The Dexter hypertext reference model

Reviewer: Richard Furuta

The Dexter hypertext reference model is an attempt to capture the abstractions found in a wide range of existing hypertext and hypermedia systems and those abstractions predicted to be included in future systems. Its development was motivated by the discussions at two small workshops held in the late 1980s. Those invited to these workshops represented many of the hypertext systems of that time. The first openly available description of the Dexter model appeared in 1990 [1]. This report was not widely distributed, but the Dexter model has become extraordinarily influential in hypertext research. This paper is a condensed version of the original description. A significant contribution of the original version of the paper was its inclusion of a formal specification of the model. The present version eliminates the specification, but adds informal descriptions of the model's functions and operations. Consequently, the original version of the paper remains an important resource for those specifically researching hypertext models, but the condensed version will be sufficient for readers with different interests. Every hypertext researcher should be familiar with the Dexter model, although it is clearly an open question whether the model can adequately represent the characteristics of tomorrow's hypertext systems. This paper does an excellent job of making the model available to a wide audience in an accessible and understandable form. It is required reading if you are contemplating hypertext research.