ALPS (A Language for Process Specification) – A definition language for hypertext trails

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Thomas, Bruce

Affiliations: Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 8302 3464; Fax: +61 8 8302 3381; E-mail: mabht@graceland.Levels.UniSA.Edu.Au

Abstract: This paper proposes using ALPS to specify a new hypertext trail to an existing hypertext document. In Vannevar Bush's first hypertext system “Memex”, Bush envisioned “Memex” as having the ability for a user to define a trail in an information space. A trail is a predefined sub-net of an information space. A trail can be used at a later date, be passed on to another user, or be added to existing trails. If trails are to be realized, there needs to be a system independent method of describing them. Trails have two basic primitives, information nodes and links between nodes. Current hypertext systems provide proprietary linear trail definitions, but a more general definition is needed which includes such features as: sequencing, parallelism, branching, and synchronization. Two examples are provided to highlight the flexibility and power of using ALPS as an external information space specification language.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-2000-20402

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 169-187, 2000