Technology is having an impact in the way we publi Essay Example

revise and modify literary works and publications. While this core objective still influences electronic publishing today, its scope has expanded to include various other goals.

However, electronic publishing does have drawbacks and flaws. A significant amount of information published today is confidential or intended for a specific group. When reading an electronic document, one must consider aspects such as security and integrity of the information. The first question to ask is who authored the document and whether all the information provided is accurate (from Art of electronic publishing, Robertson 2000, p.12).

Information sources are one of the major advantages of electronic publishing in today's world due to the Internet, which allows anyone worldwide to publish electronic documents. However, this same advantage also poses a major disadvantage. Since anyone can access and publish material online, it means that some content may be meaningless or incorrect. It is essential to determine who authored the document and if they can authenticate the information presented.

When reading electronically published material, it is crucial to consider the background of the author(s). For instance, has a computing professional or a 15-year-old schoolboy written the published journal on internet consequences that you are using for your report?

The accuracy of information in an electronic document holds more significance than its authorship. Published electronic documents do not always guarantee accuracy in their contents.Although reading a book on guitar playing instills confidence in its contents, online documents may lack comprehensive content and accuracy. Moreover, uncertainty may arise regarding the authorship and purpose of these digitally published materials on the Internet.

Jonathan Swift employed a clever strategy to discredit a critic by spreading false news of the critic's demise.

The success of Swift's deception led to the critic's attempts to disprove it being dismissed as mere jest. In today's digital era, with the vast opportunities provided by the internet, such pranks have become even more widespread. Almost anyone can access and publish or modify electronic documents effortlessly. This accessibility also facilitates plagiarism, enabling individuals to present others' work as their own.

The advent of electronic publishing has revolutionized research and publication practices. Previously, people relied on books for gathering information for their publications, analyzing and incorporating that material into their work. Regrettably, instances occurred where individuals directly copied information without acknowledging its source – an act known as plagiarism. This issue continues to persist in contemporary times and poses an escalating threat not only to traditional book publishing but also to internet-based electronic publishing.

4.1Plagiarism on the Internet
Plagiarism in electronic publishing primarily targets popular transfer mediums, such as the Internet, because of its wide accessibility and use as an information source. If a guitar tutorial book was only published in physical form, it would only reach individuals who come across it in bookstores or libraries. However, if the same book was electronically published on the Internet, millions of people with Internet access can easily search for and find it. The Internet exposes electronic documents to a global audience, unlike a hardcopy book that is limited to specific locations. As a result, an online "bookstore" is available 24/7 all year round to readers worldwide.
This explains why plagiarism is more common in electronically published materials compared to conventionally published ones. The Internet provides a larger audience for exposure to material and therefore attracts many individuals who engage

in plagiarism. This poses a significant disadvantage to electronic publishing and brings potential consequences.

4.11 Consequences of plagiarism on the Internet
Plagiarism on the Internet has negative consequences for all parties involved. Copying information without acknowledging its original source provides no benefits to individuals who engage in plagiarism. Apart from losing the opportunity to learn and understand the content, cheaters may also face future repercussions if they need that knowledge but are unable to recall it because they did not analyze and interpret the material independently.

Plagiarism not only leads to the author's work being unrecognized, but it also impedes progress and research in a specific subject. If everyone consistently plagiarizes on a particular topic, no new ideas or theses would arise, ultimately reducing diverse information on the subject. Therefore, copyright policies are in place to protect published materials.

4.2Copyright

Copyright is a legal right that applies to literary, scientific, and artistic works including text, music, pictures, databases, and computer programs. It also protects certain producers of cultural content. Copyright grants creators and producers control over and involvement in the commercial usage of their protected materials and accomplishments (Lanlard 1995, p.13).

In the digital age, it is crucial to safeguard your information as it can determine the future. Therefore, it is necessary to copywrite electronic documents to guarantee the authenticity of the contained information.

