Trailist---focusing on document activity for assisting navigation

Abstract

Trails are a long established concept of assisting users in searching and navigating hypertexts. However, existing trail-based systems are focusing on browsers only and therefore do not fully exploit the notion of trails. We propose trail-based systems to be open to any application and to any activity. For instance, printing a document from a word processor, posting a message in a newsgroup, or forwarding an attachment to a friend — using one's favorite e-mail client — may well be part of a trail. “Trailist” is a framework supporting the development of these trail-based systems. Its name indicates that, similar to the way “Tour-ists” travel on tours, “Trail-ists” make their ways through vast information spaces.