Online publishing of newspapers, magazines, and books is really a meaningless concept. We have to leave the legacy publications behind as we invent the world of online publishing. Information will have to be organized in new ways that match the properties of the new medium rather than being derived from the way the physical limitations of the old medium caused information to be split up among specific publications.
Predictor: Nielsen, Jakob
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 column on online publishing, Jakob Nielsen writes:”Online publishing of newspapers, magazines, and books is really a meaningless concept. We have to leave the legacy publications behind as we invent the world of online publishing. Information will have to be organized in new ways that match the properties of the new medium rather than being derived from the way the physical limitations of the old medium caused information to be split up among specific publications. For example, all styles of online publications should offer ephemeral interest groups where the users can write ‘letters to the editor.’ This popular feature does not need to be restricted to newspapers in an online medium.”
Biography:Jakob Nielsen labeled himself as an “Internet User Advocate” and built a reputation as a speaker and writer in that area. He co-founded the Nielsen Norman Group with Donald A. Norman (a former VP of research at Apple Computer). In the early 1990s, he was an engineer at Sun Microsystems. He invented and patented a number of Internet usability methods. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: August 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information
Subtopic: Publishing
Name of publication: Alertbox
Title, headline, chapter name: Directions for Online Publishing
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9508.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney