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- The importance of hypertext <sum09 1 5>
- ===========================
-
- James Burke, PBS-TV host of CONNECTIONS and author of THE DAY THE
- UNIVERSE CHANGED, describes the hypertext paradigm as:
-
- "more important to society than the invention of the
- printing press or the alphabet."
-
- Why? Burke sees hypertext as democratizing information, meaning that hyper-
- ==== text removes the traditional barriers to knowledge such as -- language,
- understanding, education, professions, institutions. He believes
- hypertext may produce major societal changes because knowledge can
- be acquired simply by tapping a keyboard. <link04>
-
- Change Hypertext may eliminate intermediaries between you and the
- knowledge you desire. In the future, hypertext may also create jobs
- and information monopolies for those who know how to organize
- knowledge into hypertext systems.
-
- Your $ In the past, control of irrigation in ancient Egypt and China created
- ====== monopolistic wealth in water-based economies. In the near future, the
- delivery of easier-accessed knowledge may create similar wealth in
- information-based economies. See talents needed <link60>