Chapters 4-6: Windows & Mirrors

These chapters had a few different topics connecting to transparency and reflectiveness. The magic book reminded me of a futuristic idea of having people virtually pop up, right in front of you. This book is a mere remediation and creates an experience that people find rather fascinating. I personally found this magic book to be fascinating. It’s hard to imagine a book being combined with a three dimensional experience. I think it would take away from the experience of a book in itself. I also believe the content would get miscommunicated through the extra experience. The book gave an example of children being able to create this imaginative world that the digital lorgnette creates. However, small children cannot read the content of the book through words but rather by the images; therefore they have more control of what the book would mean to them, and adults will read the words and define them as far as their knowledge will allow them. Its evident this is an interesting phenomenon, but I am not sure how I would personally feel about such an experience. The world all around us is constantly undergoing remediation and convergence, not just on a technological level. The example of art I felt was perfect because art is something that anyone can do as long as they have ideas. It is an ambiguous field and they are able to constantly try new things and merge a variety of things. This also helps explain diversity of the worldwide web which I thought was pretty simplistic in a sense that there are millions, maybe even billions of users involved and each website has a target they are trying to reach. Cyberspace brings all of these mediums that together. Unfortunately, because of how society is so consumed into social media, cyberspace has no choice but to become a part of our world. I agree that cyberspace is essentially an extension of our social world, which shines through social media.

Windows and Mirrors

The first three (3) chapters of “Windows and Mirrors” by Jay Bolter and Diane Gromola was a very interesting but excellent read. After the two different perspectives were introduced, I was a little surprised because just as many of my fellow classmates I was expecting more theory to be explained but instead we were given different perspectives on when looking at the computer. One perspective introduced was WINDOWS as something we look through to help structure what we would like to see and MIRRORS as something we use to a reflection of something. It was apparent that both authors believed that the computer has grown to be as large or as important as the traditional mediums and has developed to be an extension of man. I agree with the author’s premises as they define the use of the computer as I view my interactions on the computer. As I re-read the chapters, I found myself evaluating the interfaces I used on the computer and categorizing each under the authors’ definition of windows or mirrors. I found this exercise to be extremely fun and challenging at the same time as I found many of the interfaces to fall under both. Before reading this passage, I never looked at the computer as tool as described in the text but the authors did a great job at explaining the computer as a creative medium.  And as I explained in class, it may be because I had prior knowledge from my previous media ecology class but I found this read to be extremely understandable and directly correlating to the ideologies discussed by Marshall Mcluhan and Walter Ong.

Windows & Mirrors

I thought Windows and Mirrios by J. David Botler and Diane Gromola was an excellent read. The book brings about these two perspectives when looking at the computer: windows as something we look through to help frame what we want to see and mirrors that we use to see our reflection; participating and interacting with the computer, as if it was an extension of ourselves. It's safe to say that the computer has reached the ranks of television and radio, and it's still considered a new medium. Botler and Gromola believe the computer is more than just an appliance to assist us in our daily routines. I'd have to agree with them, the computer has the potential to change the world even further than what it already has. In a way Botler and Gromola argued that the computer is a creative medium that creates more genres for creators of any art/craft form. I never really saw the computer as an "untensil" for creating art. Usually, when you think about the computer you think about science, technological advancement, communication, etc. So it was very interesting to think about the computer as something other than a way of doing my homework and searching weird stuff on the Internet. I think the computer is both an window and a mirror. The computer is a window in which we look to find information about things that interest us. The computer is also a mirror that acts as an extension of our minds; creating in cyberspace what we cannot in reality, at least for now.

