We are allegedly entering the information age. But where, precisely, is the
useful information in the Web鈥檚 800 million pages? And how much does it
cost? 鈥淚nformation wants to be free,鈥� may be the mantra of many a nethead, but
that鈥檚 not the way everyone sees it. Just because Encyclopaedia
Britannica (www. britannica.com) is setting its controls to freeplay
doesn鈥檛 mean there isn鈥檛 a buck to be made. And over at www.infomarco.com
they鈥檙e betting people are willing to pay for the answers to pressing
questions.
Just as the auction site eBay links buyers and sellers, Infomarco aims to
hook up people with questions to people with answers, on anything from computers
to poetry. The idea is that you post your question and how much you鈥檙e willing
to pay for the answer, and someone who knows sells it to you. They鈥檙e still
testing it using funny money, so you can have a go for free.
But Infomarco is just the latest of a number of businesses that mean to
make information a real commodity. And at www.exp.com, they take a different
tack, selling you a 鈥渞elationship鈥� with a trusted adviser. After you and your
adviser have discussed your problem or question, and come up with an answer, you
get an electronic invoice.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, there鈥檚 www.ithority.com, where info experts can display their
wares and see who wants to buy. Experts include a philosopher who advises on
subjects from venture capital to epistemology. There are a bunch more, including
www.expertcentral.com, www. expertcity.com, and the techie site
www.hotdispatch.com.
It鈥檚 still not clear how willing people are to pay for Internet info when
they can get it for free, provided they know where to look. In addition to
Usenet newsgroups, try http://KnowPost.com, where people trade info for free.
And of course, don鈥檛 forget New Scientist鈥檚 Last Word database at
www.last-word.com. As if you would.
