World Brain by H.G. Wells
HG Wells wrote in his 1937 (!) piece World Brain: The Idea of a Permanent World Encyclopaedia[complete text is at the link]:
There is no practical obstacle whatever now to the creation of an efficient index to all human knowledge, ideas and achievements, to the creation, that is, of a complete planetary memory for all mankind.
The whole human memory can be, and probably in a short time will be, made accessible to every individual.
It need not be concentrated in any one single place. It need not be vulnerable as a human head or a human heart is vulnerable. It can be reproduced exactly and fully, in Peru, China, Iceland, Central Africa, or wherever else seems to afford an insurance against danger and interruption.Unbelievable how prescient some people are ... But still, he forgot about the "copyright holders" :-)...
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