As mentioned above, the definition or extension of a guarantee of existence is also a statement on the relevance of the document. Generally speaking, a long guarantee of existence conveys a high value. (Although this estimation may not apply to every case, of course.)
One of the biggest problem of extensive information systems is the retrieval of relevant information. In other words: The wheat needs to be separated from the chaff. Ranking mechanisms (ranking algorithms) play an essential role. They determine in which order retrieved information is listed. The tremendous success of Google is be, among other things, owed to elaborate ranking mechanisms. Information is more relevant if a significant amount of websites, considered important, link to it. In this matter, the realization that the linkage of texts can be a relevant indicator for its importance was decisive.
The guarantee of existence could be accepted as an additional criteria and subsequently be taken into consideration by ranking mechanisms of either classical search engines or closed information systems.
You can find a printable version here:
 GOE for online information as a precondition for hyperlinked e-portfolios (PDF, 361 kB)
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