Hypertext Semiotics in the Commercialized Internet

Hypertext theory makes use of the same set of terms that have been explored in decades of semiotic investigation, such as sign, text, communication, code, metaphor, paradigm, syntax, etc. Building on approaches that have succeeded in applying semiotic principles and methodology to computer science, such as computer semiotics, computational semiotics, and semiotic interface engineering, this dissertation establishes a systematic account for those researchers who are ready to look at hypertext from a semiotic point of view. Rather than a new hypertext model, this work presents the prolegomena of a theory of hypertext semiotics, interlacing the existing models with the findings of semiotic research, on all levels of the textual, aural, visual, tactile and olfactory channels. A short history of hypertext, from its prehistory to today’s state of the art systems and the current developments in the commercialized World Wide Web creates the context for this approach which should be seen as a fortification of the connection between the media semiotic approach and computer semiotics. While computer semioticians claim that the computer is a semiotic machine and Artificial Intelligence scientists underline the importance of semiotics for the construction of the next hypertext generation, this paper makes use of a much broader methodological basis. The range of subtopics include hypertext applications, paradigms, structure, navigation, Web design, and Web augmentation. The interdisciplinary spectrum of methodology also enables detailed analyses, e.g. of the Web browsers’ pointing device, the @ sign, and emoticons. The ”icon” (a small picture known from the GUI desktop and used in hypertext) is identified as a misnomer and replaced by a new generation of powerful ”Graphical Link Markers”. These findings are placed in the context of the commercialization of the Internet. Besides identifying the main challenges for eCommerce from the viewpoint of hypertext semiotics, the author concentrates on information goods and the current limitations for a new economy, such as restrictive intellectual property and copyright laws. These anachronistic regulations are based on the problematic assumption that – for information too – value is based on scarcity. A semiotic analysis of iMarketing techniques, such as banner ads, keywords, and link injection and two digressions on the Browser War, and the Toywar complete the dissertation.