Defining the technical and scientific “information package of the future”

The first major divergence from conventional publishing will be the emphasis on the article as the core content of the information package, not the journal. It may be the primary citable source. The second change will be a complete digital path for all publishing functions, from receipt of the content through final distribution. The cycle time from acceptance to publication will be measured in hours, not days weeks or months. The third change will be an open system for hypertext linking across titles, regardless of publisher, that will allow for forward and backward chaining; therefore the article will allow for bidirectional information linking. The fourth innovation will be the use of either push or pull technology that will enable the researcher to define the information package that is desired from a number of sources. The fifth significant change will be the ability of publishers to receive usage data to redefine the information package, e.g., content design, links and accessibility in real time