The feasibility of utilizing electronic publishing

The primary inquiry a reader of electronically published content must consider is whether it is worthwhile. It is essential to consider elements like the expense of electronic publishing, the medium used for transmission, and the information retrieval process in these documents. By examining the answers to these questions,

we can determine if it is more practical to publish a document electronically instead of in print. The initial and most critical aspect to assess is the cost associated with publishing electronic documents.

5.1 Cost of publishing electronically

Electronic publishing offers various cost advantages. While traditional books can be expensive, acquiring them electronically over the Internet may be free. Additionally, electronic publishing reduces printing costs and promotes environmental efficiency by eliminating the need for paper, resulting in financial savings.

Although there are benefits, it is important to also consider the downsides. The requirement to buy a computer is one disadvantage. Furthermore, less than 20% of households globally possess the most up-to-date computer technology (Fowler 1999, p.13).

Hard copy books are more affordable and have a longer lifespan compared to computers. They can withstand being crumpled or tossed around. However, the cost of internet access can be expensive and it is uncertain how much it will increase in the future, especially with privatization.

5.2 Medium of Information

The medium through which information is stored is called its medium. Traditional hard copy books use paper as their medium, while electronic publishing allows for the use of magnetic media like disks and digital signals such as the Internet. Both paper and electronic mediums have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Some people still prefer paper books for certain materials like fiction. However, reading from a computer screen can be uncomfortable and inconvenient for long periods of time.

Despite lacking the portability and lightweight nature of a book, a computer provides unique benefits. Yet, when it comes to reading and studying, the presence of minor inconveniences caused by the page renders it more difficult.

The

comparison between books and computers is widely recognized. Additionally, the convenience of using a book should be considered. Whether it's during bedtime, on a train, in the bath, at a restaurant table, or even while walking down the street, readers can easily read a novel from start to finish. It doesn't make sense for readers to go through the hassle of getting their notebook computer, connecting it to a portable telephone, accessing a website, and dealing with high telecommunication charges for all these situations. This applies to all types of books that people read for pleasure and inspiration - such as novels, poetry books, travel books, history biographies ,and popular science publications.

However electronic publishing offers the advantage of storing significantly more content than paper. For example,a single CD-ROM can store over 200000 printed pages worth of information ,154 full-color publication-quality 3" x 5" photographs without compression ,or even over 10000 full-screen color images using standard graphics compression.Additionally electronic media allows storage of sounds and animations which cannot be done with paper.Eventually,it's up to the reader themselves whether they value practicality or greater storage capacity.

5.21Degradation of medium

Electronic documents do not experience any loss in quality over time. This is in contrast to photographic documents on paper, which are prone to degradation. If the durability of an electronic medium is compromised, the data can be easily and accurately duplicated onto a new medium. The durability of electronic media has led some parts of the library community to consider using this format to preserve paper documents, such as newspaper archives.

5.22 Duplication and updating of information
Electronic documents can be duplicated rapidly in less than

ten seconds through computer actions, as mentioned previously. On the other hand, duplicating paper documents requires using a copier to replicate the information and then printing it, which can consume time when dealing with multiple pages.

One advantage of electronic publishing is the ease of updating and posting information, eliminating the need for redoing content, printing, shipping, and selling. In contrast, printed books require all these time-consuming processes. Electronic publishing also allows for posting on forums and facilitating discussions online, offering opportunities to enhance communication skills and expand knowledge.

On the other hand, a significant drawback of printed books is their inability to be updated without printing a new edition. This not only wastes time but also incurs unnecessary expenses and consumes resources for both authors and publishers. Additionally, finding specific information can be challenging with printed books.

Online publications offer the convenience of searching for specific content within a paper or journal, which is not possible with printed books. Computers also allow for non-linear reading, making it easier to navigate back and forth while reading an article online. However, books provide a chronological and systematic order that can be easily followed, allowing readers to go back to previous pages without losing their place.

Despite these advantages, there are challenges with online publishing such as getting lost in other sites while searching for information. Privacy is also a concern as publishers gather reader information and readers want control over their accessible information. Efforts are being made to address issues related to intellectual property rights, digital signatures, payment problems, and security aspects like accounting and access control.

