Converting Hard Copy Documents for Electronic Dissemination.pdf

Converting Hard Copy Documents for Electronic DisseminationForrest HomanEnvironmental Sciences DivisionOak Ridge National Laboratory*P.O. Box 2008Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831{6036 \This submitted manuscript has been authored by acontractor of the U.S. Government under contract DE{AC05{84OR21400. Accordingly, the U.S. Governmentretains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish orreproduce the published form of this contribution, orallow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. * Managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., under contract DE{AC05{84OR21400withthe U.S. Department of Energy. The hypermedia capabilities of todays computer systems al-low for easier and much-improved information management anddissmenination. The growth of the Internet and the evolutionof information-based standards has driven many organizationsto provide on-line information within the organization and tothe public as well. Hypertext and hypermedia systems will be ex-plained and discussed and the process of conversion of a simpledocument to an on-line hypermedia format suitable for distribu-tion on the Internets World Wide Web will be presented.INTRODUCTIONSince the advent of computer systems, the goal of a paperless oce, and even a paperless so-ciety, has been pursued. While the normal paper ow in an organization is far from totally auto-mated, particularly for items requiring signatures or authorizations, electronic information dissem-ination is becoming an almost simple task. The reasons for providing on-line documents are manyand include faster and easier access for everyone, elimination of printing costs, reduction of wastedshelf and desk space, and the security of having a centrally-located, always up-to-date document.New computer software even provides the user with the ability to annotate documents and to havebookmarks so that the old scribbled-in and dog-eared manual can be replaced without loosing this\customizability. Moreover, new hypermedia capabilities mean th