Preface

Contents

Index

Glossary

Models

Rogues

Platform Independence

Even though the Web and Java have been around for a while now, there are still some problems facing authors of hypertextbooks for the Web.  Interestingly, many of these problems are directly related to the various ongoing disputes involving Microsoft, Sun, and other computer corporations. 

For example, the most important characteristic for the development of effective educational resources for the Web is platform independence.  A hypertextbook for the Web should run on any computer under any operating system, so that students in any country can use it.  Unfortunately, some corporations view platform independence as a threat to profits and either overtly or through slightly more subtle means try to subvert the movement towards platform independence.  Thus, some Web-based documents can be displayed in some browsers, but not others.  A pity.