[sdiy] was : Anybody French, know this guy?

[Rainer Buchty]

>IOW doing easier and faster things that could be done
>before (the net was widespread).

Agreed, that this is far from being truly mind-blowing, but OTOH it 
opens up possibilities which just were not present before.

Take "closed" information for example such as service manuals, OS 
documentation for old machines, datasheets of long obsolete parts.

Back in the "analog" era of communication you would probe some contacts 
and in case of failure that's it. I'm quite sure that back then numerous 
helpful souls existed which would have been more than willing to share 
their information -- if they just knew how to reach the people 
interested in that information.

So today one is not limited to direct contacts and (small) private 
networks but has the power of mailinglists, usenet, and of course Google 
on their hands. Likewise, the keeper of arcane and hidden knowledge can 
set up a web site and throw some pointers at appropriate places so that 
information seekers can find what they're looking for -- and without the 
huge delay "human networks" tend to show with information propagating 
down a "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows someone who might..." 
line.

Rainer