Chapter 30
Understanding the Information Revolution: The New Paradigm

The information revolution stems from the explosion of information that technology makes available and that modern society requires in order to function. Computers in the work place are nearly as ubiquitous as telephones. Until now, under the old paradigm, information has existed in separate computers that could communicate to some degree, but sharing documents has been limited. Under the new paradigm, information structure is standardized to facilitate widespread document sharing. All those computers are beginning to talk to each other, and the model of the isolated, unconnected computer is beginning to disappear. This chapter discusses what the information revolution really means and what the new paradigm has to do with it.

In this chapter, you learn:

•  How modular information drives the information revolution

•  What collaborative projects are currently happening on the Web

•  What SGML standards are being developed and how they affect the Information Superhighway of the future

•  How SGML promotes learning

How Modular Information Drives the Information Revolution

Chapter 29, “Understanding the Old Paradigm,” discussed how old habits of organizing information linearly instead of modularly can complicate the process of information sharing. Under the old paradigm, computers—and the information on them—have only limited communications. Under the new paradigm, information is structured modularly in standardized ways according to SGML to facilitate document sharing by all computers. The Information Superhighway is really just in its infant stages. But its growth resembles the new America 400 years ago, as cyberspace today becomes colonized.

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• See “Implications of the Linear Way of Organizing Information,” p. 503

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The information revolution results from the vast incentives to share information, profits, and technology that come when people pool their resources cooperatively. Since cooperative efforts are more efficient than competitive efforts, international standards can be agreed upon by many countries. This spirit of cooperation is why SGML has been so successful in unifying the efforts of both individuals and large organizations to change the way they think about structuring information.

The Reader Is a Collaborator

The information revolution consists of individual people who both provide and read information in standardized modular structures. The Information Superhighway consists of these individuals who are, at times, information providers and at other times information readers. Each individual helps to plan the architecture of the Information Superhighway by the resources he or she chooses. Web site patrons guide the decisions of Web site developers, for example, much as shoppers help the grocer decide what specials to feature in his or her store—by the decisions shoppers make about their purchases. In this way, information readers are collaborators with information providers.

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• For more information on adding features like this to SGML documents, see “Adding Features to Documents,” p. 155

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Further, Web sites most often have mail forms built into their pages. This is no accident. The World Wide Web’s popularity stems in large part from its interactive quality. You are involved in each online enterprise you take advantage of—you make a difference. Many enhancements to the World Wide Web resulted from suggestions that were sent via e-mail by readers of information who wanted to help out, to collaborate.

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Note:  
Imagine how you feel when people read your published work on the Web. When they write and tell you what they think about your work, they are interacting with it. It feels good to have readers respond to your work. It’s a way of saying that you have made a difference. That’s why Web page authors include an E-mail Me icon at the bottom of their Web pages. Getting flamed is a risk, but being ignored is worse.

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Likewise, readers appreciate knowing that their input is important. Until now, it has been difficult to contact an author and tell him how his work affected you.

It’s different on the Web. Sending e-mail to someone is as easy as clicking a mouse button. You are involved. You can collaborate if you want. You can make suggestions about improving the Web site. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway cannot take your advice—they don’t run Web sites (and they’re no longer alive!)—but you can provide feedback to many Web authors. They will definitely consider your recommendations.

Information providers are interested in how you use their services, and which of their services you choose to patronize also is a form of collaboration. Web pages can measure the number of hits on their pages every day. You’re helping to form the future of the Web by choosing which services to take advantage of. The Web is a free market, and it’s still small enough where every hit makes a difference.

Many pages also keep usage statistics (see fig. 30.1). They tell you what other readers are interested in. You can find out what to include in your own Web site.

Fig. 30.1  Usage statistics are a form of collaboration. They tell users what’s popular about a site.

Collaboration is a type of document sharing that leads to more document sharing. Sharing documents on the Web, though, is just the tip of the iceberg of the information revolution.