerCarrying the metaphor of "a | | | | market-oriented thinking, or orderly plan of action. The |
| collective brain" further, we would expect the | | | | legislator is also dumbfounded and does not grasp |
| processing of information to take place on the Internet, | | | | what is happening - thus, there is no legislation to |
| rather than inside the end-user's hardware (the same | | | | regulate the use of the medium. Witness the initial |
| way that information is processed in the brain, not in | | | | confusion concerning copyrighted vs. licenced |
| the eyes). Desktops will receive results and | | | | software, e-books, and the copyrights of ROM |
| communicate with the Net to receive additional | | | | embedded software. Abuse or under-utilization of |
| clarifications and instructions and to convey information | | | | resources grow. The sale of radio frequencies to the |
| gathered from their environment (mostly, from the | | | | first cellular phone operators in the West - a situation |
| user).Put differently:In future, servers will contain not | | | | which repeats itself in Eastern and Central Europe |
| only information (as they do today) - but also software | | | | nowadays - is an example.But then more complex |
| applications. The user of an application will not be | | | | transactions - exactly as in real estate in "real life" - |
| forced to buy it. He will not be driven into | | | | begin to emerge. The Internet is likely to converge with |
| hardware-related expenditures to accommodate the | | | | "real life". It is likely to be dominated by brick and mortar |
| ever growing size of applications. He will not find | | | | entities which are likely to import their business |
| himself wasting his scarce memory and computing | | | | methods and management. As its eccentric past (the |
| resources on passive storage. Instead, he will use a | | | | boom and the dot.bomb bust) recedes - a sustainable |
| browser to call a central computer. This computer will | | | | and profitable future awaits it. |