Workshop Proposal
                 Hypertext functionality and the WWW [1]

Workshop proposers:
Carolyn Watters <cwatters@dragon.acadiau.ca>
Fabio Vitali <fabio@cs.unibo.it>

Description

The Hypertext Functionality and the WWW workshop would be the fourth
workshop in a workshop series on Hypertext Functionality (HTF), which in
the past were held in conjuction with the ACM Hypertext Conferences. The
first three HTF workshops concentrated on the identification and
organization of hypertext functionalities that could form the core of
hypertext systems in a wide variety of application areas.  This workshop
will examine issues related to the incorporation of advanced hypertext
functionality to web-based applications.

By "hypertext functionality", we mean much more than browsing by clicking
on "goto" links from one node to another. The focus of the HTF series is on
the identification of characteristics that define and describe the
"hypertextuality" of software system. For instance, it aims at describing
new ways to view a system's knowledge and processes from a conceptual point
of view, to let users access and navigate through the items of interest, to
enhance the system's knowledge through comments and relationships, and to
customize information and display to the individual users and their tasks.

Work in the intersection of hypertext and software systems has grown
significantly in volume, quality, and diversity over the past five years.
This workshop intends to pursue an analysis of the use and user view of
hypertext applications mounted on the web, i.e., how does the underlying
Web architecture affect achieving a goal or completing a task. We welcome
models, issues and proposals related to web-supported hypertext
functionalities, and scenarios of hypertext applications on the web. In
addition to incorporating hypertext functionality into software systems,
new areas of interest include engineering of hypertext capabilities,
conceptual and practical metaphors for software architectures and, most
importantly, areas of overlap with the WWW community, the MIS field, and
the Open Hypermedia Systems (OHS) community.

Background

The first three HTF workshops were held in association with the ACM
Hypertext conference series, the next three are planned in conjunction with
the WWW7, ICSE '98, and ICIS '98 conferences, and will be named HTF 4a, 4b,
and 5, respectively.  While all workshops in the series share the
underlying theme of hypertext functionality, each will be tailored to
emphasize the unique interests of the adjoining conference.  In summary,
the goal is to expand the scope of the HTF workshop series, reach out to a
broader, more diverse audience, and to influence and be influenced by the
software engineering, WWW, OpenHypertext, and MIS communities.

Goals and expected participants

This proposed workshop, HTF4a, will put the emphasis on hypertext
functionality and the web.  Participants should contribute positions or
scenarios that clarify either how the web functions as a hypertext or how
the web can be improved to support more sophisticated hypertext systems.
This workshop will have as one of its goals a written report of the state
of hypertext on the web and a broader and grander vision of hypertext on
the web. We expect participants to be prepared to write as well as talk,
and we will aim at shaping their position statements and the workshop
discussion to the delivery of such a final report.

[1] Here and in the following we are using the term "hypertext" as a
generic term that includes and is interchangeable with the term
"hypermedia".