It is often hard to tell. Consider the Relative Plate Motion Calculator . The Web allows 24-hour access to data, images, movies, graphics, and research articles without moving from a terminal or worrying when the library will close. Gathering the same information through a conventional library search could take many hours. Still, users are likely to waste a lot of time on the Web because it lacks a well-defined information infrastructure for conducting research.
Hyperlinks often act as tantalizing morsels, bytes that promise to lead to the one ideal source.
In the process of linking, however, it is all too easy to waste time by connecting to unrelated topics. Many sites lack a statement quickly identifying its purpose, scope, and audience. As a result, even advanced search options will yield matches that are nonspecific or irrelevant, leaving the user frustrated rather than enlightened. Sometimes, the transfer of information itself can waste time. Unfortunately, tapping this site requires the transfer of large graphic files resulting in slow response times.