The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The advisor agent : A model for the dynamic integration of navigation information within an open hypermedia system

The advisor agent : A model for the dynamic integration of navigation information within an open hypermedia system
The advisor agent : A model for the dynamic integration of navigation information within an open hypermedia system
The disorienting effect caused by reading information that has been placed within a non-linear space such as that provided by an open hypermedia system is described. This is followed by a discussion on the roles of navigation tools as a means to reducing this disorientation by providing both temporal and spatial contexts for the user. Two sets of navigation tools have been implemented, for the Microcosm open hypermedia system. The first is a set of tools based on those found within other hypermedia systems, but that have been adapted to take advantage of the facilities offered by the Microcosm open hypermedia system. The second set consists of novel tools that have been designed and implemented to handle some of the features specific to the Microcosm system. Both sets of tools are designed to exist within the architecture provided by the current partitioned communication model supported by the Microcosm system. However, this model poses certain difficulties for both the implementors and users of these tools. A new, direct communication model, for Microcosm, has been designed and implemented to overcome these problems. The new communication model allowed for the introduction of new processes, based upon the agent programming paradigm, into the Microcosm system. Such agents can be used for three major areas within hypermedia: navigation, maintenance and information monitoring. All three areas are discussed and an implementation for an agent, the advisor agent, in the context of navigation is described. Finally, the implementation of such an agent within an open hypermedia system highlights the need for both agent and hypermedia functionality to be provided by the operating system as an environment wide service. The work described within this thesis provides a base for research into this area.
University of Southampton
Wilkins, Robert J.
87bcce10-ef07-4575-86c1-e7d7efc72810
Wilkins, Robert J.
87bcce10-ef07-4575-86c1-e7d7efc72810
Hall, Wendy
11f7f8db-854c-4481-b1ae-721a51d8790c

Wilkins, Robert J. (1994) The advisor agent : A model for the dynamic integration of navigation information within an open hypermedia system. Doctoral Thesis, 247pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

The disorienting effect caused by reading information that has been placed within a non-linear space such as that provided by an open hypermedia system is described. This is followed by a discussion on the roles of navigation tools as a means to reducing this disorientation by providing both temporal and spatial contexts for the user. Two sets of navigation tools have been implemented, for the Microcosm open hypermedia system. The first is a set of tools based on those found within other hypermedia systems, but that have been adapted to take advantage of the facilities offered by the Microcosm open hypermedia system. The second set consists of novel tools that have been designed and implemented to handle some of the features specific to the Microcosm system. Both sets of tools are designed to exist within the architecture provided by the current partitioned communication model supported by the Microcosm system. However, this model poses certain difficulties for both the implementors and users of these tools. A new, direct communication model, for Microcosm, has been designed and implemented to overcome these problems. The new communication model allowed for the introduction of new processes, based upon the agent programming paradigm, into the Microcosm system. Such agents can be used for three major areas within hypermedia: navigation, maintenance and information monitoring. All three areas are discussed and an implementation for an agent, the advisor agent, in the context of navigation is described. Finally, the implementation of such an agent within an open hypermedia system highlights the need for both agent and hypermedia functionality to be provided by the operating system as an environment wide service. The work described within this thesis provides a base for research into this area.

Text
Wilkins - Version of Record
Available under License University of Southampton Thesis Licence.
Download (31MB)

More information

Published date: 29 November 1994

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 437666
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/437666
PURE UUID: 4b99ae30-af43-42a2-ae3f-db9d05381705
ORCID for Wendy Hall: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4327-7811

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Feb 2020 17:31
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:32

Export record

Contributors

Author: Robert J. Wilkins
Thesis advisor: Wendy Hall ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×