AHA! meets Auld Linky : Integrating Designed and Freeform Hypertext Systems

Description/Abstract

In this paper we present our efforts to integrate two adaptive hypermedia systems that take very different approaches. The Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture (AHA!) aims to establish a consistently organized, strictly designed form of hypertext while Auld Linky takes an open and potentially sculptural approach, producing more freeform, less deterministic hypertexts. We describe the difficulties in reconciling the two approaches. This leads us to draw a number of conclusions about the benefits and disadvantages of both and the concessions that are required to combine them successfully.