Theories of Interactivity is an essay on Approaches to Graphical User Interface Design that looks at different way of approaching design, including a brief history, interactivity and Aristotle.
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Category: Multimedia Theory
Cybernetics and Interactivity
Computers and the development of Interactivity is a great essay on the history of computers from the perspective of interactivity. An important strand that gets attention here, but needs more work is the theoretical developments of cybernetics (control and response) as a foundation for studying interactivity.
Hypertext and Analysis
Is hypertext a fundamental concept in the theory of digital media? My first view on this was that it was not – hypertext was just an important form of interactivity that built on ways we connected ideas and text in the print world. It does, however, seem to be the key form of interactivity for so much digital media, especially the web.
An stronger view would be that hypertext (defined as a work that chunks information into nodes that are linked) is an important primitive to digital media. If we consider the layering of information where information on the computer is gathered in ever larger chunks – then hypertext is the chunking at the cognitive level and the link is the basic way of connecting such chunks. The argument is the reverse of analysis – digital media is analyzable in the sense that it has to be stored as digital codes (codes that are distinct as digits are.) We then build up from the primitive codes more complex entities, whether it is vectors, fields and records in a database, elements in an XML file and so on. A hypertext node is an entity that makes cognitive sense – a chunk that is more or less comprehensible by itself. It also has, for historic reasons, a relationship with the screen in that such nodes tend to be a screen sized chunk – that which can be held in view (and mind) at a time. Such chunks can then be woven into larger wholes which we will call works. The primary human way of connecting them is by authoring links.
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Hacking Memes
Hacking Memes looks like a good article on counteracting marketing memes.
Color Music
iota – Linksis a collection of links related to the issue of music colour or abstract cinema. This goes back to the 18th century with experiments on color organs that played colours rather than sound. It is an interesting history that tied to transcoding. I believe Diderot was inspired by it.
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More on Judy and Theory
HUMANIST archives — October 2003 (#65) is Willard’s response to my post on theory. (See earlier blog entry on Judy the Robot and Theory.)
I want to argue that a computer model can be a theory the way a book can be. Otherwise we have a problem of where and what theories are.
What follows is a post I sent in response.
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Judy the Robot and Theory
My Dinner With Android is the site of Tom Sgouros’ performance “Judy -or- What Is It Like To Be A Robot?”. This excellent performance raises questions about artificial intelligence and consciousness. I loved how the script of the performance became part of the issue.
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Matt K’s Blog
Matthew G. Kirschenbaum’s blog is an excellent example of an academic blog such as I want this blog to be. Glad I know him, can’t wait to read his book.
Beyond Productivity, IT and Creativity
Summary and Recommendations | Beyond Productivity is a report by National Academy of Sciences that looks at the importance of fostering creativity and information technology. The report looks at how creativity emerges and the need to support play.
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Wagner and Multimedia
Wagner in an essay on the “Outlines of the Artwork of the Future” argued that theatre (opera) was the most fully realised and free art as it combined all other arts. See the web site for Multimedia; From Wagner to Virtual Reality.
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