The ContentSpec Protocol: Providing Document Management Services for OHP

Users often face difficulties in accessing documents referenced by open hypermedia systems due to the different protocols employed. This is particularly a problem for OHP as it will often need to access documents in many varied hyperbase systems stores or other third party information repositories when navigating links. This position paper proposes a document management protocol, called the ContentSpec Protocol (CSP), for use in combination with the OHP, and with open hypermedia systems in general. This protocol would enable standardised access to documents in third party data stores, creating a wider information space for open hypermedia users to explore.