Emerging Possibilities | |
Organizing the hypertext essay into a space that develops an argument while rejecting a strict linearity is a very difficult task. Adrian Miles, "Hypertext Syntagmas" - Miles attempts to produce a multilinear essay that theorizes the multilinear essay. Miles produces a main outline, but within individual nodes of the essay lie deeper layers of text that help develop the argument. "Hypertext Syntagmas" is specifically designed not to be exhaustively read. Miles's hypertext also uses the Quicktime player to present video examples to illustrate his points. William Butterworth, "Ebayvironment" - Butterworth's hypertext uses Dynamic HTML to attract the reader/user to the essay. The hypertext also uses a Javascript to scroll the navigation in an effort to disrupt a linear notion of navigation. It relies on internal and external hyperlinks to enable user control over navigation, and begins to incorporate new media or hypermedia into the argument through the inclusion of screen captures from ebay pages. Charles Delcamp, "Communication in an Internet Culture" - Delcamp's hypertext uses Dynamic HTML on the introductory page, much like Butterworth's. "Communication in an Internet Culture" then adopts a very familiar navigation arrangement with an outline down the left of the page and text to the right. Sol Reinhardt, "Britney: Camouflaged Corruption" - Reinhardt's hypertext incorporates new media in a way that integrates the images into the argument. The images work as both evidence for Reinhardt's position, and begin to construct a visual argument alongside the textual one. Like Miles's "Hypertext Syntagmas," Reinhardt's hypertext does not include the top level of navigation beyond the main page, a design choice that makes it impossible to follow a unilinear path through the essay. At the same time, Reinhardt constructs a series of possible paths from a particular lexia in the hypertext to other lexias in the project. For users who get lost in the hypertext, or who want more guidance through the architecture of the essay, Reinardt includes a site map with links back into particular pages. | |
Michael J. Cripps | |
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