Project Xanadu, started in 1960, is perhaps the oldest hypertext system. It's creator, Ted Nelson, coined the term hypertext just to describe Xanadu. But it's not just a tool for linking data. Nelson's vision of hypertext is a lot more complicated than what we see in the modern world wide web. In his view, hypertext is a means to reshape the human experience. Today we are starting a dive into the strange connection between hypertext, networking, and digital utopianism. https://adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-55-project-xanadu

Xanadu is the most ambitious long-term unfinished software project I know of. Ted Nelson's videos about the project (on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedNelson/videos) are also well worth watching.

Aside: it's my favorite example of the weaknesses of being a good idea person who can't implement their ideas. 😿

I recall Nelson on being asked about the Web having no comment. What does it say when a person chooses to ignore the closest, wildly successful, albeit limited variation on one's own idea.