http://www.nature.com/nsu/030922/030922-10.html
Article describing Philips Research's development of an electronic paper which can allow colour movies to display on a single sheet of e-paper. Marry the potential for ubiquity that this represents [can we fold it?] with the capabilities of extended access via wire, and a whole new information ecology could result.
Just by itself this is a development with major implications. Imagine, for example, downloading a book on, say, the campaign in Iraq, which would then update itself as time goes on. Similarly, any intellectual construct could be modified on the fly to take new developments into account.
Or look at it another way -- suppose I download a survey of astronomy, and then after reading it, discover that I am really interested in planetary astronomy -- I could then "expand" the section on planetary astronomy, to discover I am most interested in Mars. In any one case, I would not need or want "the whole book" -- in fact my initial download might take the form of an extended index.
Note this does not displace books -- it simply replaces them in those cases where books are not a particularly good vehicle. In those cases where material has intrinsic value, the book still reigns supreme.
Posted by jho at September 25, 2003 02:30 PMIn a false quarrel there is no true valour. zocor buy zocor Hamlet: Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?Polonius: By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed.Hamlet: Methinks it is like a weasel. Polonius: It is backed like a weasel. Hamlet: Or like a whale? Polonius: Very like a whale.
Posted by: zocor at November 16, 2004 12:32 PM