BRIDGE LAWS IN HYPERTEXT: A LOGIC MODELING APPROACH

Increasingly, computerized systems tend to delegate certain portions of their functionality to other systems. This is routinely done by systems that use Data Base Management Systems (DBMS) to manage their data. The DBMS is in charge of all data related operations. A similar phenomena is emerging in the area of graphical user-interfaces. As more of these delegation phenomena occur, the establishment of flexible communication channels for the different applications becomes increasingly important. We propose to achieve this communication by establishing a set of relationships between the applications. These relationships will be specified by bridge laws, i.e. laws that establish bridges between different domains. We concentrate on a particular example: coupling arbitrary applications to a hypertext user interface. In terms of the discussion above, one of the systems in consideration is fixed. We study the elements that are needed in order to establish effective bridge laws. We do this by defining a general framework and providing two examples. The first example deals with a Data Base Management System, and the second one with a model management system. The examples show that in order to achieve effective interaction between a system and a hypertext interface, some meta-knowledge is required. We extrapolate from our experiments to conclude the type of general properties of bridge laws that are necessary to achieve this high level type of process communication.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Generating Presentation Constraints from Rhetorical Structure

Hypermedia structured in terms of the higher-level intent of its author can be adapted to a wider variety of final presentations. Many multimedia systems encode such high-level intent as constraints on either time, spatial layout or navigation. Once specified, these constraints are translated into specific presentations whose timelines, screen displays and navigational structure satisfy these constraints. This ensures that the desired spatial, temporal and navigation properties are maintained no matter how the presentation is adapted to varying circumstances. Rhetorical structure defines author intent at a still higher level. Authoring at this level requires that rhetorics can be translated to final presentations that properly reflect them. This paper explores how rhetorical structure can be translated into constraints, which are then translated into final presentations. This enables authoring in terms of rhetorics and provides the assurance that the rhetorics will remain properly conveyed in all presentation adaptation

Adaptive presentation styles for dynamic hypermedia scripts

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1991.Title as it appears in the M.I.T. Graduate List, Sept. 1991: Adaptable presentation styles in dynamic hypermedia scripts.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-65).by Michelle Ann Fineblum.M.S

ON THE LOGIC OF GENERALIZED HYPERTEXT

Hypertext is one of those neat ideas in computing that periodically burst upon the scene, quickly demonstrating their usefulness and gaining widespread acceptance. As interesting, useful and exciting as hypertext is, the concept has certain problems and limitations, many of which are widely recognized. In this paper we describe what we call basic hypertext and we present a logic model for it. Basic hypertext should be thought of as a rigorously-presented approximation of first-generation hypertext concepts. Following our discussion of basic hypertext, we present our concept of generalized hypertext, which is aimed at overcoming certain of the limitations of basic hypertext and which we have implemented in a DSS shell called Max. We then present a logic model for browsing in generalized hypertext.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

On the Logic of Generalized Hypertext

Hypertext is one of those neat ideas in computing that periodically burst upon the scene, quickly demonstrating their usefulness and gaining widespread acceptance. As interesting, useful and exciting as hypertext is, the concept has certain problems and limitations, many of which are widely recognized. In this paper we describe what we call basic hypertext and we present a logic model for it. Basic hypertext should be thought of as a rigorously-presented approximation of first-generation hypertext concepts. Following our discussion of basic hypertext, we present our concept of generalized hypertext, which is aimed at overcoming certain of the limitations of basic hypertext and which we have implemented in a DSS shell called Max. We then present a logic model for browsing in generalized hypertext

ON THE LOGIC OF GENERALIZED HYPERTEXT

Hypertext is one of those neat ideas in computing that periodically burst upon the scene, quickly demonstrating their usefulness and gaining widespread acceptance. As interesting, useful and exciting as hypertext is, the concept has certain problems and limitations, many of which are widely recognized. In this paper we describe what we call basic hypertext and we present a logic model for it. Basic hypertext should be thought of as a rigorously-presented approximation of first-generation hypertext concepts. Following our discussion of basic hypertext, we present our concept of generalized hypertext, which is aimed at overcoming certain of the limitations of basic hypertext and which we have implemented in a DSS shell called Max. We then present a logic model for browsing in generalized hypertext.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Legal knowledge-based systems: new directions in system design

This thesis examines and critiques the concept of 'legal knowledge-based’ systems. Work on legal knowledge-based systems is dominated by work in 'artificial intelligence and law’. It seeks to automate the application of law and to automate the solution of legal problems. Automation however, has proved elusive. In contrast to such automation, this thesis proposes the creation of legal knowledge-based systems based on the concept of augmentation of legal work. Focusing on systems that augment legal work opens new possibilities for system creation and use. To inform how systems might augment legal work, this thesis examines philosophy, psychology and legal theory for information they provide on how processes of legal reasoning operate. It is argued that, in contrast to conceptions of law adopted in artificial intelligence and law, 'sensemaking' provides a useful perspective with which to create systems. It is argued that visualisation, and particularly diagrams, are an important and under considered element of reasoning and that producing systems that support diagramming of processes of legal reasoning would provide useful support for legal work. This thesis reviews techniques for diagramming aspects of sensemaking. In particular this thesis examines standard methods for diagramming arguments and methods for diagramming reasoning. These techniques are applied in the diagramming of legal judgments. A review is conducted of systems that have been constructed to support the construction of diagrams of argument and reasoning. Drawing upon these examinations, this thesis highlights the necessity of appropriate representations for supporting reasoning. The literature examining diagramming for reasoning support provides little discussion of appropriate representations. This thesis examines theories of representation for insight they can provide into the design of appropriate representations. It is concluded that while the theories of representation that are examined do not determine what amounts to a good representation, guidelines for the design and choice of representations can be distilled. These guidelines cannot map the class of legal knowledge-based systems that augment legal sensemaking, they can however, be used to explore this class and to inform construction of systems