The Lure of the Web was an alternate, working, title for this column. Since the purpose of the column was to examine a few of the central elements of the experience of reading a web essay that embody, for me, the special magic of this medium, lure seemed to be the proper word. But I couldn't resist celebrating by inviting a few of my friends, who joined by contributing themselves as metaphors. Those metaphors pushed the original title aside, leaving it with only a linked footnote as its place in the sun.