yes, I prefer the term hypermedia over hypertext because it stresses the systemic nature of a hypermedia system: a hypermedia (e.g. HTML, a hypertext), a hypermedia client (e.g. a web browser), a hypermedia protocol (e.g. HTTP) and hypermedia servers.
As far as what the term _hypermedia_ means: it is a media, such as a text, that includes within it _hypermedia controls_. Those hypermedia controls allow non-linear branching and interactions with the media, hence the term _hyper_, that is, above, "normal" media, which is consumed passively.
The hypermedia controls we are all most familiar with are anchors/links & and form tags. htmx attempts to generalize the concept of a hypermedia control.
The book goes into gory detail if you are interested in further exploring the idea.
we have written a book on the topic here:
https://hypermedia.systems/
you can read chapters 1 & 2 for an overview of what hypermedia is at a systems level:
https://hypermedia.systems/hypermedia-reintroduction/
https://hypermedia.systems/hypermedia-components/
As far as what the term _hypermedia_ means: it is a media, such as a text, that includes within it _hypermedia controls_. Those hypermedia controls allow non-linear branching and interactions with the media, hence the term _hyper_, that is, above, "normal" media, which is consumed passively.
The hypermedia controls we are all most familiar with are anchors/links & and form tags. htmx attempts to generalize the concept of a hypermedia control.
The book goes into gory detail if you are interested in further exploring the idea.