h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As I'm sure you're aware, the technology to allow the sort of distibuted knowledge you describe is already here. Right now I've got a GPS transmitter for my PDA and combining that with inbuilt PDA network access, say over GPRS/UMTS or public wireless LANs then everything you need on the client side is either already here, or poised for commercial launch.

The real problems are likely to come from the information stored within the system itself. The problem with any data storage system, such as the Internet, is validating the quality of the information available. We've moved from a society where information was archived in the hands of the few into one where we're drowning in the stuff. Being able to process that information into useful knowledge and filtering out the rest is the next real challange.

To use your cafe example, what's to stop the restaurant owner across the street popping over, downgrading the quality of his neighbour's coffee to the world and suggesting people pop over for a cream bun at his place instead?

Systems along the lines of H2G2's peer review mechanism need to be developed, but need to be fast enough to respond to changing conditions (if the cafe's just taken on a new member of staff who can't work the coffee machine and filled it up with black-beans instead, I'd like to know now!). In addition, one person's 'good cup of coffee might be another's 'bitter, high-caffinated nightmare'.

I guess what you really need is a sense of virtual community, giving different weight to different opinions according to who you are. I'll tend to do things based on the opinions of my friends. You get to know when your feelings on a subject coincide, based on past events.

To attempt to mimic this in a virtual system, you might well want to incorporate a similar 'evolved-trust' type model to future guides. If Bob claimed that somewhere had a good cup of coffee and I agreed with him, I'm going to want a system to give more weight to his opinions next time. I might also want to give more weight to the opinions of the people who Bob trusts too, in an effort to build up a larger circle of trusted opinion in the future. So, the more my feelings agree with Bob's, the more likely I'll agree with Bob's friends too. Then, if one of them has just had a cup of 'black-bean' coffee, then I'll know that perhaps I should stick to the tea this morning..

Thankyou for everything you gave us. I wish you well on your next great journey, but wish you were still traveling with us all.

All my sympathy goes to your family.

Thankyou for everything you gave us. I wish you well on your next great journey, but wish you were still traveling with us all.

All my sympathy goes to your family.