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I'm not sure that I've phrased this question well, or that I even know how to ask this question well.

Once upon a time, I looked at the web as akin to an igneous rock, whereas now I think of it as a sedimentary rock.

The web has changed a lot in the last ~5 years. Sure, it can withstand a nuclear blast or whatever it was designed to withstand, but it clearly wasn't designed to have usage patterns designed to endure.

For me, the thing that really drove this point home was a (possibly fake, possibly a joke) business card I once saw online. I don't specifically remember where I saw it, but I remember it was like a name and then where the title would typically go, it said "bounty hunter, soldier of fortune," and other dubious jobs. When I saw it, I thought it was hilarious. However, when I tried to find it again years later, I could not.

That experience got me to thinking that the primary usage pattern I had come to expect was not prevalent. Moreover, I remember having to cite sources in school papers by listing URLs, and I was never also taught that those links are transient -- that was something I learned via living.

Obviously, a public school college professor is not like a magic oracle that knows all the right answers and how the future unfolds, I get that. This all just gets me to thinking about the ephemerality of knowledge. I remember being very enthusiastic about Google once upon a time. I saw a Google video where someone from there said Google's mission was to make all human knowledge universally accessible. I was like majorly seduced by that. Now ~20 years later, the web -- you know: the one Google owns 😒 -- is like a maze of ads. That isn't really what I had in mind when I heard "all human knowledge."

Anyway, I mention all of this because my first impression was that humans sought to record what was known so as to build upon that. Now, my impression is that the digital commons got turned into forum of captive buyers without the language used ever changing, so it's a shift that's difficult to detect.

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[–] NGram@piefed.ca 2 points 12 hours ago

I’m not sure that I’ve phrased this question well, or that I even know how to ask this question well.

Consensus seems to be no, you didn't ask this well. I think you could be onto something but you didn't communicate any information to argue your point.

I think the problem comes from your premise. The WWW is not something that can have an information management strategy, good or bad. The WWW is a communication system that allows us to talk to other parts of the world, it is not the servers that the WWW talks to. Even if the servers were the WWW, they aren't run by just one group. Anyone can run a server that connects to the WWW. This makes it impossible for there to be a single information management strategy; instead, every server has their own information management strategy. You also fail to describe what you mean by an "information management strategy" and what you consider to be a good or bad one.

And now, some editorial notes:

Once upon a time, I looked at the web as akin to an igneous rock, whereas now I think of it as a sedimentary rock.

Starting with a metaphor is fine, but without context (either before or after) it doesn't mean anything. E.g. "Once upon a time I thought I was a duck, but now I think I'm a goose" sounds profound but it doesn't actually contribute anything to the conversation.

The web has changed a lot in the last ~5 years. Sure, it can withstand a nuclear blast or whatever it was designed to withstand, but it clearly wasn’t designed to have usage patterns designed to endure.

You're misunderstanding what was designed to withstand a nuclear blast. Web servers are not the self-healing communication standards that connect them.
Also, you use "designed" twice which makes it sort of tautological. I.e. "it wasn't designed to be designed".

For me, the thing that really drove this point home

You still haven't stated a point. You've only asked a question up to this point in your post. You then bring up some anecdotes which you probably meant to support your point, but a reader can only guess what that point is so it's confusing and unhelpful.

Anyway, I mention all of this because my first impression was that humans sought to record what was known so as to build upon that. Now, my impression is that the digital commons got turned into [a] forum of captive buyers without the language used ever changing, so it’s a shift that’s difficult to detect.

Is this your point??? It doesn't have anything to do with your original question. If you're going to argue a point, then please introduce it before you provide information to back up your point. While a standard essay layout is not required, the idea of an introduction, supporting information, then conclusion is always a good logical flow that everyone can follow.

By the end of your post, I'm still left wondering what information management strategy you want or what improvements you want to the existing one that the WWW uses.