(thing) by Delta-Sys Wed Feb 05 2003 at 5:12:18
A full hoytether looks like this before it gets hit:

  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X
  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X
  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X
  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X

But after a few strings snap...

  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X
  /       \   / \   / \
 /         \ /   \ /   \ 
X           X     X     X
 \         / \   / \   /
  \       /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X
  / \   / \   / \   / \
 /   \ /   \ /   \ /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   /       \   /
  \ /   \ /         \ /
   X     X           X
  / \   / \         / \
 /   \ /   \       /   \ 
X     X     X     X     X
 \   / \   / \   / \   /
  \ /   \ /   \ /   \ /
   X     X     X     X

The bold lines take up the strain of the snapped stings. The advantage of this over a traditional rope or braid is twofold. First, it allows you to spread the strength over a larger physical area, meaning that it's hard for one impact to take out the whole cable. Second, it allows you to use shorter lenghts of string (i.e. carbon nanotubules and hook them togeather only at the 'X's.

I like it!