4. Results

4.3 Usability

A short usability study, based upon the feedback from the first users, has been made. After empirical interpretation of some maps, it resulted that they provided an original and meaningful way to globally visualize the structure of some parts of the World-Wide Web. Although, at a local level, the ordering of neighboring resources on the maps sometimes has no obvious meaning.

The maps already revealed some information about the organization of various World-Wide Web servers. They permitted to localize the main virtually-visible actors and to interpret their interrelations.

The user interface showed that it provides an efficient one-step teleporting possibility to go back to already visited locations. Although, some works should be done to transform it into a good navigation tool.

The first users were enthusiasts at making experiments and were hopeful for the future of such a representation of cyberspace.

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Cyberspace geography visualization - 15 October 1995

Luc Girardin, The Graduate Institute of International Studies