Multi-user

A hypertext system may be accessible to authors and readers in several ways:

• single user only
• multiple users, one at a time
• multiple users simulataneously, either on a LAN or on-line
• multiple users, each at different locations (distributed access)

Multi-user access is usually taken to mean the third method. Such an ability is important in a research environment, or for a collaborative fictional hyperbook. In these cases, issues of security become important. Few hypertext systems attempt to deal with these issues. We have been working with FileMix, an experimental program which allows for distributed access.