RE: [epub] Originality should extend to IDEAS too - not just writing

["David Yancey" <dyancey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "David Yancey" <dyancey@intergen.co.uk>

On the subject of original content versus re-prints, I'm
generally with Dr. Mani, who says:

"...articles need to be original NOT ONLY in
the text matter but also in message/content.  To phrase it
another way, it shouldn't be a re-write of the same old
ideas,
but instead have an ENTIRELY NEW idea..."

But we need to acknowledge a fact of life on the commercial
web, namely that new folks are coming aboard in big numbers
all the time, and, given the generally ephemeral nature of
most e-pubs and discussion lists, it could be argued that
what is rehash to us is altogether new to them, and hence,
in their perception, "original".

Some would say that this is irrelevant, because the newer
readers can go find the original stuff in some archive.  But
is that actually true?  More importantly, is it necessarily
material, especially for those not familiar with all the
hundreds of original sources on a topic as big as, say,
e-publishing, or "doing business on the web", or "setting up
an e-store", or, for that matter, parenting, travel, you
name it.

We all know the search engines don't adequately reflect the
vast assortment of content available on the web, but even if
they did, my point is that these newer users won't usually
know how to dig the desired stuff out of the directories or
search results pages.

And many if not most of the articles we are speaking of may
never have been placed on a web page, making them all that
much harder to find.

Before we come down too hard on those ezines that emphasize
"rehash" and reprints, let's acknowledge that they serve at
least some useful function in exposing the new readers to
otherwise hard to find stuff.

In time, this function can be filled by *much* better
conceived and executed search tools, but for now, I'll
modify my hard-nosed stand on original content, somewhat,
and settle for strong and clear attributions to the original
"idea-generator" and/or author and/or publication.

David Yancey - - Intergen Associates
Internet Business Planning, Development & Management
"If you want an Internet presence, create a website; if you
want
an Internet *business*, create an Internet Business Plan."
mailto:dyancey@intergen.co.uk
or call our office in Japan at 81-42-943-2637


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