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Xanadu: we have a working deliverable

Screenshot of xanadu.com captured 2026-07-20
Page preview · captured 2026-07-20

Resurfaced independently across 7 calendar years, with breakout response in 2 of them.

submissions
9
submitters
9
observed span
2014–2025
peak thread · 99 comments
210 pts
latest 20+ return · 2017-09-17
171 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

For those uninitiated, this is the Duke Nukem Forever of hypertext: http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/3.06/xanadu_pr.html Xanadu was meant to be a universal library, a worldwide hypertext publishing tool, a system to resolve copyright disputes, and a meritocratic forum for discussion and debate. By putting all information within reach of all people, Xanadu was meant to eliminate scientific ignorance and cure political misunderstandings. And, on the very hackerish assumption that global catastrophes are caused…

straws·210-point thread·

Xanadu was Ted Nelson's proposed version of a hypertext publishing medium that predates the World Wide Web. (I believe he coined the term "hypermedia", but I could be wrong) It is interesting alternative to "what could have been", and inspired the imagination of technologists in the 70s (I believe). It featured some unique elements: - subdivision of "documents" so that sections (sentences, paragraphs) can be folded in from other sources. Somewhat similar to remote CDNs for images, but did chunks…

mceoin·171-point thread·

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/3.06/xanadu.html No longer vaporware!!! I've been waiting for this forever!

Too little, too late. After all this time, still no convenient, stable and performant cross platform installer? Thanks for giving nothing, but an idea? Which wont fit into the current circumstances, lacking universal real-time micropayments globally?

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
2

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
393

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
188

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2014-06-05Xanadu: we have a working deliverableFirst breakout · Best threadtagrun21099
2014-06-12OpenXanaduwolfgke21
2016-11-20PROJECT XANADU: The Original Hypertext Projectsetra20
2017-09-17XanaduLatest 20+ point returntosh17186
2020-02-17The Original Hypertext Projecterikbye20
2022-01-19Xanadutimmers10
2023-07-29Project Xanadupizza30
2025-04-16Project Xanadusmartmic10
2025-11-28Project Xanaduharryday12