Towards multiple hypermedia in information services

Abstract

This paper proposes an information system-oriented open hypermedia system (IS-OHS) framework that can fully support information systems (IS) with hypermedia functionality. The framework has two axes: an IS-OHS logical component focus and an application requirement focus. Axis one encompasses a conceptual IS-OHS architecture with seven logical components. Axis two defines and discusses major aspects of IS-OHSs that should be supported in a distributed and integrated environment. The first axis provides a comprehensive viewpoint for thinking about the IS-OHS architecture that integrates both ISs and viewers, in which authors create document contents and links manually. The second axis provides a set of major application requirements that an IS-OHS should support. Together, the two axes provide a grid for specifying the logical IS-OHS functionality for supporting application requirements. One major function of this framework is for analysing open hypermedia systems (OHS). Another is to help designers specify their own hypermedia-supported systems, either from scratch or by incorporating existing systems.