Approved-By:  Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Thu, 16 Apr 1992 10:41:32 CDT
From:         Ernest Perez <EPEREZ@UTDALLAS.BITNET>
Subject:      Hypertext Dissertation

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

                                 HYPDISS V1.0


               A STUDY OF TRADITIONAL INFORMATION ACCESS MODELS
                   APPLIED IN A HYPERTEXT INFORMATION SYSTEM
               ------------------------------------------------
                                       by
                                  Ernest Perez

HYPDISS is the MS-DOS hypertext version of my December, 1991,
dissertation on the topic of hypertext is available via FTP. Thought
this might be of interest to PACS-Lers.

It's a pretty basic hypertext document, I've just added obvious
footnote and appendix hypertext links, to make it decently easy to
read. Couldn't do much about the style though, it's not really a good
read. I mean, it *is* a dissertation. There are links from the Table of
Contents to various subsections, a brief KWOC index module, and a full
text searching utility.

The runtime hypertext engine is "Hyplus," a MaxThink, Inc. hypertext
product. It is very similar, albeit more powerful, than their
memory-resident "HyperRez" version. HyperRez is the program which Peter
Scott uses for the popular HYTELNET guide to Internet OPAC access.

Hyplus trades power features in return for losing the memory-resident
convenience of HyperRez. It adds features like: selective printing, "mark
and save" to ASCII text files, easy "bookmarking," fast string-searching
within displayed text, an online glossary/KWOC index facility, easy display
of the link trail, and a simple full-text search utility. With Hyplus, you
can also easily call up your own ASCII editor to use for making notes,
adding your own links, and other personal customizing of the hypertext
system.

This hypertext system is available by downloading two files by anonymous
ftp from:

     ftp.unt.edu         (in the "library" subdirectory)
Or, from

    hydra.uwo.ca

The files are HYPDISS.DOC and HYPDISS.EXE. The first is an ASCII text
file with instructions for installing and initially using the
hypertext system. The .EXE file is a "self-extracting" ZIP or
compressed file, of 290K in size. When decompressed, it contains 49
files, and is approximately 800K in size.


I have below further adapted Peter Scott's adaptation of Roy Tennant's
concise instructions for retrieving files via anonymous ftp. The following
describes how to obtain HYPDISS version 1.0 from Billy Barron's
(University of North Texas) ftp site (thanks Peter, thanks Roy, thanks
Billy):

TO RETRIEVE HYPDISS:
--------------------
      At your host system prompt, enter:   ftp ftp.unt.edu
When you receive the Name prompt, enter:   anonymous
When you receive the host password prompt,
            enter your Internet address:   eperez@utdallas    [for example]
              At the ftp> prompt, enter:   cd library
                             Then enter:   get hypdiss.doc
         At the next ftp> prompt, enter:   binary
                             Then enter:   get hypdiss.exe
 After the transfer has occurred, enter:   quit

Then you will be back to your own host command mode.

(A BIT OF EXPLANATION: the ftp program defaults to ASCII text
transfer, for the HYPDISS.DOC file. The "binary" command changes the
transfer type to binary for the HYPDISS.EXE binary file.)

TO DOWNLOAD IT TO YOUR PC:
--------------------------
There are many PC communications and "protocol transfer" programs, and
I will not attempt to give step-by-step instructions here. Check your
software instructions for for downloading *binary* and *text* files
from your Internet account to your PC. You might want to to check
first with your computer center staff to get time-saving pointers.
(They get Reference Desk assignments, too.)

TO UNCOMPRESS HYPDISS.EXE:
--------------------------
Make a new directory on your hard disk (e.g., mkdir hyperdiss)
Copy HYPDISS.DOC and HYPDISS.EXE into the new directory.
Make sure you are in that directory, then enter:
    hyperdiss
The self-extracting ZIP file will automatically decompress into the
hypertext runtime files.

Please print and read HYPDISS.DOC for further installation tips. The and
instructions on how to use the hypertext system.


PROBLEM-SOLVING CAVEAT: I am neither an Internet nor ftp expert, I've
myself basically just been a follower of clear instructions, like Roy
Tennant's, in the past. The variety of systems and installations and
problems/quirks is apparently endless. If you have problems with
ftp-ing or downloading, please check with your local computer center
staff or friendly neighborhood network power user.

Cheers,

Ernest Perez
Access Information Associates
eperez@utdallas.bitnet
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU