[Web4lib] % of Knowledge Available Digitally

[Mike McDermott]

This may be personal semantics and theoretical hair-splitting, 
but I'd put the number at EXACTLY 0%. As I see it - 'knowledge' 
implies someone knowing something and can only exist withing the 
mind of the knower, so therefore cannot be directly communicated 
or stored, digitally or otherwise.  We translate knowlege into 
'information', which can be communicated, stored, etc... Then, 
when someone processes that information, it becomes knowledge in 
their mind (though not necessarily the same knowledge we started 
with).

Mike McDermott

Hester, Mary wrote:
> I know I have seen estimates on what percentage of knowledge is
> available digitally and especially estimates on how much is available
> free via the WWW.  Now that someone wants this information, however, I
> can't seem to find it. They also want to know the ratio of books
> published in print format each year VS the books published in electronic
> format. 

-- 
Mike McDermott                     mmcderm2 at bowdoin.edu
Bowdoin College Library
3000 College Station               phone: (207) 725-3856
Brunswick, Maine 04011-8421        fax:(207) 725-3083