Merging, masquerading and morphing : metaphors and the World Wide Web

We examine the role of metaphors in relation to Web-based phenomena through a comparative study of 29 Web portals, established under a World Bank project known as the Development Gateway. Our analysis suggests that three metaphors" expert, market and community" are particularly significant across these portals, either separately or in combination. The study indicates three particular ways in which these metaphors can combine" merging, masquerading and morphing. We conclude by discussing the implications of using metaphor to understand how practitioners design Web portals and how users engage with them.