Collection of Internet/Collection of Internet.iso/infosrvr/doc/www_talk.arc/[e-mail] _Mon Jun 22 19:27:14 1992.msg

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From: [e-mail] (Robert Raisch)
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Subject: Links, Type and Documents (Third time's a charm)
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Date: Mon, 22 Jun 92 13:25:35 EDT
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Action: dding new links to old h-texts.
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[ This is the third time I have tried to post this.  Drop me a line,
  Francois, if you see this on the list.  Thanks.  </rr> ]

<!--

  I first posted this some weeks ago on the 'www-interest' list, and
  received only one reply, (complementing me on my reference to Rexx.)

  I really had hoped that this post would start an interesting discussion
  on the topics I address, specifically the ideas of 'attention links'
  'user documents' and 'transparent documents'.

  Are these ideas so obvious that they merit no discussion whatsoever?

  Always interested in replies, </rr>

 -->

<Preface>
First of all, hearty congrats to the WWW people.  It's a great tool, and
since it is based on SGML, it has the broadest scope of any solution I have
yet seen.

To others, see the current issue of Byte magazine regarding "Info-Glut" and
SGML.  Interesting.


<Query>
One of the missing pieces here is the ability of creating new h-texts, and
adding new links to old h-texts.

Hypertext, and like systems, are of limited use if they do not support
collaboration.  I feel that this is a VERY important point.

When might we expect extensions to WWW that support collaboration?
</Query>
</Preface>

I have a few recommendations regarding new link types in WWW.  This is based
on thinking about hyper-applications for almost 15 years, (ever since I
first had the pleasure of hearing Ted Nelson speak in 1977.)

Please keep in mind that these are 'front end' issues.  They should not
affect the manner in which documents are stored.

------------------

There are 4 'minimal' link types which, I believe, a true hypertext application
*must* support.

    1.    Replacement
            -- when activated, replaces the current document
               with a new document, (this is what WWW offers
               today).

    2.    Annotation
            -- when activated, overlays a new document on the
               current document, partially obscuring the original.
               (An annotation must be dismissed by the reader.)

    3.    Inclusion
            -- when the document is created, elements from other
               documents are collection to be included in the
               representation of the current document.  (Quotes)
               (This is a non-interactive link.  The user does
                not activate this link. It is activated before
                the document is presented to the user.)

    4.    Expansion
            -- when activated, new information is added to the
               current document, expanding the original scope.

               (Think of outline processors, and the collapse
                of detail.)

               This is also a reflection of Nelson's concept of
               'stretch text'.

               A stretch-text definition of "stretch text" might be:

{Collapsed}           "Stretch text is{}a sentence{}that when{}collapsed
                states it's thesis{}and when expanded adds detail."

{Expanded}           "Stretch text is where a sentence is constructed in
                such a way that when it is collapsed it states it's
                thesis in simple terms, and when expanded adds
                detail to further express itself."

There are 3 further types which I believe are necessary to complete the
function paradigm.  (Of particular interest is the 'attention link'.)


    6.    Execution

            -- when activated, some arbitrary function is performed.
               The point that was mentioned about the lack of an
               ubiquitious scripting language is well made.  Lisp
               is too arcane for most.  Shell languages are too
               platform specific.  What is needed is a simple
               to understand, freely available scripting platform.
               Although I hesitate to mention it, REXX might be
               a reasonable choice due to it's broad availability.

    5.    Attention   (a specialisation of the Execution type)

            -- when the current document is modified (a link is
               added, or removed, or the document is merely read)
               a message is sent to the 'owner' of the attention
               link.  This message creates a new link in the 'user
               document' of the individual who placed the attention.
               (See definition of 'user document' below.)

               In this way, I could place a link onto a document I
               had interest in, and when it was changed or accessed
               in some manner, I would be informed.

    7.    Collection  (a non-local specialisation of the Execution type)

            -- when activated, a collection link leaves the current
               document, and 'travels' the docuverse, in search of
               other documents which satisfy it's internal criteria.
               This is the concept of a 'knowbot'.

               Collection links can be activated based on day and
               time, much like the WAIS questions in the MAC
               WAIS interface, WAIS-Station.  They could also be
               activated based on external events, such as the
               activation of an attention link.

               Collection links would be written in the ubiquitious
               scripting language, and would only be allowed to
               operate on documents which were EXPLICITLY permitted.


Along with the various links presented, two new varieties of document would
be used.

    Transparent Documents  --

        a transparent document is one which a user creates locally,
        and that is a new representation of an existing document.

        Transparent documents are used to create new local links on
        a document which I do not have permission to modify.

        Transparent documents can then be made available to others,
        (published) just as a "regular" document is, thus facilitating
        the creation of new works from old.

    User Documents --

        a user document is where I keep my "bookmarks", links to
        local documents, links to messages from others, links to
        my "attention" links, (see below).  User documents are where
        we, as navigators of the docuverse, are defined as individuals.

        They are also where we can keep links to other user documents
        which have been permitted to view/modify my own local documents.

        Another function of the User document is to collect users into
        an abstract group. (Thus, based on my membership in user
        document 'Research Group', I am permitted access to materials
        'owned' by that group. Of course, messages sent to an abstract
        group then become available to all members of that group.)

        (Please note that a User Document is nothing more or less than
         a collection of links, (as all documents are).)

----------------------------

So.....

    Scenerio:

        I start my session with my hypertext-application, and open
        my user document.

        I notice that 17 of my attention links have been activated
        in the last day.

        I select the most interesting and activate the link which
        it created in my personal user document.

        I am now reading an article which I previously linked, and
        see that an annotation which I made some time ago has been
        added to, by a colleague.

        The comments are pertinant to my current work, so I create
        a new local 'transparent' document to mirror the original
        work.  (Or use the 'transparent' document I may have created
        previously.)

        On this new document, I make a few new annotations and decide
        to made this new work available to the research group of which
        I am leader.  I place a link to it in the user document which
        represents my working group.

        I also send a new document link to the colleague who made the
        original comments, so that he can see how I have interpreted
        his ideas, and included them into my own research.

        I move ever onwards...

---------------------

Ok, I hope that that fuels a little discussion, and I would *love* to hear
from others regarding these ideas.

Regards, </rr>

"knowledge is the *only* weapon"
--