Hypermedia on the map: Spatial hypermedia in HyperMap

Abstract

Hypermedia has become an increasingly applied paradigm in applications for training, education, and complex information retrieval. To support hypermedia users in applications where unguided browsing is unproductive, adaptive hypermedia environments are needed. Currently, WWW browsers are the cornerstones of most hypermedia applications targeted at Internet users. However, for certain applications, WWW hypermedia can not meet the high requirements for adaptive user support. We propose a spatial hypermedia environment to overcome limitations in graphical layout and adaptivity of HTML-based hypermedia. A prototype browser named HyperMap illustrates a browser user interface based on spatial navigation implemented in Java.