Windows and Mirrors: TEXT RAIN as a medium rather than a machine

This weeks reading of the first three chapters of Bolters and Diane: Windows and Mirrors was surprisingly interesting and easy to comprehend. For the purpose of this blog post I am going to focus my reflection on chapter 1, specifically TEXT RAIN, and how it relates to the information given in the chapter.  I believe that the use of TEXT RAIN as the first exhibit to explore and to introduce the concepts of this chapter was perfectly fitting.  I started off the reading by visualizing what I believe was a beautiful piece of art on multiple levels.  This is something that we see often in 2014: computers being an extremely popular medium for creativity and art these days, but I had never thought about how we got here.  Chapter 1 speaks about three main points; "1) The computer has become a new medium (a new set of media forms) 2) To design a digital artifact is to design an experience 3) Digital design should not try to be invisible (chapter 1, pg12)."  The Text Rain exhibit clearly shows all three of these points while the chapter continues to explain how these concepts came about.  Dates are given along with the way the computer was viewed at the time as well as the development of perception of the computer going from a “machine” to a “symbol manipulator” and everything in between as is evolved into the medium that it is today. Text Rain was just the beginning of the computers use of a medium. It allowed for creativity and expression from both the creators and the “viewers” or “participants”, created an interactive experience, allowed for the relay of a message both by the user itself and the concept as a whole, and definitely was not invisible on any level. 

Text Rain, Wooden Mirror and Nosce Te Ipsum

Unlike the previous handouts, Windows and Mirrors was an easy and an interesting read. The concept of comparing Interface with windows and mirrors broadened my arena of knowledge on this subject. It got me into thinking what would gmail/yahoo be categorized under or what would Facebook be categorized under and so on. But, I think its not possible to categorize them under one. They are mix of both, not necessarily in equal proportion. Gmail/Yahoo are more like a window while Facebook is more of a mirror. Google hangout and an online radio would be more of a mirror since they provides one with a compelling experience. At times, the difference between both seem really blurred because each interface is a mix of both. The drawbacks of Windows as suggested by Bolter and Gromala are the ones even I have myself witnessed. Having used both, I surely agree with the view put forward by authors that Windows owing to its idea of sticking to consistency have failed to think beyond or rather be creative enough like their Mac counterparts. To me, Windows seem more machine like while Mac seems more smart human like. The point made on Page. 74, 'Usability testing must come to appreciate the need for the interface to oscillate between transparency and its opposite. It must learn to measure this oscillation, which in fact defines each digital interface.' really got me into thinking that there is a lot that goes into creating an Interface. It is not the mere usage of words and design in their most basic form, but usage of words and designs that are reflective and transparent, the ones that delivers information and provides a compelling experience to its users. 

Windows and Mirrors Response by Leah Johnson

Windows and Mirrors by Jay Bolter and Diane Gromala The chapters suggested two different perspectives. One in which you get from a window and another perspective you get from a mirror. These two perspectives have a focus on seeing, which is the perspective of a window, and reflection which is the perspective of the mirror. The focal perspective of the window, is that we are able to see through it. The image or moment we are capturing through the window is not one that we are able to change. We are solely involved in the viewing of what is through the window. In terms of different mediums, the perspective of the window is one that we would have with a newspaper. An interaction with the newspaper is one sided, where we view the information and receive it. The information in the newspaper is one we cannot change. The perspective of the mirror is ambiguous. We are free to change, or shape what we see however we want. This perspective is comparative to ones experience with the computer. The computer is adaptive to whatever the consumer wants to see. The consumer and the computer work together to creative a more effective experience. I found this to be very interesting, once again as the most simplistic things in life can be turned into a perspective of theory. Both the window (transparency) and the mirror (reflection) can work together to create successful benefits for users and consumers. I think both perspectives can be a benefit to everyone in any aspect of life.

