Michael says, "I have been thinking since Nick's first note that the Web simply represents the essentially hypertextual nature of computing in general and the net in particular (despite the wariness many of us have felt about attributing hypertextuality to everything)."
Nigel says, "Hypertextual nature of computing? in what sense?"
Michael says, "That there has always been an underlying representation of the availability of processes, objects, and representations across the visible surface of the interface. The great leap toward the Web is a recognition, not so much an original creation, of virtual space and its embodiment in our actions (including mental ones). This is the paradox of the current web, however. With its increasing emphasis on bandwidth and production values (look at the progress of Nick's simple meta-web) the web is also a retro step toward High Priest computing culture, institutional publication, and the privileges of bandwidth. The tradeoff has always been access for bandwidth. In the short run the web stifles access (like hypercard did) but encourages ubiquity and community (in a sense)."
Nigel says, "Stifles access in that it is limited in functionality?"
Carolyn says, "I'm assuming that when Michael says "in the short run," he means "right now." I personally am hoping the Web will expand to something more of the hypertextuality that I've had envisioned for so long."
Michael says, "In my sense, 'stifles access' literally. People are able to read but not to write web pages (unless they have access to institutional facilities) and even then their access is limited to the extent that they lack production values the Kingston NY page will always be less hot than the WIRED page)"
Nigel says, "When access was compared to hypercard, that suggested limited functionality to me. How ubiquitous if access is limited?"
Michael says, "Psychologically and culturally uniquitous."
Michael says, "I like that typo 'uniquitous'"
Nigel smiles, "And what would uniquitous mean?"
Michael says, "The one which quiets the all (or who is the killer app meant to kill?). Why the NYT has a web story every day..."
Carolyn says, "Exactly. With the Web, we're just doing the things we always did. Kill, capture, conquer, rule."