This was an amazing read. I try to make hyper-documents as Nelson wanted and I have seen much of the contradictions. Yet I still believe you have to give people a hundred ideas for them to use 10. He did just that.
Exactly! I worked with a couple ex Xanadu acolytes at Apple back in the day. What they took away from the experience were the many inspirations rather than the project as a model for organizations. One of them brought him in to speak and he spent the time exhorting us to think beyond WYSIWIG (be careful about how your metaphors limit what your avoidances can be) which at the time I found rather eye-opening.
What an interesting thing to say, and what a good working environment you had!