WHERE IS PUBLISHING GOING - A PERSPECTIVE ON CHANGE

Advances in computer and network technologies have created an environment in which the fundamental nature of publishing is changing. Even how we define publishing may change significantly. The purpose of this article is to question how easy will it be to change the relationship of people to the published word and what are the challenges and consequences of changing this relationship. Included are a brief examination of some of the lessons learned from the short history of e-publishing and the directions publishing could take. The argument is made that the social implications of transforming publishing have been overlooked in most e-publishing discussions.