Re: [NTLK] HyperCard Dreaming

> +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | HyperCard, What Could Have Been
> +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> Wired has a [1]look back by the author of
> HyperCard, Bill Atkinson. Quoting: "HyperCard is a programming
> environment that can create applications as diverse as utilities and
> games by linking 'cards' arranged into 'stacks.' Commands are executed
> through a natural-language scripting language called HyperTalk... The
> software has been phenomenally successful and highly influential. But
> Atkinson feels that if only he'd realized separate cards and stacks
> could
> be linked on different people's machines through the Net — instead of
> cards and stacks on a particular machine — he would have created the
> first Internet browser."

HyperCard was a fantastic program that led many a Mac enthusiest to
discover programming without the pain of writing lengthly, abstract code.
It was going great guns until the InterWeb pushed it aside. Too bad,
because web sites have evolved towards centralization and specialization,
so that fewer individuals are active in the creative, authoring style that
HyperCard encouraged.

I have begun work on a HyperCard-like (maybe that's a stretch) application
for the Open Slate Project. A draft of the design spec is on our wiki at

<http://wiki.openslate.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Super_Chalk_Board_Design>

I would appreciate comments and ideas.

Gary Dunn
Honolulu
Open Slate Project
    http://openslate.net/

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Received on Tue May 27 15:27:22 2008