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One solution is
to enable authors to make reliable statements about the availability
of information during the creation of texts. The point is to not only
indicate author, copyright owner, publishing date in the metadata of
a piece of information but also how long the information will be
available at the very same address. It is a matter of commitment on
the part of the publisher who guarantees not to delete the
information until a certain deadline has expired.
fig.
4: metadata for online published information with guarantee of
existence (GOE)
Two things are
important for the concept in order to work properly: Firstly, the
assigned guarantee needs to be clearly visible. Secondly, it needs to
be obvious which information the guarantee belongs to. Furthermore,
the guarantee needs to be trusted. Trust in a guarantee of existence
is dependant on the credibility of the organisation or institution
behind as well as reasonable, transparent systematics for assigning
guarantees of existence.
If credibility
and systematics are accepted by authors and readers, the precondition
of reliable availability of information mentioned above is
fulfilled. Combined with referencing, information can be reliably
integrated in a developing environment in order to turn it into a
long-lasting knowledge resource. The basis for efficient online
collaboration is provided.
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