WWW版電子報的超文件、超連結及多媒體的特性和傳統報紙大不相同，除了省去報紙儲存空間、立即的電子新聞傳送、提供個人化報紙外，還提供資料庫 檢索的功能。從資料使用的觀點來看，内容龐雜的報紙資料經整理建立資料庫 後，將方便資料的保存及查詢。本文將就電子報的定義、特色及發展做一初步探討。

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the preliminary definition,features and development of electronic newspaper. The features of hypertext, hyperlink and multimedia of www version electronic newspapers are very different from those of traditional newspapers. Electronic newspaper not only provides database searching but can also be stored in limited space.The immediate delivery of electronic news can be individualized. The building-up of database from the vast and diverse materials covered in the newspaper will facilitate information preservation and application by search.