Page 23 - DCAP408_WEB_PROGRAMMING

Unit 1: Internet Fundamentals

Notes
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Caution Search mechanism was limited to simple string search. The user interface was
based in simple text monitors and it was frame based.

The second generation of Hypermedia

The second generation of Hypermedia began in 80s with the arrival of workstation-based research
oriented systems like Notecards, Neptune, Intermedia, KMS, Writing Environment, Emacs/
INFO, Document Examiner. These systems are similar in concept to the first generation systems.
In addition, they supported graphics or animation nodes and they had more advanced user
interfaces. In contrast to first generation systems second generation are designed to support one
user or a small group of users. These research oriented systems were followed in next years by
a number of systems running in platforms like PC and Macintosh. These systems which include
Guide, HyperTies, Hypercard are more limited in functionality and scope than the workstation-
based systems but in general have quite the same capabilities with them.

These systems were quite similar in concept with first generation hypertext systems, but they
were workstation and PC based, with more sophisticated graphics interfaces and support to
other forms of information such as graphics, sound, animation, video.

1.7.1 Hypermedia — Limitations, Problems

While hypermedia has become more popular and hypermedia systems come into more
widespread use, limitations and shortcomings of current hypermedia are becoming increasingly
apparent (Halasz, 1988). The simple basic hypermedia model is not rich enough to support the
organising, structuring and accessing tasks required by many applications (Hammond, 1993).
Problems like user Disorientation, development of user Cognitive Overhead and manual
construction of information network dominate current hypermedia systems (Ramaiah, 1992).
Hypermedia Problems are interrelated (Charles, 1993).

Example: When users are disoriented the development of high cognitive overhead is
very possible.
Additionally, applicability of general purpose hypermedia systems to specific tasks is problematic
for casual non programmer users.

Manual Definition of Hypermedia Information Network

Manual discovery and definition of hypermedia links is a very painful and time consuming
process with doubtful results. One important issue, especially in large hypermedia systems is
identifying the links between pieces of data. Depending on the type of a hypermedia system,
links can be navigational and organisational. Navigational links refer to another node, and
they give users the ability to “move” from one node to another. Organisational links implement
a network of “related to a subject” information nodes. Apart from these essential types of
links several other types of links can exist to increase the functionality, efficiency and
productivity of the “running” hypermedia system. All this types of links must be discovered
and identified by the developer (author) of a hypermedia system. Then these links must be
explicit defined in the hypermedia system. The existence of these links will “create” the
network of ideas that the hypermedia system has the intention to demonstrate to the
hypermedia user-explorer. This process of explicit discovering, identifying and defining links
between nodes of information can be compared to the process of knowledge acquisition that

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