The adoption of PICS allows labeling and rating of web content in different ways,

providing control over material access while preserving authors' publishing rights. Additionally, PICS has the potential to enhance navigational tools.

Readers often desire anonymity when dealing with sensitive topics, whether they access information electronically or through traditional paper-based research. In today's digital age, it is crucial to maintain the privacy of published information in order to restrict access only to intended recipients.The Australian Army may choose to send a paper report on troop positions in East Timor to the British Army for feedback. Although this limits access and takes time, it avoids the risk of interception during transit. Alternatively, electronically transmitting the report allows for prompt delivery but carries a potential hazard of information being compromised on the internet. Despite concerns about paper superiority, encryption serves as a specialized method to protect sensitive data online and is still considered a viable option.

6.21 Encryption
The use of encryption systems has significantly increased in the past five years. Encryption involves converting data into meaningless characters before transmission, achieved by applying a complex mathematical formula to encrypt the data. The encrypted data is then sent to its destination where it can be decrypted using a key containing the mathematical formula for decryption. This process ensures security and effectiveness as intercepted data appears as random characters. For instance, the phrase "electronic publishing" may be encrypted as "y5%?67*567Ad#jhg61" and can only be decrypted with the correct key.

Another method involves using two keys: a private key A and a public key B, which is easily accessible from public databases. With this method, a work encrypted by A can only be decrypted by B, and vice versa. This allows for secure transactions

such as when person B purchases a work from person A. Person A encrypts the work with their private key A and then with the public key of B. Upon receipt, B decrypts the work with their private key and the public key of A. If the result is an understandable work, it confirms that the work originated from A and was intended for B only.<br/><br/>(Harry Papacharissiou 2001) <br/>Although this scheme's complexity may seem overwhelming, end-user equipment and automatic retrieval of public keys help streamline the encryption process without inconveniencing users.Although this outline only provides a basic framework, it is important to note that additional routines will be implemented to optimize communication efficiency. In conclusion, there is a growing trend towards increased utilization of electronic media in various publishing fields. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that different disciplines have distinct advantages, requirements, and applications when it comes to electronic publishing.
Electronic publishing accelerates information transfer and reduces publication costs while significantly enhancing traditional methods of disseminating, exchanging, updating, and retrieving information. Despite concerns about the integrity and security of electronic information at times, it generally proves to be more reliable and practical. Electronically published works offer faster access to information. Nevertheless, there are circumstances where reading a physical book remains more practical.

Despite its disadvantages, electronic publishing is likely to replace certain categories of book and/or journal publications, given its advantages such as rapid publication and updating, as well as the cost-effectiveness of electronic distribution. Electronic publishing is particularly suitable for disseminating time-sensitive information that requires frequent updates and targets a specific audience. However, traditional hard copy books still have a future due to their long-standing

presence and societal and organizational value. Electronic publications will need a significant amount of time to establish a solid foundation like that of hard copy books. Just as painting did not become obsolete with the advent of modern photography, books will not cease to exist because of electronic publishing.

8References
Brown, H. 2001, Advantages to E-publishing Online accessed 30 March 2001. URL: http://zanderebooks.com/authors/advantages.shtml.

Ekman R. 2000, ARL's Scholarly Communication and Technology Project Online accessed 3 May 2001. URL: http://www.arl.org/scomm/scat/regier.html.

Fowler, R. (1999). Revolution of Internet technology. Print press, London.

Lanlard, P. 1995, Copyright: an introduction, Merlin books, USA.

The following texts can be found online and provide information about the advantages and disadvantages of publishing electronically:
- Livingwood, P. (2001), "The advantage and disadvantages of publishing electronically" Online accessed 10 May 2001.
- Robertson, S. & Allen, M. (2000), "The art of electronic publishing", Lisbon publishing, England.
- Strong, W. (20001), "Copyright in the New World of Electronic Publishing" Online accessed 10 May 2001.
- Wilson, T. (2001), "Electronic publishing and the future of the book" Online accessed 10 May 2001.