Hypertext?Cybertext? Chatterbots? MOOs?

the battle of hyper/text

This week's theme is the Computer-mediated Textuality, which is a advance and evolvement of the traditional texts.

In my opinion, the most important difference between hypertexts and texts is the electronic linkls. Sometimes, the hypertexts is base on some printed-based texts, such as the hypertexts for some concepts which is from the books.

But hypertexts really provides a new wide easy way for reader to focus on the objective parts, which they are looking for. As the mulriple character of hypertexts, it provides much more information when people read with its help.

I think the worries about the hypertexts' influence to author is needless. The theory about "Author's death" is absurd. Hypertexts' basic definition won't lead to the death or destory to the traditional author. Hypertexts is based on the hundreds of thousands texts from author, it's only a new way to make a new combination by the links with the texts. Author is the source of the hypertexts. It will change its supply mode, but won't be disapear.

In the video above, the director describes the relationship between texts and hypertexts as the enemy. It represent the situation as a new war, the bettlefield of texts and hypertexts. But I don't agree with this viewpoint, for it emphasizes the difference and excessively. It doesn't take enough importance to the connection and hypotaxis between them. The hypertexts is only a new way uses link to rebuild the original texts, it won't instead of its sources. No texts, no hypertexts as well. So this war won't start for their close connection.

Cybertext, Chatterbots and MOOs can be seen as the development of hypertexts with new systematic application or operation. The MUDs and MOOs becomes to a very important and valuable part in E life. So the hypertexts can be considered as a landmark in the internet cultural development, and it is also important in cultural area.