Windows and Mirrors Ch. 1-3 Response

I really enjoyed the art aspect of the first three chapters of “Windows and Mirrors.” After the first few articles we read I was expecting more theory, but I was pleasantly surprised by the creative focus of digital media. I think my favorite digital artifact that the book covers is the Wooden Mirror. It is so simple yet the explanation of it and the details to it make it much more deep. An interactive mirror made out of wood is such an out-of-the-box idea but it really works to show the relationship between human and computer and how we view our realities. As Bolter continuously discusses throughout these chapters, although digital applications may appear “transparent; they always reflect the user” (Bolter 62). Just as he says that a mirror may seem like a window to another world, it is really just a reflection. This is why the Wooden Mirror is the perfect analogy for computer application; because it is wood it is not transparent like a regular glass mirror would be, however, it still mimics and reflects the appearances of its users. Like these impressive pieces of art, computers were made to be an interactive two way street: the program serves no function without a user engaging in it and a user has nothing to engage with if there is no digital program. Each need each other in order to operate and both the user and digital medium reflect each other’s needs. 

"The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation” and “Cybertime”

“The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation” and “Cybertime” are correlated to one another because they both discuss functions of cybernetics. I believe the importance of cyberspace is very prevalent today because of the impact it’ll have on the future. Both articles do an outstanding job at highlighting why both “Cyberspace” and “Cybertime” are important functions. One of the most interesting sections in the “Cybertime” article was the section titled “Representing time: The Computer as medium”.  In this section, Dr. Strate explained the title, “In addition to its ability to measure and display time, the computer also functions as a medium, meaning that it can represent time symbolically, communicate a sense of time that is not necessarily the time, and thereby produce virtual time.” I found this interesting because I have observed most people spend large amounts of time in cyberspace for various reasons (i.e., shopping, browsing, and playing video games); I believe with as much time that is spent in cyberspace, we as people do become dependent of cyberspace and its functions. This dependency has reduced the level of physical in-person communication and has increased the level of communication through cyber space. People feel a lot more comfortable in front of a computer screen than they do face to face with a person.

Although I only discussed one aspect of the readings that caught my attention, I believe the entire reading was very informational. Knowing what I know already about media ecology and the human interactions with technology I always find it extremely interesting to expand my knowledge on the “ways of the people in this world.”

 

Cybertime, The varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation

The topics The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation and Cybertime are both interrelated as is quite evident. Both of them are integral part of our lives. The computer is truly the place where our second selves dwell, a dreamscape. (Cybertime, p. 382). Most of us end up spending a major chunk of the time or rather the virtual time doing something or the other on cyberspace. It is however strange that virtual time eats a lot of our real time of the day. Cyberspace does encourage communication on a virtual level but at the same time it discourages one on the physical level. People these days are more comfortable communicating virtually than in reality. One can hardly find a kid who doesn’t know how to use an Ipad or an Iphone. We don’t get to see as many kids participating in outdoor sports as it used to be earlier, thanks to computers and other electronic gadgets! It’s ironic but this new form of communication has actually numbed the actual one to one communication. You go anywhere and you will find people hooked to their screens or phones. I remember visiting Starbucks, which offers free wifi service, and mostly everybody was glued to his/her screen, listening to songs, doing their work or playing games. Now, the place that’s supposed to encourage social interaction actually has turned into a one devoid of one.  Prof. Strate has very nicely described various orders or spaces and the various stages within each order. I couldn’t agree any less to the point put forward by Prof. Strate in The varieties of Cyberspace, that “Cyber space is everywhere, and through widening usage, threatens to become everything, the terms has become increasingly more vague and drained of meaning. (The varieties of Cyberspace, p.383). The whole topic was quite enriching and the one I could myself relate to. 

Cybertime, McLuhan and Media & The Varieties of Cyberspace

I'd have to admit the whole idea of "cybertime" never occurred to me until I read this article. It makes sense that there would be a "cybertime" as there is a "cyberspace". In the opening of the article we are told that it doesn't take a genius to understand that time and space are interdependent, to which I agree. However, drawing from my love for comic books and science fiction, I couldn't help but think how "cybertime" and cyberspace is our way of bending reality to our whim. I feel as though both, The Varieties of Cyberspace and Cybertime articles go hand and hand. I found cyberspace to be much more complex in comparison to cybertime. In the article, Cybertime, we are given the many functions and facets or what electronic device offer us in regards to time. In the Varieties of Cyberspace, we introduced the levels of cyberspace: ontology, conceptual and perceptual space, and synthesis; all of which feed off of their own theories.

