Hypertext in information services

Abstract

With the proliferation of WWW, the number of end users keeps growing, who are able them-selves to collect information from databases without the assistance of external aid (institutes, professionals, intermediaries etc.). Traditional database management and search systems can supply satisfactorily precise or complete results based on the „matching" paradigm, only if the search strategy is properly formulated. On the other hand, hypertext systems, based on „browsing", can provide satisfactory search results for a much broader audience, avoiding the „anomalous state of knowledge" feeling, too. This type of search is characterized by creativity, and it is supported by the context and by the natural intelligence of the user in relevance decisions. These features and the proper structure of the database make hypertext suitable to represent a real alternative to traditional search techniques.