Information for the City: a role for free text systems

The City, that topographic uncertainty which more or less coincides with the City of London, but laps into adjacent boroughs and now has ‘telecommunicating’ outposts in some of the outlying suburbs, is a complex and dynamic place. It has markets, retail and wholesale; specialist manufacturers; brewers and food processors; a major oil company; publishers and printers; museums; libraries and tourist attractions; and shops and houses. All of this diversity, for the purposes of this paper, is set aside, to consider the City in its role as the main centre in the United Kingdom for the provision of commercial services.