Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!ames!elroy!cit-vax!ucla-cs!zen!ucbvax!BU-CS.BU.EDU!bzs From: bzs@BU-CS.BU.EDU (Barry Shein) Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Subject: Filtering A Global Hypermedia Network Message-ID: <8711201942.AA09457@bu-cs.BU.EDU> Date: Fri, 20-Nov-87 14:42:19 EST Article-I.D.: bu-cs.8711201942.AA09457 Posted: Fri Nov 20 14:42:19 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 22-Nov-87 18:49:26 EST References: <8711201331.AA05548@bu-cs.BU.EDU> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 50 From: (Thomas Fruin) >If communications speeds are going to be so much higher, what's the point in >cramming everything into one big hypermedia adviser? I thought the way of the >future was networking. I've had some conversations with folks here who are working on large hypertext projects and some of them in fact do not believe the future is in networks at all. One major reason they cite is inevitable frustration of dealing with the necessary central organization who would be running the network (and, of course, varying scepticism on the available bandwidth.) The system of the future they envision would be something more like a desktop, high-speed multi-processor with CD-ROM readers and a nice stack of CD-ROMs (not unlike your current CD player.) People would buy sets of CDs to start collections (not unlike investing in a good encyclopaedia) and beyond that would either buy them in typical ways or subscribe to "CD of the month" clubs which might send you all of the previous months journals w/in some field (or popular mags, whatever.) To be more up to date you might use a network to peruse very current stuff, it's not either or, but the network may not be a critical component. Another very important point that was stated was: How do you make money on networks? Connect charges? Access charges, etc? Nuisance service organizations and open-ended costs, blech. Notice all the hostility towards the phone company? People will leap at alternatives like private collections. You get what you want, when you want and you (the service org) doesn't have to figure out how to get everything on-line at all times (that is, analogous to the reason that VCRs sell better than attempts at Pay-per-view cable services.) There's far more money (they claim) to be made in selling everyone their own copies of the stuff and that's where the "smart" money is going. Remember, this is not so much an issue of what is possible (eg. discussing suitably high-speed network technology) but where the MONEY is going to go for R&D. And there is some indication that it prefers the idea of publishing and sales to building service organizations. There's a very heavy socio-economic aspect here that cannot be overlooked. -Barry Shein, Boston University