Hypertext, hypermedia and interactivity. A brief overview and background primer.

Section 1Understanding hypermedia

What is Hypertext?• The term "hypertext" was coined by Ted Nelson, who defined it in his self-published Literary Machines as "non-sequential

writing" (0/2).

• Project Xanadu – Deep Interconnection with intercomparison and re-use

Project Xanadu – Since 1960, we have fought for a world of deep electronic documents-- with side-by-side intercomparison and frictionless re-use of copyrighted material.

– We have an exact and simple structure. Our model handles automatic version management and rights management through deep connection. (Explained on succeeding pages.)

– Today's popular software simulates paper. The World Wide Web (another imitation of paper) trivializes our original hypertext model with one-way ever-breaking links and no management of version or contents.

Hypertext definition 1 • Hypertext is the presentation of information as a linked network of nodes which readers are free to navigate in a non-linear fashion. It allows for multiple authors, a blurring of the author and reader

• functions, extended works with diffuse boundaries, and multiple reading paths.

Hypertext definition 2• Janet Fiderio, in her overview "A Grand Vision," writes

– “Hypertext, at its most basic level, is a DBMS that lets you connect screens of information using associative links. At its most sophisticated level, hypertext is a software environment for collaborative work, communication, and knowledge acquisition. Hypertext products mimic the brain's ability to store and retrieve information by referential links for quick and intuitive access”.

What is Hypertext? - the easy way• Traditional Text is linear

beginning & end• Hypertext is non-linear• Hypertext is navigated via ‘links’

or ‘hyperlinks’• Information is ‘interconnected’

What is Hypermedia?

• Computer Mediated• Random Accessable• User Interactive• Digital not analogue• A Hybrid Medium

A Hybrid Medium• Art and Design• Film• Television• Telecommunications• Computer Science

5 Steps to Hypermedia

• 19th Century - Telegraph, Telephone, Cinematography

• 1930’s - Television• 1940’s - Digital Computer• 1960/70’s - Electronic

Typesetting• 1960/70’s - Computer Networks

Rapid www development• 1991 - WWW implemented:

URL’s, HTTP, HTML• 1993 - Mosaic• 1994 - Netscape• 1996 - Internet Explorer• 1998 - HTML 4.0 - Stylesheets

Section 2Understanding Interactivity

3 levels of Interactivity

NavigationalFunctionalAdaptive

NavigationalMost basic form of interactivityProcess of navigating through

‘information space’Menu’s and commandsHypertext links Embedded links

Add multimedia information space becomes multi-sensory but ‘passive’

Functional InteractivityHigher level of interactivity

User interaction with the system to accomplish a goal or set of goalsExample: online order or game

Feedback loop strong and not passiveSystem to UserUser to System

Adaptive InteractivityHighest level of InteractivityBoundary between Functional & Adaptive is blurred BUT key

difference is - ‘creative user/system control’

User and or System adapts the application or information space to fit specific

needs or requirements.

Who is the author? Who is the reader?

Four Advantages to Interactivity• Addresses audience priorities

• Allows User Defined Pacing

• Builds Audience Associations

• Integrates Information

1. Audience Priorities• Every user approaches an

experience with something in mind…..

• With Multimedia/Hypermedia this can be very specific– Games - Strategy? Excitement?– WWW - Information? Interaction?

2. User-Defined Pacing

• The user calls the shots….– Spend as much or as little time as you like

3. Build Associations• People think associatively• People may need help to make the

connections…• Build the bridges

4. Integrate Information...• WWW allows us to dynamically assemble

rich stores of information– Lecture schedules and descriptions– Learning Outcomes– Notes– Assignments– Presentations– Links to other information resources….

Why is Interactivity important?• People learn by doing

– Learning without teachers?

• Ownership– In your own time - pro-activity

• Control– At your own speed

Interactivity on the WWW• Search Engines, Chat

Rooms, Mail Groups, UseNet Newsgroups, VRML 3D, Flash and Shockwave enabled.

Implementing Interactivityon the Web• JavaScript - Forms, Dialogues, Buttons• Graphics / Animations / Movies/Flash

Shockwave• Java - Applets - connect to IT systems• XML - Intelligence + Information• Active server pages ASP, JSP. PhP• Application server Cold Fusion, Web Objects

‘Embedded’ Interactivity...• Page links

• Sound

• Video

• Image Maps