It is a rare occasion when a truly original concept in software appears. Most programs merely add more powerful features, faster speed, and ease-of-use to applications that already exist. Every month we see more sophisticated word processors, spreadsheets, and databases enter the market which all boast improved capabilities over their predecessors, yet none of these programs could be considered a genuinely new product. Apple's HyperCard is an exception to the rule. When the program appeared last August at the 1987 Macworld Expo, nothing like it had been available to the public before. It has since taken the Macintosh community by storm. There are now literally thousands of applications available for use with the software, and special interest groups have begun to spring up on university campuses around the nation for the sole purpose of exchanging ideas for using HyperCard. Many of these enthusiasts go so far as to project that this new concept in software will do for the Macintosh what Applesoft Basic did for the Apple II. This does not mean that HyperCard sprang into existence from oblivion. At the core of the software is a programming language called hypertext, which was originally invisioned by Ted Nelson over two decades ago to describe nonsequential writing on a computer screen (Bunnell, 17; Walker, 79). Unlike most computer languages which use arcane codes and structures, hypertext was patterned after the vocabulary and syntax of everyday speech, thus putting programming skills within easier reach of non-technical people. Moreover, the functions embodied in the language were designed to allow greater flexibility in the linking and manipulation of text, graphics, and sounds, rather than the management of mathematical formulas or equations. Ironically, this was an instance when the software was more sophisticated than the machines that could run it! Given its complex nature, hypertext has always required large amounts of memory and increased speed to function adequately. Only with the advent of 32-bit, graphics-oriented micros did the vast potential of such a programming language come into focus. Almost three years ago, OWL International produced a hypertext package called Guide for the IBM PC and the Macintosh. Within a short time Quickview Systems released a similar program, Zoomracks, for the Atari ST and the IBM PC (Bunnell, 17). Lotus has since joined the trend with Agenda, and Persoft has issued Ize (Schwartz, 68). Yet none of these products incorporate the graphics and sound capabilities which distinguish HyperCard and captivate the public's interest. HyperCard's version of the hypertext language is called HyperTalk, and was developed by Apple programmer Bill Atkinson (author of MacPaint) over an intensive threeyear period. The package now comes bundled free with every new Macintosh, and users can download the program from many bulletin boards and commercial services like CompuServe or GEnie (McCroskey, 12). However, those who also wish to acquire Apple's documentation will have to purchase the software from one of their dealers for the retail price of $49. You can, however, find some excellent third-party manuals with lower price tags at your local bookstore, like Danny Goodman's The Complete HyperCard Handbook.