available at additional charge. With its combination of both public and
proprietary knowledge bases it will seek to solve any problem no matter how
large or small. Seeking to provide the user all the information and knowledge
necessary to solve the problem. Eventually ALL the world's Information and
Knowledge–everything in print could become available over the 'knowledge'
utility.
establishments offering help from every corner. The user may walk the city
without obligation. Using the public services without charge. He may enter
any electronic establishment of his choice. Wherever he goes he will be met by
the same question.
–– Flight schedules –– Bulletin –– Ads –– Word processors –– Special Interest
Groups –– Spreadsheets –– Electronic Mail –– Relational Databases ––
Programming –– Software –– Finance Programs –– Calculators –– Games ––
Inexpensive Storage –– Reservations –– Communications –– Teleconferencing
–– Newspapers –– Periodicals –– Journals –– Magazines –– Newsletters ––
Reports –– Libraries –– Libraries –– Lessons –– Seminars –– Classes ––
Schools –– Colleges –– Universities –– Resources –– Expertise ––
Consultation –– Technology –– Communications –– Knowing
really demonstrates its power. The utility is intelligent, it will assist you in
utilizing its services. This is where we will really begin to see the difference
between Knowledge and Information.
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
KNOWLEDGE networks is intelligence.
becomes obvious. Any time you are using the 'Knowing ' utility you can
request expert help. Within moments a highly intelligent 'expert' system will
come on-line to help you. This artificial intelligence program will be
completely familiar with the operation of the utility and the total knowledge
resources available. It will lead you through an algorithm of opportunities to
manifest the solution to your problem. Your use of the entire 'Knowing '
utility will be confidential and of course this includes the expert systems. You
may use it to explore even personal and emotional problems.
or select from the list:
_______________________
finds the solution he seeks. Its knowledge of the user may help it narrow the
field of search. Its goal is to help you solve the problem with the fewest
requests of information; always seeking least action for you and the utility.
Future Positive BBS ====== HELP 'Network' ====== Expert Help
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
our impersonal world. Computers are often viewed as impersonal objects and
the networks have seemed to promise an even more impersonal future.
Intelligence changes all that. The 'Knowing ' utility will 'know' you, it will
'know' your family, it will 'know' your needs, and it will 'know' how best to
help you. The 'Knowing ' utility will be experienced as a very personal and
for some even intimate friend. Except it never gets angry; it never lies; and it
never betrays you, or its knowledge of you. For many it might be their best
friend.
as inexpensive as possible. It should seek to provide all that's known in the
public domain at the request of the user– providing electronic access to all
public information including electronic reference to the equivalent of a public
library. Access will be provided to all available electronic public data bases
and libraries.
basic service.
proprietary menus, and retailing opportunities. Howev er, just as today I can
enter a store and browse without cost, I will be able to electronically browse
without cost.
will find that the major function of the basic service is to welcome the user on
the use and the power of the utility. The basic service is the access to the
system. It must be as friendly and easy to use as possible. The user should
experience the utility as clearly saving time and money.
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
likes. Some vendors will offer products which can be purchased electronically
if desired. Many shops will offer inexpensive services, and much information
is available without fee.
access electronic libraries, examine public bulletin boards, receive mail, pay
bills, bank, use directories, read advertising brochures, etc., etc..
for creation of documents, file transfer, electronic mail, writing notes, placing
advertisements, etc., a calculator program, spreadsheet program, graphics
drawing and art creation utility, relational data bases, games (many) rotated
frequently.
educational. It is in the interests of all for the users to so enjoy the basic
service so that they will become customers for optional services. The more
enjoyable and valuable the basic service, the more effective the subscribers
will become at using the utility.
Many proprietary services and products will be offered. Again the offerings
will be constantly expanding with new additions and unsuccessful ones
dropping out. One should be able to arrange for any service with the
'Knowing' utility which could be accessed in some other way. This route must
and will of course be much faster with instant confirmation of order, and
service department.
libraries. In addition, one can access 'Expert Computer Systems' as well as
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
electronically. Electronic classes, seminars, schools, and even an accredited
University will become available.
purchasing opportunity. It won't cost anything to see a menu or have a
demonstration. It doesn't cost me anything to walk in a store and look at the
merchandise. But if I want the product I will either make a purchase or sign a
use agreement. Electronic banking will make this a convenient and easy
procedure.
always be purchased by selecting from a menu and using electronic credit
mechanism. This would allow electronic retailing of almost any product. One
could enter a book store and purchase the current electronic edition of
'NEWSWEEK', 'PEOPLE MAGAZINE', 'THE NEW YORK TIMES',
'WALL STREET JOURNAL', or any periodical that one likes.
expansion of the data bases and libraries. Electronic consultants will become
evermore available providing expertise in every field. New 'expert' systems
will be added as developed.
the plan of centralized planning. This is based on the concept of directed-
organization. In simple example, when the foreman tells the laborer what to
do and how to do it, he is directing the laborer's activity.
human culture. I guess we have had too many tribal chiefs, too many kings,
and too many presidents to feel we should organize our own lives. But
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
sign "please clean the shed" and the laborer then organizes the task as to how,
when, and what tools will he use.
Careful examination of their methods including 'Quality circles' and 'life-time
employment' reveal both are powerful tools of self-organization.
sometime. Recent scientific advances have corroborated the discovery of self-
organization as the prime fundamental of 'LIFE'. It appears to be 'LIFE's
most powerful tool for adapting to complex environs..
direct more and more of their own activity, the self-organizing systems
require a disseminated knowledge-information network to facilitate local
decision.
principle that allows the division of labor to occur. In the process, much of
central decision making is shifted to local decision making. Therefore,
Information-Knowledge is essential on the local level for those making
decisions.
anarchy. We have no need of central decision making, but our local decisions
must be communicated to all other parts of the system and our actions best be
coordinated with the actions of all the other parts. Coordination also involves
notifying all the local decision makers of the decisions of all the other local
decision makers so they can make new decisions. The role of this coordinator
is to see that actions of the parts are coordinated producing a smooth
functioning of the whole. In biology the coordinator is the BRAIN. Within
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
'KNOWLEDGE' utility.
of direct-organization philosophy. It is not the structure necessary for the
'Knowing ' utility. It is this central structure that produces the HIGH cost of
present systems. The feasibility of a 'Knowing ' utility depends on capital cost
reduction. The savings created by a disseminated system appear to be adequate
to allow early viability of such a system.
'nodes' to which individual subscribers would be directly connected using
cable. The advantage of direct cable connection over telephone telephone
connection is significant in the areas of information transmission speeds,
security, reliability, and costs. A centralized system has all users connected to
it.
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is not only enormously difficult technologically, its cost is prohibitive.
of the whole system. Then these 'nodes' hold the knowledge base as a whole.
The knowledge base is distributed throughout the system. Any 'node' can
receive and originate services.
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Imagine the users within a community connected to their own regional node.
Copyright 1984, TrustMark 2001 by Timothy Wilken
