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TidBITS#30/Xanadu

Adam Engst No comments

The Abstract

Ted Nelson's worldwide open-hypertext-publishing network, Xanadu, has once again been delayed. The version described in Literary Machines 87.1, etc., has been completed, but put on the shelf due to the absence of some key software mechanisms

Adam Engst No comments

What is Xanadu?

Ultimately it may take an astrologer or a sun-spot specialist to find a plausible explanation for the remarkable two weeks in the fall of 1960 when Ted Nelson figured it all out

Adam Engst No comments

The New Literature

And what are those mysterious 'transclusive fragments?' Ted Nelson has a definition ready for the term he coined two years ago; finally giving The Vision the right generic name

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Xanadu Publishing

Then there is the problem of the many modalities available for presentation. Many are available, but none are on speaking terms with each other. Text documents are those made up of words on paper

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Setting Up a Stand

Back to our open hypertext publishing. "The notion of a [clearly delimited] document is an important one, really a social and psychological mechanism, fine, we keep that because literature is a system of documents which works

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PAX Front End Demo

That said, we were then treated to a quickie demo, "made few days ago," in MacroMind Director (I think), projected off a Macintosh with color screen

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Further Reading

Literary Machines, book by Ted Nelson describing the Xanadu concept & methodology, latest edition 90.1, new edition coming shortly, postpaid US$ 25 US (US$ 40 foreign) from Mindful Press, 3020 Bridgeway #295, Sausalito CA 94965 Literary Machines, the 87.1 Macintosh hypertext edition on disk, available from OWL International Inc., 14218 NE 21st Street, Bellevue WA 98007 Computer Lib/Dream Machines, by Ted Nelson, a '1987 revised & updated' reprint of the original 1974 edition, Tempus Books/Microsoft Press For information on the forthcoming Xanadu software from AutoDesk contact Xanadu Operating Company, Palo Alto CA, tel