Every day, more is heard about the importance of being part of the "global information revolution" and, every day, more information seems to become available via the "information superhighway." Indeed, one major lane of that highway--the Internet--now offers access to millions of documents and files on a vast range of topics, and the number continuously increases. Unfortunately, however, there are few guideposts for anyone attempting to travel the highway. "Surfing"--otherwise known as trial

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... error--seems, as yet, to be the most common approach to using the 'net. While perhaps acceptable for casual or recreational use, this technique is ill-suited for analysts or military professionals seeking to develop strategy or to provide policy advice. For them, the ability to rapidly locate salient information, and to know its validity, is crucial. In this essay, Lieutenant Colonel James Kievit and Dr. Steven Metz begin the effort to construct guideposts for strategists to follow. They provide basic information explaining the most important features of the Internet, and a critical review of more than a hundred of the electronic sites most likely to be of interest to research analysts or military planners. While the authors conclude that the Internet today "is not a solution to the analyst's need for relevant, timely information," they argue that individuals and organizations must prepare themselves now for the day in the not-so-distant future when "an analyst's collection of Internet 'bookmarks' will be nearly as valuable as a rolodex of personal contacts is now."