Node Organization

In principle, each node is assigned at least one node type which represent different semantic and pragmatic categories, but this is not really implemented yet. Node types include not only the more traditional elements of textual development (e.g. books, chapters, paragraphs), but also more logical entities (e.g. definitions, expositions, examples, refutations, bibliographic references, descriptions of events), and non-textual entities (e.g. illustrations, diagrams, data sets, sounds).

Standard Nodes

This most general description of a node, however, is not always the most useful. Indeed, while a most general node type is allowed, most of the textual development in the Principia Cybernetica network will take a similar form, described by the standard node type. Standard nodes will be almost entirely textual, containing the following components:

Title:

The English name for the node, perhaps multiple words or a short phrase, e.g. "Evolutionary Theory".

Filename:

An internal code, a unique identifier perhaps selected arbitrarily and limited (generally not more than 8 characters) because of computer implementation, e.g. "EVOLTH". On the Web server, the filename is complemented by a suffix like .html or .GIF in order to show the type of file. The filename with suffix forms the last part of the URL address of the node. (e.g. URL : http://cleamc11.vub.ac.be/EVOLTH.html)

Author: (optional)

List of names of the people who contributed to the node, with links to the author's home page if one exists, or author's email address otherwise.

Collaborative Status: (not fully implemented)

Logical flag indicating the "collaborative status" of the node. There are three possible values: Consensus(nodes authored by the full editorial board), Individual(default for standard nodes), and Discussion(default for annotations). See: Consensus Building

Date:

The last revision date of the node, and, if different from the former, the date of creation. (later, this could be expanded to a rather complex structure detailing the revision history of the node, including which authors changed or added which parts at which times.)

Parent Node:

One or (rarely) more nodes which link to this node as "up" or "hierarchically superior" (for the hierarchical structure, see Web Organization).

Child Nodes: (optional)

Complementarily, a set of nodes this node links to as "down" or "hierarchical inferiors".

Synopsis: (optional)

Brief text (typically a single sentence) offering a definition or summary of the main idea in terms of other nodes. Short, without explication. May contain embedded anchors to other nodes.

Exposition:

Unlimited length text containing a full explication of the node, possibly divided in subsections with different headers. The typical length is one half to two printed pages. Generally contains links to other nodes mentioned in the text, and in particular to the child nodes; may contain analogies; examples; graphical illustrations or applications; and a list of bibliographical or web references (generally at the end of the page).