Bush saw the following problem in the sciences: experts are specializing more and more, and need more information – but because of the differentiation caused by this extreme specialization, the information is increasingly hard to find. Of course, this was at a time when libraries were still organized with analog paper boxes and large catalogs. A keyword search was only possible if a diligent librarian had already bothered to manually index all works. Bush saw a way to make his own information more accessible using the technical developments available at the time, such as microfilm. His vision was to create a Memex, which was a machine as big as a desk that would serve as a vault for knowledge, and become a serious piece of research equipment. The Memex was never built but the technology (users jumping from one article to the next) can be seen as a forerunner of hypertext.
In the 1950’s, the computer scientist Hans Peter Luhn dealt specifically with the task of obtaining information and developed techniques that are still relevant today: full-text processing, auto-indexing and selective information processing (SDI) have their roots in his research. These methods were very important for the development of the Internet as information retrieval systems are essential for navigating the oceans of available information on the internet. Without them, you would never be able to find the answers you are looking for.