COMPInfo: a prototype hypertext guide to company information sources

Company information is of considerable importance to the business community, but finding the right information is not easy. There are many possible information sources in a variety of formats which are often difficult to identify and control. Accurate and current guides to information sources are important and a prototype hypertext guide to sources of company information has been developed to examine the feasibility of utilising this technology to overcome some of the limitations of paper‐based guides. COMPInfo has been developed using GUIDE software. The structure of the system and the way in which this attempts to fulfil the requirements of a good company information guide are discussed. The advantages and problems of the prototype are considered, along with areas in which further development of the structure would be beneficial. In spite of its limitations, COMPInfo indicates that hypertext technology could provide a viable solution to the problems of producing an effective guide to the complex field of company information.