[1255] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Chronicle Article
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ken Laws)
Mon Sep 21 12:32:31 1992
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1992 11:13:34 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
From: Ken Laws <LAWS@ai.sri.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
In-Reply-To: <9209171854.AA28447@Sunset.AI.SRI.COM>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> From Hannah King:
> Publishers and vendors investing heavily in enduser searching, document
> delivery, and other information services begin to understand that information
> services are not a lucrative market. They begin to realize that the
> cost of information creation, processing, dissemination, storage, and
retrieval
> is too high for either individuals or single institutions. And that is why
> the cost must be subsidized ... and that is why there are public institutions
> or services, called libraries, to provide affordable information products
> and services to the public.
At this point, the publisher/vendor and the library will be providing
similar services to the end users. It seems likely that vendors will
have the economic means to provide superior service, but will do so
only for proprietary information and mainstream customers. Libraries
will handle public-domain information and unsophisticated customers
looking for niche sources. I'm reminded of the difference between
shopping malls and museums.
I don't agree that vendors will find information an unprofitable
business. They will be squeezed, of course, as more vendors enter
the market than can be supported. Some will shift from retail
to wholesale information vending, and an infrastructure of
constantly updated information flows will keep costs low for the
companies that package for retail distribution.
-- Ken Laws
The Computists' Communique
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