Possibly another tangent ( I apologise for the way my mind works). I think there is a real issue here about experts and non-expert advice. It may just be about getting used to a relatively new medium but I am sure we will increasingly find ways to differentiate between expert (and therefore helpful) information and random views. The internet has made it easy to give everyone a platform to express views but equal opportunity to express views doesn't make these views have equal worth.
We have worked out how to sort these views in other situations. In written communications it is often easy to do this (even if it means sometimes judging a book by its cover). If you were in a pub or a party you could quickly work out who is talking rubbish. Likewise I imagine we will find ways to filter out the rubbish on the web. If not life will be like one long journey in a taxi.
However - if you do like the rubbish then I highly recommend you look at the 'Speak you're branes' website.
A related issue. With newspapers, the cost of the paper has always been heavily subsidised by the advertising. This has been taken to the extreme by the Evening Standard, which is now free. This type of model shows how members can receive membership benefits without paying the full cost (or possibly any cost) if there is a value to someone else of being able to communicate with that membership. With this type of model quantity or type (ie advertisers often like people with high disposable income) of membership becomes important.
Barney
Possibly another tangent ( I apologise for the way my mind works). I think there is a real issue here about experts and non-expert advice. It may just be about getting used to a relatively new medium but I am sure we will increasingly find ways to differentiate between expert (and therefore helpful) information and random views. The internet has made it easy to give everyone a platform to express views but equal opportunity to express views doesn't make these views have equal worth.
We have worked out how to sort these views in other situations. In written communications it is often easy to do this (even if it means sometimes judging a book by its cover). If you were in a pub or a party you could quickly work out who is talking rubbish. Likewise I imagine we will find ways to filter out the rubbish on the web. If not life will be like one long journey in a taxi.
However - if you do like the rubbish then I highly recommend you look at the 'Speak you're branes' website.
Barney
A related issue. With newspapers, the cost of the paper has always been heavily subsidised by the advertising. This has been taken to the extreme by the Evening Standard, which is now free. This type of model shows how members can receive membership benefits without paying the full cost (or possibly any cost) if there is a value to someone else of being able to communicate with that membership. With this type of model quantity or type (ie advertisers often like people with high disposable income) of membership becomes important.