From a note to Ken Knowlton about ZigZag

[Ted Nelson <ted@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The object of ZigZag (most grandly generalized)
 is to create an unbiassed, and completely generalized,
 system of structure.

At the interface level (for participating software)--
 - it provides conceptual hooks 
 - it provides nice ways of adding options
 - it provides a default interface (cell and menu breakdown)
 - this is also a default visualization of the components
  of anything

At the operating system level, it could--
 - provide a clear and consistent way of maintaining connections
 - provide a clear and consistent system of visualization
 - provide an easy-to-maintain system of cross-referencing
And break down the unexamined but destructive "file" paradigm 
   (big changing lumps stuck in particular places)
 - handle any discrete information very cleanly 
   (instead of folding them into files)

Finally, my favorite need:
Version management made simple and clear
 (corresponding parts and outlines maintained automatically).

Where to go with it immediately, however, is a
 tactical issue that's not totally clear.

All best, Ted

________________________________________________________
Theodor Holm Nelson, Visiting Professor of Environmental Information
 Keio University, Shonan Fujisawa Campus, Fujisawa, Japan
http://www.sfc.keio.ac.jp/~ted/    PERMANENT E-MAIL: ted@xxxxxxxxxx
 Home Fax: 0466-46-7368  From USA: 011-81-466-46-7368
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 3020 Bridgeway #295, Sausalito CA 94965
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http://www.xanadu.net
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98.06.28
Quotation of the day:
"There are no foxholes in atheists, either."  Ted Nelson, 1960s.