The article, McLuhan and New Media brought me back to Fall Semester 2013's Media Ecology course.    Media is plural for the word "medium," and a medium is something like a vehicle or conduit in which information is transmitted. A medium could be as simple as a letter or as complex as a computer. In the world of Marshall McLuhan, a trailblazer of the new media revolution, we are smacked with the notion that technology along with media is constantly changing. This in turn makes it harder for us to understand media completely. Media Ecology is the study of media as an environment, which in turn means how we as humans interact with it. McLuhan, like many likeminded scholars behooves us to look at new media from a different angle as its relation to the Internet/electronic revolution is a product of our cultural and societal progression. McLuhan's "the medium is the messages" sums it up best, media is an extension of ourselves, for the most part media is born from our imagination and discoveries, therefore it is a natural phenomena to be studied.

Cut, Copy, and Paste & Counting Electric Sheep

     Both articles, Cut, Copy, and Paste and Counting Electric Sheep remind me of an elementary lesson about "mother necessity." Generally speaking, Media Ecology as I understand is a continued look at the human species' ability to create and innovate to meet their convenience. In the beginning of Cut, Copy, and Paste we are introduced to the notion that stone tools used by our ancestors  are very similar to today's electronic tools. In the same way that such tools from our distant past made it easier for our species to thrive, so too does electronic tools such as cutting, copying, and pasting. Although less dire, electronic tools help us in our everyday lives. For those who work in a corporate or college environment, such tools could make the difference between meeting a deadline and being fired or receiving an low grade. The article continues to explore the cut, copy, and paste tools as they are merely the foundation for a more complex use of new media.
     I'd have to say that Counting Electric Sheep was a more interesting article as it served both as a review of Media Ecology and an introduction to what information truly is. "As we have moved from orality to literacy to electricity, so too has the emphasis shifted from wisdom to knowledge to information." (Strate, 2012) I found this quote to be very profound as it gives the notion that with every innovative break through we make, we in a since loose the intimacy of communicating with each other. The world today is much faster in terms of  pace, and devices such as smart phones, tablets, and computers give us more access to information. This effects how we receive, retain, and relay information/knowledge/wisdom.

Liandra Pires’ Response to “The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation,” “Cybertime,” & “McLuhan and New Media”

When I think of the word, cyberspace, I think of science fiction. But cyberspace is much more than that. The term cyberspace has become a conventional means to describe anything associated with the Internet and the diverse Internet culture. In Professor Strate’s article, he states that, “We take for granted that cyberspace is a profane space, a site for work or entertainment, but it can be argued that sacred cyberspace exists as well.” This is very true. Most people go on the Internet for entertainment, whether to watch a movie, play a game, shop, or just browse websites, but who really takes time out to think that the Internet could be a “sacred space?”

What I found most interesting of Prof. Strate’s article, “Cybertime,” is the part where he states, “Computing constitutes a human activity and an event that influences our perception of time and our sense of self and community.”  In our culture now, more people are spending extra time with their computer, or mobile devices. People are spending less time with actual humans. Therefore, our society will be increasingly less social with each other. Have you ever been out to a restaurant and saw a couple on their phones the whole time instead of talking to each other? It is really sad. What ever happened to human interaction? It is very important for people to spend some time with their family and friends without their phone. It is a healthier way of living.

Marshall McLuhan puts it best when he states that “Popular culture is a reflection of the technological environment, and how it works in conjunction with the technological society, numbing minds and allowing individuals to adjust to an impersonal, industrial environment.”

