The text in a hyperbook is decentred relative to its paper counterpart through the breaking of hierarchies and privilege.
Readers have a degree of navigational control unknown in linear texts.
However, two major objections to this optimistic position may be raised. First, while it is true that electronic texts have different hierarchies, the imposition of structural features such as link classes and node types results in new privileges and centres. For example, an expansion link is not perceived in the same way as a reference or note link. The author's choice of one class over the others impacts on the hierarchical information communicated to the reader.