Actually, one wants to index different types of documents differently. The above method of indexing is very effective for a journal article or a simple document on a coherent topic. However, for an electronic mail file with 5,000 unrelated messages, the method makes no sense at all. A single index for a file of 5,000 unrelated documents may say something about the collection as a whole but is not useful for retrieving an individual document. Thus, a file of electronic mail messages should be indexed by creating a separate index for each message. If different computer files are to be indexed differently, then one needs to be able to identify the type of file automatically.
I have not mentioned electronic libraries and the potential of accessing from one's living room an image of any printed document or work of art in the world. The reason for the omission is that by and large the technology already exists for electronic libraries. The main impediments seem to be legal. That is, we need to solve the legal issue of how to protect intellectual property rights and how to charge for the services provided.
CONCLUSION
In this lecture, I have tried to sketch some of the technical issues that need development as we enter the computer and information age. This age promises to be even more beneficial than the agricultural and industrial revolutions preceding it. We live in an exciting time, one in which we need to work together and share our ideas to build and support the emerging technologies of the new age.
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