Sam Polak: Week 2 Responses - Cybertime and Cyberspace

I have really never thought about the concept of cybertime before reading “The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definitions and Delimitation” and “Cybertime.” To be honest I’ve never even heard the word mentioned before, but when I got to thinking about it there is a very real difference between actual time in your physical life and time spent in cyberspace. I’m sure every college student has experienced the phenomena of going to watch “just one video” or play “one game” or visit “one website,” and before you know it, the sun is coming up. And every time this happens you find yourself asking, ‘where did the time go?’ Now there’s an answer: it got distorted in cybertime. The hours fly by when you’re taking Buzzfeed quizzes or watching Netflix but thirty seconds drag on for an eternity when YouTube makes you sit through a commercial. It’s strange to think of cybertime as separate from real time, but there really is a fragmentation between the two that I have never noticed before. “Distinctions between past, present, and future fade” and we lose ourselves for a little while in another world: cyberspace (Strate 380).

I also found it interesting and kind of funny how in “The Varieties of Cyberspace” article Dr. Strate mentions that the word “cyberspace” and all of the words that stem from it may turn out to be “nothing more than ‘90s nostalgia,” because for the most part, this is how I think of them (Strate 282). Since I grew up in the ‘90s I’m familiar with a lot of the “cyber” terminology, but I don’t think it’s as prevalent as it was. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if children now would have even ever heard of many of them. The only word that children today really hear with the word “cyber” in it is “cyberbullying.” In the ‘90s it was “cybereverything” because it was new and innovative, but today it’s just part of every kids’ life. To them “cyberspace” is not a different world that they sign on and off of; it is part of their world. 

Leah Johnson-Blog #2

“The Varieties of Cyberspace: Problems in Definition and Delimitation,” and “Cybertime,” were interconnected because of their emphasis on Cyber and all its many contents. Cyberspace is absolutely a highly favored phenomenon right now and will continue to be in the future. Because of its prevalence, I believe cybertime, and a special analysis of time and space have become important. I relate the theories discussed in these articles to Harold Innis’s, This Bias of Communication. In Innis’ book, he spoke about the bias of time and space, which is a direct translation to media and society. As cyberspace is a huge topic, we do find it hard to find balances between the cyber world and our actual lives. A variety of technologies have shaped our culture, and I believe this is why cybertime or cyberspace is ambiguous. They both are consistently evolving, and society contributes to the evolution of this phenomena because of the huge role we play in enabling this to be essential to societal culture. These articles gave me an extended view and perspective to Innis’ theories on space and time.

“McLuhan and New Media,” is an article that galvanizes one to dissect media and new media technologies in an innovative way. Media is constantly evolving, and it is often hard to follow or understand each media technology or environment. I agree that when interpreting or analyzing new media, one must do so with an open mind that is free of bias, societal norms, or general beliefs that are socially constructed. When doing this, I believe one will find information or a truth within these new media that you can make better sense of with your own thoughts rather than society’s presumption. Each media has different biases that come along with it, but how do you separate this bias? Even with my knowledge on how media technologies work, it is still sometimes difficult for me to eliminate my biases sometimes and interpret things consciously. However, I am excited to continue learning and finding ways to interpret and understand new media. 

Liandra Pires’ response to “Counting Electric Sheep: Understanding Information in the Context of Media Ecology” and “Cut, Copy, Paste”

I never knew how complex media ecology was. There are so many different aspects to the subject matter. I liked the article “Counting Electric Sheep: Understanding Information in the Context of Media Ecology.” It was a lot of information to take-in all at once but it was very interesting.

That being said, there were some very thought-provoking parts of the article. I liked section 1.3 on Information and Remediation. I appreciated the part where it discussed that a ‘given medium can become the content of another medium.’ Some examples were how a spoken language becomes the content of written texts or how a motion picture broadcast on television becomes the content of that movie. As McLuhan stated, “When a new environment is introduced, the older environment becomes part of its content.” I also liked section 2.1 on Space. It was very interesting to read how communication has evolved over time. It started out where communication remained confined to local areas and villages and communication was conducted entirely by word of mouth. Fast forward to the 21^st century and now electronic media gives us the ability to transmit information instaneously. It is fascinating to see how far technology has come.

