Hi Folks,
My objective is:
- to understand
the Web as a "space" of information
- to learn to take
effective advantage of the whole space of information
In other words, to effectively utilize
the Web I must be able to exploit all the information, not just information
from, say, web services.
I am seeking your thoughts on this
topic.
The above is pretty abstract, so let
me make it more concrete.
Let me start by giving my definition of
the Web, and then a concrete statement of my objective:
Definition: The Web is a
network of information, that can be traversed and
assembled in user-specified ways.
Problem: If the Web is
all about creating and exploiting networks of information, then it makes sense
to understand the Web's fundamental mechanisms/patterns of
information formation and usage. So, the problem is to identify the
mechanisms/patterns of information usage and formation on the Web
today.
Here is the list that I have compiled
thus far:
1. RSS/Atom: information is
syndicated. That is, consumers pull the information. The
information contains links which enable the consumer to traverse to
information that is of interest or value.
2. Wiki: information is collaboratively
grown. The information is massively connected to other information, thus
reflecting the many ways that knowledge intertwines.
3. Traditional Web Sites and Web
Services: information is exposed (made available). If a consumer wants
it, he must go and get it. Information is exchanged. The
information is linked to other related information.
These mechanisms/patterns all contribute
to the Web's information space. Effective use of the Web requires me to
understand and utilize the whole information space, i.e., all of these
mechanisms/patterns.
What other fundamental
mechanisms/patterns are there on the Web today, that contribute to the whole
information space? /Roger
