Interactive Information Services Using World-Wide Web Hypertext

Steve Putz
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
3333 Coyote Hill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA
putz@parc.xerox.com

Abstract

Most World-Wide Web information servers provide simple browsing access to collections of static text or hypertext files. This paper describes some interactive World-Wide Web servers that produce information displays and documents dynamically rather than just providing access to static files. The PARC Map Viewer uses a geographic database to create and display maps of any part of the world on demand. The Digital Tradition folk music server provides access to a large database of song lyrics and melodies. These applications take advantage of the multimedia capabilities of World-Wide Web to deliver graphical and audio content as well as formatted text. Hypertext links are used not only for navigation, but also for setting search and presentation parameters. In these applications the HTML format and the HTTP protocol are used like a user interface tool kit to provide not only document retrieval but a complete custom user interface specialized for the application.


Prepared for the First International Conference on World-Wide Web, May 25-27, 1994 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Copyright (c) 1994 Xerox Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

ISTL-QCA-1994-03-01 SBP 14Apr94