As for the article “Cut, Copy, and Paste,” it really made you think. I have never thought twice about those three simple words: cut, copy, paste. Professor Strate says that cut, copy, and paste are prehistoric technical activities, as methods of manipulating the environment. The part of the article where it states that language allows us to edit reality is so true. When describing an experience, we leave out information that we think is irrelevant or don’t want people to know. The same goes for us elaborating our accounts as well as repeating a story to different audiences on different occasions. When browsing Facebook or Twitter, have you ever noticed that people usually post about wonderful and exciting things happening in their lives? How often do you see someone talk about how depressed or miserable they are? Not very often and that’s because people “cut” out information that they don’t want people to see. People use the cut, copy, and paste tools every day in their lives and don’t even realize it. This article really opened my eyes to the meaning of cut, copy, and paste and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article.

"Cut, Copy, and Paste" & "Counting Electric Sheep"

Known and Unknowns of Editing and Information

Copy, and Paste came across as an informative read. Never did I realize how 

complicated and tiring our lives would be without this simple yet extremely vital editing functions. The fact that Cut, Copy and Paste function extend beyond mere computer functions broadened my horizon of thinking. In fact this editing triad is so deeply ingrained within us and in the daily activities that we perform, that it seems we would be handicapped without them. The ads that we watch, the movies that we see, the music that we listen to, the day to day behavior that we put across, everything to quite an extent is borrowed from one culture and pasted onto the other. God mastered this editing function so well that we all are merely cut, copy, and pastes with slightly different features, traits and skin colors.

Counting Electric Sheep, on the other hand was a little difficult for me to comprehend because of its intricacies. Firstly, it took me forever to read the entire content, and once I was done reading, all the content that I had absorbed in seemed convoluted in my mind. Nevertheless one more skimming helped me clear things in my head. The basic crux of the whole topic, according to me is the rooted nature of information present in every living and non-living form, and every single activity or function associated with them. The information, in today’s era is closely connected to the electric technology and the electronic media has been extremely well justified. The metaphor (regarding the title) drawn towards the end of the chapter makes complete sense to me.

There are many interesting videos on Youtube which discuss Information on a deeper level. One of the simpler and easy to understand is shared below - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WytNkw1xOIc

Both the chapters have enhanced my vista of knowledge. Ever since I completed reading chapters, I have been able to connect all the day-to-day activities we see and perform to the extremely brilliant content penned by the author.  

Sam Polak: Response to "Cut, Copy and Paste" and "Counting Electric Sheep"

I thought these two articles were a great introduction to the course. Coming into “Understanding New Media”, I was expecting to learn about different types of technological media, how to employ them, and their importance. While this still very well may be true, I was surprised to find how philosophical, abstract, and universal the topics I have read about so far have seemed to be. 

The first article, “Counting Electric Sheep: Understanding Information in the Context of Media Ecology,” is much more of an informative read than the other, but is a necessary beginning to the course. The most important point I took away from this article is just how complex and theoretical the concept of “information” is. I have never seen it as so intangible, but as Dr. Strate points out, “it cannot exist independently of any medium... devoid of situational context of physical environment” (Strate 443). I also found it interesting that Dr. Strate establishes that there is a difference between information, knowledge, and wisdom. As I’m sure many others have done, I have never really thought to separate the three -- they always seemed rather interchangeable to me. Now I see how different these terms really are; wisdom relying on relationships, knowledge relying on content, and information appearing “instantaneously, dematerialized and decontextualized” (Strate 467). It’s amazing how these “synonyms” are truly not synonymous at all when you really look deeply into them. 

