Internet May Not Have It All, Says Web Search Expert

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

New Delhi: A US-based research firm looking for some reports finally found it on Internet after searching a few hundred Web pages, but only in German language. The firm spent a few thousand dollars to get it translated in English, only to realise later that the same information was already available in English. But in print.

In a similar incident, but with more serious implications, a doctor wanted to prescribe a drug to her patient and wanted to know the side effects. When a few Web searches did not provide any details, the drug was administered, ignoring side effects documented and made available in related medical literature in paper form by the drug manufacturer.

You could be a researcher, a knowledge worker, a student or an individual looking for information. Internet is the first source that comes to mind. Accessing free information available on the world wide web is becoming a second nature for most of us, and has increased our reliance on Internet. But be careful. It would be wrong to assume that every information is available on Internet and if you don’t get what you wanted, it is not there at all.

Greg R Notess