In the digital age, the internet has evolved from a fragmented collection of web pages and applications to a fluid, integrated experience. This transformation has been so seamless that the lines between hardware, software, and content have blurred, creating a unified digital environment. The once clear distinction between local documents and web content has dissolved, allowing for a smooth transition between desktop interfaces and the internet. This shift has revolutionized the way we manage knowledge and interact with digital workspaces, making the location, nature, and source of documents increasingly irrelevant. What matters now is accessibility and intuitive workflows.
Years ago, Microsoft, overcoming initial skepticism from its founder Bill Gates, introduced "internet-ready" applications. Microsoft Word, other Office applications, and the Windows operating system were designed to handle both local documents and web pages with ease. This development marked the beginning of a new era where the transition between desktop or laptop interfaces and the web became effortlessly transparent.
The advent of e-book readers and MP3 players has further obscured the once-clear distinction between hardware and software. Our language reflects this change; when we say "e-book," we refer to both the device and the content it displays. As technologies like digital ink and printable integrated circuits advance, the merger of hardware and software seems inevitable.
The erasure of traditional boundaries has given rise to knowledge management solutions and personal and shared workspaces. The location of a document, whether on a personal computer, a colleague's PDA, or a web page, has become inconsequential. Similarly, the nature of the document—be it an email, text file, video snippet, or soundbite—and its source or file extension are becoming less significant. Universal programming languages like Java enable devices and applications to communicate seamlessly, prioritizing accessibility and logical, user-friendly workflows.
Enfish offers a personalized portal solution that links personal and corporate knowledge with relevant internet information. It provides a live-in desktop environment that allows for co-branding and customization both online and offline. Enfish also offers a private communication channel to users that can be utilized for eBusiness solutions and a knowledge management solution that requires no user setup or configuration.
The principle behind Enfish is straightforward, but the experience is transformative. Users no longer need to juggle multiple windows; a single interface grants access to all applications—email, contacts, documents, company intranet or network, the web, and other people's computers. This interface is dynamically updated to meet the user's changing information needs.
Enfish Onespace is powered by its patented DEX 'engine,' which creates a master index of the contents of a user's email, documents, and internet information. This index helps Enfish understand what is relevant to the user and provide appropriate information, effectively personalizing the internet for each individual. For example, clicking on a person or company in Enfish Onespace automatically compiles a page with related emails, documents, contact information, appointments, and relevant internet news—all without the user having to organize this information manually. This centralized and contextual approach enhances productivity and efficiency.
The future of computing promises to be even more integrated. The concept of transparent computing, encompassing smart houses, smart cards, smart clothes, smart appliances, and wireless internet, combined with a single Graphic User Interface (GUI) approach, could revolutionize our daily habits. Information will be accessible anywhere through an identical screen, communicated instantly and accurately from device to device, and from one location to the next as we move. The underlying software and hardware will become as esoteric as ASCII and ASSEMBLY languages are to the average computer user today, paving the way for a true partnership between biological and artificial intelligence on the go.
The Ubiquitous Britannica 2015
Encyclopedia Britannica is now online and as a DVD. The print edition has been discontinued.
Pears Cyclopaedia 2014-5 Edition: Human Knowledge Encapsulated
Pears Cyclopaedia is the last remaining one volume reference work.
Envy as the Foundation of Capitalism
Envy is either destructive, or, as in the case of capitalism, constructive.