In the second article (which I found more interesting of the two), “Cut, Copy, and Paste,” Dr. Strate not only discusses how far back the simple act of “cutting, copying, and pasting” date back, but more importantly focuses on the universality and timelessness of these functions. More than just seeing them as modern-day computer tools, Dr. Strate demonstrates that these actions are almost just a part of human nature. I have never thought about cutting, copying, and pasting in any other way but with writing, but the article points out that it is used in “the beginnings of arithmetic functions” and the “technology of language” (Strate 50). Further, I believe this action of “cut, copy, paste” is embedded in our basic human behavior. We are programmed to take something we see (cut), duplicate or emulate it (copy), and utilize it in our own lives (paste). Whether it be using an idea that will help us survive or imitating the way someone behaves in a social setting so that we belong, I believe that these functions are apart of our everyday life, and as Dr. Strate proves, is something that has been around for thousands of years, not just a modern product of technology. 

Leah Johnson: "Cut, Copy, and Paste" & "Counting Electric Sheep"

“Cut, Copy, and Paste” is an interesting read that relates a class I took last semester, Media Ecology. This article examines a basic editing function that we take for granted everyday in a more analytical way. This article gives us a glimpse of history and how basic cutting tools can be translated into a technique that enable us to do things faster and efficiently. When one thinks of cutting, copying and pasting, one would usually translate that to writing. However, Dr. Strate shows that these techniques can be translated into so much more, such as manufacturing, production, recycling, etc.

“Counting Electric Sheep: Understanding Information in the Context of Media Ecology” was a refresher of information along with a few new insights. I was able to understand more thoroughly because of the previous Media Ecology course. Most of the materials covered in this article I have learned through the other course, but I did find the introduction of information technology interesting. Dr. Strate mentioned Information environments and Media environments being interchangeable, which makes a lot of sense, being that the media is a source of information. The difference, I believe, would be the restriction of information being conveyed through Media environments, opposed to Information environments being free to a variety of information. In addition, it was also mentioned that information ecology has made an appearance, which I would be thoroughly interested to learn about and compare or contrast differences and similarities to Media Ecology.

Both of these articles push you to think of simplistic issues in a more critical way. Although, I was pretty familiar with the Counting Electric Sheep’s content, I still found many interesting facets of the article. “Cut, Copy, and Paste” introduced a new outlook on an editing feature I use so very often. Media Ecology has its way of opening your mind to many unfamiliar theories, and, in turn translating those theories into understanding new media and where it has come from. 

"Counting Electric Sheep" & "Cut, Copy, and Paste"

WOW, what a way to begin this semester. Both of these assigned readings were exciting, insightful and very interesting. In my personal opinion, I found “Cut, Copy, and Paste” a bit more interesting. The reason being is that most of the material covered in “Counting Electric Sheep: Understanding Information in Context of Media Ecology” I learned in the Media Ecology course, which was offered in the fall 2013 semester.  It was still very fascinating to reenter the field of media ecology and expand my knowledge of its theories. This article was very well written and it allowed me to comprehend some of the aspects that I didn’t understand when I took the Media ecology course.

In Professor Strate's article "Cut, Copy, and Paste” he compares the three basic computer editing functions to historical tools in which they were developed from. I found this article very intriguing because of the knowledge I’ve obtained such as the fact that stone tools were the innovation for modern technology today. Before reading this I would have never thought to even compare the two tools but now I realize that although there is a substantial gap in years between, stone tools and modern technology in one way or another correlate.  In a quote by Professor Strate, he stated “Just as our ancestors used stone tools to hunt, gather, and process their food, we use digital tools to hunt and gather alphanumeric data,and to process words, numbers, images, and sounds.” This quote puts this article into clear perspective in my opinion because it shows the correlation between the tools and there usage.

Overall, both articles were great reads and if these two readings are any indication of the future assigned readings, I’m very excited for this semester!