When Guttenberg invented the printing press in 1450, it revolutionized information access. What could have taken years by hand could now be achieved in days. Though widespread literacy was still a long way off, the potential of the printing press thrust society forward by allowing it to disseminate ideas and information cheaper, faster, and more effectively.
Advances kept coming, but nothing was as drastic. Nothing, that is, until the internet took digital information and made it accessible instantaneously. The internet has revolutionized communication and information, with the potential to bring together people around the world. It has enabled the free exchange of ideas and knowledge, and has given people the power to create and share content in ways never before imagined.
Thus, with digital libraries, information can be accessed faster than ever before, stored in the cloud or read via computer, eReader, or phone. And so, nearly six centuries later, we’ve reached a new pinnacle of ideation and its dissemination. This digital revolution has changed the way we think, create and communicate.
Michael's Musings 