User Instructions

Or: How to get around when you don't know where you are, don't know how you got there and don't know if what you are reading can be trusted.

• Top Level Navigation
• Warp
• So What?
• Searching
• Advice

One goal of this web collection is to give you some information on hypertext and some of the issues that fall out as a result of using hypertext in information representation. It does this using a tool called warp that is described in the architecture section.

Top Level Navigation

The frame on the left provides eight entries into the system. Each entry covers a general topic identified by the name of the link. At any time you may go to a section by choosing its link on the left.

When in a section you may move forward or backward between sections using links near the bottom of the page that look like this:

Previous is News
This is Howto
Next is Rationale

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Warp

The text used in the top-level entries is fed through a software system called warp. This means that in sections where it is desired, certain words that are defined in the warp system become links to their definitions. For example: This sentence is marked for being warped, thus help is a link. This sentence, however, is not marked for being warped, thus help is not a link.

When you follow a link created by warp you are taken into the central part of the system. There, the selected word is displayed with its definition. The definitions are text that is somehow associated with the word but is not necessarily a definition in the usual sense.

The definition text is marked to be warped. Following the links in the definition will lead to other definitions.

Underneath each definition you will find a revision history for the definition. This is a collection of links to previous versions of the definition. When you first go to a word you are looking at the most recent version.

Below that are "Prev" and "Next" links. These will navigate you among the existing definitions in the order that the words were added to the database.

Below that, at the bottom of the page, is a collection of six links. These are the same no matter where you are in the system. Top will return you to the top level of the system. So, for example, if you had been reading this section and you followed the help link, selecting Top will return you to this page. Contact allows you to contact the author. Help takes you to some hopefully helpful information. Search, GlobalWarp and Login are explained more fully below.

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Great, what's the big deal?

There are two deals: The first is context. Warp is used to provide additional context for the information contained in the top levels.

The second deal is that the definitions contained in warp may be edited. That is they can be slightly adjusted if you find a typo, edited for clarity, altered to be something completely different, or defaced. The reasoning for this is explained in the Rationale section.

If you wish to have the power to Edit please follow the globalwarp link and play around with the information there, making changes as you see fit. Once you are comfortable with the concepts, contact the author to get the access password required to edit and add words.

When you edit a definition you may wish to consider the impact of what you are doing. Do you want to edit the existing text? Do you want to comment on the existing text? Do you want to replace it? Do you want to leave some notion of whom you are or do you prefer to remain anonymous? Is your intent gracious or malicious?

When a word is edited the previous version is saved and continues to be accessible. No author information for a definition is recorded or available unless it is put there by the author.

When you are looking at a definition and you want to be sure you are getting the original information choose the link with the earliest timestamp (this will be on the left). You cannot assume, though, that the original information is the best information. That's the point, you see.

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Searching

A full text index of the definitions (and only the definitions) is maintained. Selecting the Search link will bring up a form into which you can enter terms that you would like to find. You'll find that it may not work very well because of the way the index is created. These shortcomings are discussed in the Rationale section. The search system provides an interesting way to perceive related clusters of documents. That is, which word groups are returned when you search on something can be enlightening. Be aware that the word links listed will take you to the most recent definition for that word. That definition may not contain the search term you were looking for. You will need to browse previous versions.

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General Advice

Browse. Cut loose. Cruise around as you like. If you ever feel a bit lost the "Top" link or the links in the frame on the left can bring you back to a known location. Whichever entryway you use into the warp system the definitions are the same: the entryways provide a frame.

If you have suggestions on how to improve this document or had a particular problem that you think should be noted in this document please contact the author.

Previous is News
This is Howto
Next is Rationale