A Hypermedia Hero's Tale

An ancient story for our modern times

Close to 15 years ago, I crafted a “technology fairy tale” — a story set long ago so that I could talk about the present (and the future) of information techology. Starting in 2012, I brought this story to tech conferences and API events where it was greeted with a mix of applause and, I must admit, bewilderment. Yeah, it was a bit “out there”, I guess!

For those interested, you can find an archived version of the slides (along with original art by Dana Amundsen), speaker’s notes, and a video recording.

Some of those reading this blog may recall the key characters in my hero’s journey —Gibby, Deena, Artemis, and Master Control — and the lessons they have for technologists of all types. And, although the story was first created more than ten yearsa ago, the themes and the lessons are, I think, just as vital and relevant today.

Now, after more than a decade, I am pulling together old notes, introducing new characters , and expanding the story of Stacia and Hyperion into a short book: “A Hero’s Tale”. You can ready a sample from an early draft here.

The final release will be through LeanPub. You can register to be notified when the book is available.

I’m having fun putting it together and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it. Check out the sample chapter. Let me know what you think and I’ll do my best to share progress along the way.

“Can you reach Hyperion and unlock the secrets of emergent design? The path awaits.”