Before The Web, There Was HyperCard

A vintage set of Hypercard disks

The Web is a major inspiration for us. However, HyperCard introduced the idea that hypermedia could be creator-friendly. In addition, HyperCard’s branding was built upon the branding for the Macintosh (“the computer for the rest of us”). Thus, if only by association, HyperCard tacitly invited you to become a creator (enthusiasts even adopted the Mac slogan to “programming for the rest of us”). The Mac, generally, and HyperCard, in particular, emphasized play as a core value.

So what happened? The short version: Apple killed it. HyperCard thus joins a suspiciously long list of technologies empowering non-technical creators. But that’s another story for another day. For now, we can learn about and draw inspiration from what HyperCard accomplished.


Photo by Alan Levine