Mark Bernstein
In 1990, Mark Bernstein stood before the European Conference on Hypertext and uttered the famous first words, "Where are the hypertexts?" The rest has been electronic publishing history.
Mark Bernstein is founder and Chief Scientist of Eastgate Systems. He came to hypertext after a brief career in chemical research. Since phasing into computer science, he has created HyperGate, a hypertext authoring system for the Macintosh that predated Apple's HyperCard, Fontina, Macintosh font management software, and Link Apprentice, a research tool received with considerable interest by the hypertext community. He was primary developer of Storyspace for Windows and of the Eastgate Web Squirrel.
An avid student of history, Bernstein is also the co-author, with Erin Sweeney, of the early non-fiction hypertext, The Election of 1912. He was program co-chair of Hypertext '96 (Washington DC) and Hypertext '97 (Southampton, England).
[Biographical note by Stuart Moulthrop]
Mark Bernstein's site includes links to his recent talks and papers.
Bernstein revisited the question, "Where Are The Hypertexts?", in his keynote address as Hypertext '99.
In Hypertext Gardens, Bernstein reexamines the "Navigation Problem." Too many Web sites, he suggests, are buried in navigational apparatus. Graceful linking can be an important key to effective hypertext; the garden path may be a nicer place to linger than the superhighway.
In Chasing Our Tales, Bernstein deplores the state of hypertext criticism and suggests an alternative approach to thinking about hypertext and its structures. Published by Chorus. (If the Chorus server is slow, try here)
See also Bernstein's paper on Conversations With Friends: Hypertexts With Characters and an informal interview on the design of the Web Squirrel.
In On My Screen, Bernstein discusses notable books on paper, including wonderful storytelling and notable historical writing.
Eastgate
Fiction Nonfiction
Poetry Hypertext
Storyspace Tinderbox
HypertextNow Order