One of the requirements for a successful whole-text system is a sophisticated mechanism for handling the complex relationship between read and unread material, which lies at the heart of maintaining momentum during the reading and achieving closure at the end of it. Adaptive hypertext techniques can help bring this sophistication to hypertext literature, making it more responsive to the reader's needs. The Connection System adds dynamic functionality to HTML texts through a system that tracks the reader's progress and responds on the fly to changing conditions. The Connection System revolves around a JavaScript library that provides features for conditional linking, random linking, conditional text, path management, and more. All Connection System elements are written in JavaScript, so they are highly customizable by authors and compatible with any HTML editor.
Writers have three different options for adding Connection functions to their work.
Other users can run the Toolkit for Browsers in their Web browser. This lets users create Connection functions by filling out forms, which will then automatically generate JavaScript code that can be pasted into any HTML document. Users will also be able to create Connection functions manually or edit any of the automatically generated function code. For detailed discussion of how the Connection System can be used in hypertexts, see Toward an Organic Hypertext . For an appraisal of the Connection System by the Chicago Tribune, see Hypertext Writing Finds Potential in Connection System .