FAQ: Suitable Topics

Q: What types of topics are suitable for development into LINMO-compatible web sites?

A: There are countless possibilities. Among the most important factors in determining the suitability of a topic is the availability of a suitable author.

Q: What is meant by "suitable author"?

A: A suitable author for a LINMO-compatible web site is a person who has the following characteristics: (1) has extensive knowledge about the topic, (2) is a skilled writer, (3) is motivated to create such a site and (4) has sufficient financial resources and time to create the site. They are essentially the same as the qualifications required to write a high quality hard copy (i.e., printed on paper) book.

Q: What are some specific examples of potential topics?

A: A few ideas might include ancient Greece, astronomy, baseball, Chinese history, chocolate, comparative religion, dentistry, economics, the Enlightenment, geology, IBM, mythology, nutrition, philosophy, physical anthropology, political science, psychology and Spanish literature. These are all very large topics that have widespread appeal. It it also possible to follow the same model with much more specialized topics.

Q: Could LINMO-compatible web sites also be created about a company or other organization?

A: Yes. Actually, this could be a very interesting project. It would be quite different from conventional web sites about organizations, and it could have substantial benefits.

Q: How could it benefit an organization?

A: One way is that it could provide an alternative to the conventional public relations style of writing about businesses and other organizations. Many people are tired of that style and feel that it tends to be excessively wordy and prone to exaggeration. It could thus make for very interesting reading for many people and even have a substantial public relations value in itself.

Such a site could also be useful for in-house use in an organization for providing background and reference information for employees (e.g., about company products, policies and competitors). In addition, the act of creating a LINMO-compatible organizational web site could, in some cases, lead to new ideas or at least facilitate the increased consistency of organization policies.

Q: Would software documentation be a suitable topic?

A: Yes, in fact, documentation, not only for computer software, but also for a much broader range of products, could become one of the major applications for LINMO-compatible web sites. Much of the currently available documentation for computer software is an outstanding example of unnecessary complexity, and applying the LINMO approach would thus be a huge step towards increasing its usability (i.e., the ease, comfort, efficiency and satisfaction with which a product can be used by a wide range of people under varied circumstances). It would also be beneficial to companies and individuals producing the documentation because it would eliminate the need for costly commercial programs that are currently used to produce documentation in proprietary (i.e., commercial) formats. And it would make it easier for skilled writers who are not trained in such programs to contribute to the production of documentation.

Q: Could there be two or more LINMO-compatible sites about the same topic?

A: Yes, it is quite possible. However, the existence of one exceptionally well crafted site on a topic would reduce the chances of this happening, given the monumental nature of such an undertaking. Conversely, a poorly done site will, and should, increase the chances of another site about the same topic being developed.

Q: Some topics today are typically taught at the university level using a great deal of mathematics, such as engineering, astronomy, physics, computer science and economics. There are many people who are interested in such topics but who either do not like mathematics or do not have much background in it. Thus, would it be of any possible value to attempt to create a high quality site about such a topic that avoids the use of mathematics?

A: This could be a challenge for experts in a field who are used to expressing concepts in terms of mathematics. However, it could be valuable for several reasons. One is that it could make such topics available to much wider audiences, which is a major goal of LINMO-compatible web sites. Another is that it could in some cases force experts to become more proficient in expressing concepts in words.

Also, there is a school of thought that it is possible to express any concept in terms of words that the average person can understand (with a little effort) but that many people who understand a topic are just not sufficiently skilled with their language to be able to do so.

It could be extremely useful to society as a whole to make highly technical fields more accessible to non-specialists. One reason is that a more informed citizenry makes for a more effective democracy. Another is that many people just have a natural craving to learn for its own sake, and making otherwise esoteric information more accessible helps satisfy that craving. For such people, obtaining (and creating) knowledge can be just as important as purchasing physical products that are made in factories.

Q: Must LINMO-compatible sites be non-fiction?

A: No, the LINMO concept also offers some interesting potential for works of fiction. For example, a new work of fiction could be written from scratch to be LINMO-compatible or an existing work could be restructured for such compatibility.

Q: How would such a work of fiction differ and what benefit would this have?

A: It would differ, as in the case of non-fiction works, in that the linear arrangement of information (i.e., sequenced chapters) would be replaced by an associative arrangement of information that consists of a number of what might be termed self-contained stories, each on its own page. That is, each page would contain sufficient information about characters and background to be an independent story in itself, thereby allowing readers to read individual pages in any desired sequence and still understand and enjoy the story. It would also make it easier for readers to skip sections, such as pages devoted to explaining some geographical or historical background that might be uninteresting or already familiar to them. Moreover, the dynamics would be very different for the author; that is, the author could add sections when desired in any sequence rather than having to complete the entire work before publication.