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I want to identify an ethos for the hypertext medium: one useful in the practice of linking as well as in the theory behind links. For most purposes, the New Ethos I am discussing has roots in ancient ethos and does not vary much from current understandings of the concept. The difference between contemporary and new ethos lies in the focus on the nature of hypertext that the New Ethos has: namely, on links and nodes.

Within any given textual node, the ethical considerations will remain similar to current considerations. In static image nodes and nodes combining static images with text, focus can remain the same. Within more "hyper" based nodes, we will also want to consider the elements as they compare to, perhaps television or radio--and they may also call for new considerations of their own, and beyond the scope of my concern. Regardless, these are all local considerations; hypertext requires a criticism which looks at its dynamic dimensions--the connections between nodes seem the obvious location to begin a critical investigation of the medium.

This hypertext explores specifically the relationships available between nodes and the functions available to web authors in their programming of links. I am not proposing the entire scope of what I call the New Ethos, only this dimension of it--which I see as a highly ethical element of hypertext. I find the terminology of Charles Peirce's philosophy useful in analyzing the functions of links, and use it to classify their several functions.

Also available in this hypertext is a look at websites that I have designed and