[naasking]

> I challenge anyone to transform something as simple as "hypertext is text with links to other text in it" into a more convoluted and unnecessarily abstracted definition as the above.

Except text+links does not encompass the full meaning of hypertext. Forms and inputs are also possible, for instance. The more general definition you cite encompasses all of this (information+controls), and more possible innovations than your very specific definition which lists only the current ways.