Early web hypertext that combines links with text that automatically refreshes, sometimes faster than the reader can follow it.
Note: The New River published Hegirascope Version 2 in October 1997.
Author's description, from The New River:
WHAT IF THE WORD STILL WON'T BE STILL?
This is an extensive revision of a Web fiction originally released in 1995. The current text consists of about 175 pages traversed by more than 700 links. Most of these pages carry instructions that cause the browser to refresh the active window with a new page after 30 seconds. You can circumvent this by following a hypertext link, though in most cases this will just start a new half-minute timer on a fresh page.
The best way to encounter this work is simply to dive in, though some may prefer a more stable reference point. For these readers, there is an index to particularly interesting places in the text. You may want to go to that page and bookmark it.
The original "Hegirascope" was designed for Netscape Navigator 1.1 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0. This version adds no new technical features and requires no plug-ins, Java, or JavaScript.
My renewed appreciation to Nick Routledge of World 3 for providing the initial push for this project and to Ed Falco of New River for encouraging the revision. Likewise thanks to all the kind and critical readers who have contacted me about "Hegirascope," especially Espen Aarseth, who very early saw this for what it was. Changes and improvements to the initial version include the following:
* Several new story threads and about 50 new pages have been added.
* The number of links on each page has been doubled.
* The delay on most pages has been increased from 18 seconds to 30.
* The index table has been redesigned.
* Improvements have been made to the layout. Main font size has been reduced to better accommodate Windows browsers.
* "Web-safe" colors are now used throughout.
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This is a work of fiction for adults. Content and language in some places are not appropriate for young children. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is coincidental.
(Source: Author's description in New River)
