Hypermedia systems as internet tools

Abstract

In this paper we start from the fact that Internet is the largest information and communication system the world has ever had ... but also the most chaotic one. We explain that “a posteriori” tools are too weak to solve the problem; we claim however that second generation hypermedia system that can be considered “a priori” techniques can go a long way to help. We then discuss one such archetypical system Hyper-G, developed at our institute, in some detail. Hyper-G has been discussed from different points of view before e.g. in [Andrews et al 1995 a,b] and readers familiar with the important features of Hyper-G may initially want to ship this part (Chapter 2). We then discuss a number of pragmatical, ethical and legal issues and propose novel approaches that are a mixture of technical and organisational measures.

In a nutshell we argue that emerging “information hubs” are crucial for the usefulness of Internet; that Internet needs techniques that allow mild legislative actions to control some undesirable features of Internet; and that some of the copyright nightmares connected with trying to market electronic material can at least be partially solved using second generation hypermedia systems and suitable charging mechanisms.