I am very interested, as a WRITER in this tool

[Seancesays@xxxxxx]

Dear Mr Nelson (or whom it may concern),

I came upon a "linking" program of simple threads which allowed "reflexive" 
word to word and sentence to associational thought linking.  Unfortunately I 
lost the site :(  I went on a nearly one year crusade. I found Storyspace 
(unfortunately). 

I don't understand thinking inside the box of "collaboration" and "theory"  
(although in theatre I am very fond of colloboration, and I had thought of a 
collaboration of YOUR TYPE with an engineer that could execute the simple 
linking I envision, VERY SIMPLE and without a lot of hullaballoo because it 
most simply mimicks the working of one's mind..the plain facts are that the 
ways in which the "workings of our minds" and "associational structures" 
(paperwork, theatre stubs, et cal) ARE INTERESTING it seems to me is as a 
"stream of consciousness" as a rule of thumb.  I love the possibility of the 
Cosmicbook.  I would far prefer it to the pedantry I find at certain OTHER 
overblown enterprises online...I cannot wait for it to be made available and 
wonder what I should do in the meantime?  

Okay, I understand that The Patchwork Girl at "Eastgate Systems" was an 
"interesting story" for the "form" that was provided to the author, however, 
it was likely a "dilemna" (oweing to the unfortunate nature of the form, I 
have not been able to get Storyspace to work on my computer, perhaps because 
I am Windows based.  When I was able to use Macintosh for a brief period I 
UNDERSTOOD the "special relationship" between Eastgate and Mac.  Something 
which however has been "denied" by anyone at Eastgate...I never used Eastgate 
WITH Mac... I keep thinking I should get a Mac oweing to the usage of Mac 
computers by a "creative elite" but it is also aesthetically engaging which 
does have an appeal too...

I find the sudden closing of ranks of all Eastgate writers, of course their 
work has gone likely as far as it could go, really annoying.  I mean, I 
already found the EXPENSE to be prohibitive and I am trying to get my money 
back even now (I do not normally do this, but I don't normally invest so much 
in something so "mythologized" and with such little payoff, especially 
considering the download has NOT worked on my computer, and I have no idea 
but that it must have a fundamental instability not present in OTHER programs 
I have used successfully online.  I am tired of blaming my equipment, I have 
a brand new desktop thanks to the help of a friend (we split it), and the 
Storyspace continues to have troubles...UGH!

I REALLY LIKED WHAT I SAW OF YOUR LINKING TOOL (in development) Cosmic Book. 
But then THAT is "closer" to how I believe the mind works, and things do 
"adhere" to one another.  We experience simulateneity and I am a fan of "the 
associational" stream of consciousness works of Virginia Woolf, to recent 
author Tomas Eloy Martinez who employed VARIOUS literary forms on paper 
without the bells and whistles and blinking lights.  I am an intuitive 
writer, and I do not know the languages for W3C.  I do appreciate programs 
that will work "outside of the box" or rather employ multiple links, which 
are the CENTERPIECE of the work.  I know I was introduced to "Hypertext" in 
Tallahassee, Fl by a group called "The Critical Arts Ensemble" and that one 
member at least went on to found the EDT (Electronic Disturbance Theatre) in 
New York. 

 I don't understand the "paucity" of links in works created by people who 
frequently offer three directions rather than twenty seven, and then for 
instance, WHY link between words that are NOT reflexive as a mere "ordering 
device." ?? What on earth is interesting about burying links beneath a 
carnival ride where the novelty of the rather juvenile concept is the 
CENTERPIECE?  I had to take a CDROM I bought by MD Coverly called Califia and 
oweing to it's really boring "content" I tried to think what AGE could 
appreciate such a piece, and I figured, something like 7-13 year olds?  (13 
might be a bit old).  In other words, I gave it away rather than asking for 
my money back.  I should have demanded a refund but I felt (sigh) I guessed 
the woman was trying (even if I could pretty much figure out what tools, or 
what KINDS of tools she had used, which EXISTING she simply utilized, 
controlled BY THE TOOLS, rather than commanding them herself, and not to a 
good end). 

  How are these people making themselves distinguished by producing such 
crap!?   After all there is a rather VOCAL majority that reinforce one 
another ENDLESSLY for doing something that is absolutely possible on a page, 
or, well if it's NOT then it's more NOVEL (no pun) than ADULT and not really 
interesting. 

 I WANTED (after reading about what Hypertext SHOULD BE) to be "A 
Hypermedia/Hypertext Artist/Writer."  That had changed enormously.  Why when 
paper is actually cheaper as far as experimenting and when the tools are 
flawed and NOT adressing the nature of our THOUGHTS which it would seem could 
be done, and would be a real goldmine!  I can make LINKS appear (and have 
already begun a project) in a theatrical spectacle.  I can take the download 
and create it's inverse if it's not going to be there for me when I am a 
selfdescribed "city clicker." :)

 I hope you are not friends with the people I am not enjoying as artists, or 
understand that the work is NOT ingenious in anyway, it's just NOT.  Why not 
trust the language?  I have been PRAYING for a NEW TOOL which would be LIKE 
the one which allowed me to create multiple story streams, multiple poetic 
streams, multiple links back and forth to layer and layer and layer and which 
I thought I was going to have to do by linking in three dimensions due to my 
lack of ability to "engineer" the LINKS online.

It is hard for me to articulate what I mean, but I do like what I see.  I can 
only hope that if you intend on asking for money for the tool that you will 
consider offering the tool for a price at which people from all backgrounds 
will be LINKING and CLICKING not just people teaching classes at Iowa U.  

I hope I have offended no one.  The Storyspace tool has NEVER WORKED on my 
IBM Clone Sony VA!O and I don't know why....I have had it up to here with all 
of that (needless to say).

Good luck, pls keep me posted,

I would not mind plugging you either, 
I am a freelance writer who ocassionally writes articles,

offline/online

PS: I appreciated your interview on a recent PBS episode on some of the early 
Internet Startups and the beginning of the W3C Mosaic dominated web.  I felt 
upset that I didn't get to hear more from you in what seemed to be a very 
concise criticism of what has gone wrong with the WWW.  I, like many, are 
aware of your pioneering role in hypertext (literary) and await projects, in 
particular cool models like this new one, with baited breath.



Yours,

Elizabeth Mourant