Re: deluged by information

[Tim Folkerts <Tim.Folkerts@valpo.edu>]

On Mon, 12 Jan 1998 10:51:06 -0400 (EDT) LUDWIK KOWALSKI 

> > "How can we improve our reward system for excellence in filtering,
> > interpreting and synthesizing the vast body of so-called information
> > with which we are deluged?"
>
> In other words how can minds of our students be protected? I do not
> know how to answer this question. Can you?
>                                                 Ludwik Kowalski

I don't agree with your interpretation of the question.  Producing 
information is only valuable if it gets used.  When a scientist could 
read all the journals in his field, he could keep up with advances 
pretty easily.  Now you can't even read all the journals in one 
subtopic!

Further, most papers contain a "least publishable content" of new 
work in an effort to amass more publications and get them out quicker.  
You could make the same assesment of many textbooks, magazines, 
websites, etc.   

A good handbook is worth a thousand publications in usefulness, but not 
in promotion.  THAT is the point of the question, IMHO.


---   Tim

P.S.  But I still don't know the answer.  Perhaps being able to 
copyright a database wasn't such a bad idea.

-----------------------------------------
Tim Folkerts
Email: Tim.Folkerts@valpo.edu
Valparaiso University