Hypertext is Hard... Why?



I don't have the abilities. My knowledge of hypertext authoring programs is (currently, but hear me now, not for long) limited to a rather simple programming tool that cannot do everything I want it to do.

This is a problem with hypertext. You need skills, real computer skills.

Collaboration is key. Successful hypertext, unlike the successful novel, is dependent upon a diversity of skills. These skills include programming knowledge, a talent for writing and designing, musical talent, and so forth. The creation of the successful hypertext is more akin to film production than anything else.

This is another problem. You like to work alone? You'll learn to collaborate.

Time is of the essence. Of course, anything worth doing takes times, especially when it comes to creative endeavors. But hypertext is something else completely. You will be staring vacantly into your computer screen and suddenly realize that you haven't eaten anything in several days, haven't seen another living creature since the computer crashed and you went sprinting away from the machine to avoid destroying valuable equipment.

This is not necessarily a problem. You like what you do, you'll forget about your innate need for genuine human contact.

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