Extended link visualization with DHTML: The Web as an open hypermedia system

Abstract

The World Wide Web is by far the most successful hypermedia system, its name often being used synonymously for the Internet. However, it is based on a rather restricted hypermedia model with limited linking functionality. Even though underlying systems may provide a richer data model, there is still the question of how to present this information in a Web-based interface in an easily understandable way. Assuming an underlying system similar to Topic Maps, which allows storing, managing, and categorizing meta data and links, we propose a presentation of extended links. We try to provide a usable way for users to handle the additional functionality. The mechanism is based on already available technologies like DHTML. It is one facet of our approach to make the Web more interconnected and to work towards a more richly and openly linked Web.