Web versus Online: future versus history or vice versa?

摘要

A great number of conventional Online information services have been made available on the Web and more are to come. Which challenges do the providers meet, and what are the consequences for the users? Some providers choose to make their own sites for distribution, while others choose distribution through established marketplaces on the Internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages with these two strategies?Web distribution also means new user groups and new user demands. On the one hand we will have information professionals with a need for advanced search services integrated with their local systems, and on the other hand there will be many ad hoc users to serve. Twenty four hour service, another level of quality on searching and content, and new price models may be demanded. There could be both technical and political reasons for making new price models for Web services, such as using price to control the users' migration to Web or to reach new user groups. Should information content on the Web cost less than through traditional distribution channels? Why? Is a price model based on subscription and/or pay per view preferable for the professional and for the ad hoc user? What effects will Internet2 have on the two user groups?When turning Online information services into Web services there are law and security regulations to consider. The technology is ahead of the laws and there are grey zones concerning for instance copyright, rights and obligations when buying information and sales across borderlines. Who shall carry the cost when the browser crashes during download, and is it legal to distribute all kinds of information to other countries?