Information as Information (knowledge vs. thing)

The discussion between 'information-as-knowledge' and 'information-as-thing' as presented by Michael Buckland in his article, Information as Thing, displays a bone of contention that has existed in academic discussion for centuries. Granted, this discussion has evolved with the implementation and advancement of technology, but the basic foundational principles are more or less the same. Where some individuals argue that 'knowledge' should take precedence over 'thing' because 'thing' could not possibly represent the full component of knowledge, there are others who see 'thing' or the data/document as the more essential component of the information process. However, I feel that more people fall somewhere in the middle and recognize that both 'knowledge' and 'thing' support one another. Without the input of 'knowledge' it is difficult to create and understand 'thing,' however, without the evidence of 'thing,' the observations created by displaying 'knowledge' are not supported or in some cases respected by those who are trying to understand the information from an outside perspective.