While cleaning up duplicate files on our computer, I happened across my old college papers. They are all pretty bad, but this one, on hypertext, I found interesting enough to post.
I wrote this essay in 1993 or 1994 (just 4 years after Tim Berners-Lee switched on the first World Wide Web server). Its my investigation into this new thing called computer conferencing. At the time, I was studying literature at Eastern Michigan University, and I wanted to discuss the narrative impact of online discussions.
A couple of notes about the essay.
First, there are a couple of inline examples, but the original essay also had lengthier excerpts. They were green-bar printouts from the VAX/VMS system. At the time there was no way of saving the chat sessions (that I knew of); not that it matter, I didn’t have a computer (I typed the original essay on a Brother word processor). Sadly, those printouts are long gone.
Second, I explain emoticons. Sorry about that.
Lastly, the only changes I have made to the original essay are corrections to a couple of typos and the addition of hyperlinks. I love that the essay about hypertext originally had no links, and that some of the references can now be linked.
So as embarrassing as it may be, I give you:
