The varieties of cyberspace; problems in definition and delimitation

The varieties of cyberspace; problems in definition and delimitation

Lance Strate in this article takes us on a journey across the taxonomy of cyberspace as a factor that has taken the media by storm. He notes that is a fact we cannot ignore and from this point, one notices that in this writing he means business. The author seeks to do away with the poor mapping for the cyberspace territory in order for people to understand cyberspace.

Going deep into the article, a person can easily note the immense work put into ensuring that the article can be synthesized by any person in a clear and understandable way. The author uses tables to evaluate and present or breakdown cyberspace into different parts for people to understand. Lance also employs the work of other different authors to discuss relevant points such as reasons why people do understand cyberspace, his evidence for information presented and other important details are well referenced and cited.

Lance seeks to leave no stone untouched in this article as one can notice by depth of discussion. The author describes the varieties of cyberspace and uses modern day examples to explain creation and characteristics of different aspects of the cyber world. I love the language used-it is very rich in vocabulary, despite appearing technical, and the author manages to communicate all the essential points to readers without breaking a sweat.

In conclusion, I can only refer to this article as a stunning piece of work in trying to explain something that seems very complicated. The author has outdone himself by producing yet another recommended work for the academic world.

McLuhan and New Media

McLuhan and New Media

Looking at some of the great people who have made learning this field better is crucial. Lance Strate knows this too well and that is why he gives a detailed explanation of what Marshall McLuhan has done in his life and what inspired his actions. Lance starts by giving a sneak preview of who Marshall McLuhan really is and how he managed to reach where he is as an iconic writer. Thereafter he gives a detailed explanation of what he was like both as a teacher and writer. I must admit that this is a very clever way of writing that Lance has adopted; the readers get a strong introduction and that encouraged them to read the paper to find out more.

            The author has arranged the paper in a rather challenging manner because there are no subtopics. Subtopics are good because they make the work easier to read. It is easy for somebody to get bored since they will be reading a very long text. However, I must complement him on the use of the power phrases that put emphasis on Marshall McLuhan’s work. Such power sentences include ‘’New media, then, are new because they are not mass media, but neither are they interpersonal media such as the telephone or handwritten letter or note.’’ This is just but one of many others.

Lance gives an account of Marshall McLuhan’s work in what appears to be a biography, but in the process manages to give teaching on technology and the media. This is a very easy work of literature to read but would have been a lot better if it were organized. Overall it is a good book for reading.

NEW NEW MEDIA

NEW NEW MEDIA

It seems that I am not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed this weeks readings. The topics discussed in these chapters are interesting, thought provoking and extremely relevant to our field.
These subjects are also, undoubtedly, a personal interest of myself, my pears and my generation as a whole. To follow what many of my peers explained, New New Media is described in Levinsons book as media whose characteristics allow for every consumer to be a producer, are always free to the consumer ( and sometimes to the producer), and are competitive and mutually catalytic.  These characteristics are further explained in chapter 1 giving us a clear understanding of exactly what Levinson categorizes as New New Media. Chapters 2,3, and 4 proceeded with the specific New New Media examples Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Wikipidia, respectfully. Each chapter is dedicated to a designated new new media outlet and describe in detail how it works, what makes it so appealing, ways it can be utilized, both its positive and negative aspects and examples of use or subject matter related specifically to the form.
We see that all of these forms fit directly into the characteristics stated above. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Wikipidia all allow for the consumer to act as the producer by constantly creating and editing information. They are also all 100% free to the consumer, sometimes with the disruption of advertising, but free nonetheless. Along with these similarities, all of the above media forms are in constant competition with each other, technology, and themselves.

I must say that out of all the book we've read thus far I find this one to be most relatable. New New Media, by Paul Levinson, describes the present generation of media to be "new new," as if there was sudden shift from the already new media generation. The Internet is roughly 25 years-old, only a few years older than myself; still it's a medium that has given birth to a whole new medium, social media, and is still growing itself.

In the book, we explore the world of social media, and how it has grown to a milestone in our society. Social media such as Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Vine, are changing just about every level of our culture from the way we watch television to the way we elect government officials. Today, social networking sites are apart of everything we do in our daily lives. In some ways, having an account to some of the better known social networking sites is essential to branching out in your respective community. One aspect of new new media that Levinson introduced is that social media grants us great power, but at the same time poses a great threat to us as well. Of course this includes the dangers to pouring your entire life into social media, giving way to social disorders (the way we interact with each other) and legal obstructions. But social media allows us to act almost at the speed of thought. Things can be reported world wide within 10 minutes of it happening.

I believe that social media has been fully integrated into our physical world, meaning that everything we do on social media is in someway just as real as if it was said, witnessed, and made into action on the physical plane. For example, a college may look up a high schooler's  social media account to get a better sense of who that student is. This can result in the student being rejected, because of explicit and/or illegal content found on the student's profile. Or it can better the chances of the student being accepted due to community service or evidence of entrepreneurship. I am just now getting the swing of things with social media and I am finding it to be more fun when you personalize it, getting what you want out of the internet. I think that's primarily what social media is for, once you get past the materialism and status quo that society may pose on an individual.

New New Media Ch. 1-5

As Liandra said, I also liked this reading the most so far. Social media, or as Levinson would say, “new new media,” is a large part of my life, and I not only enjoy it, but also find the subject of it very interesting. The amount that this new new media has worked its way into our lives is incredible. Its presence is so strong, particularly among our age group -- the millennials. Not only are many teenagers and twenty-somethings literally addicted to their social media, but many feel it is a necessity to have. For example, Facebook has become an integral part of our lives. As Levinson said, Facebook jumped from the 7th chapter in his first edition of the book to the 2nd in the new edition. I think that the ease of finding someone that you need to get in contact with is what keeps Facebook staying relevant. Personally, I hardly use my Facebook anymore, but find that I can’t delete it because it is the easiest way for someone to find me if they need to, and vice versa. I have used it to find many people from school that I need to get in touch with, or people that I have met and forgot to get their phone numbers. Unlike other social media sites, most people use their real name and hometown so finding them is much simpler. Although I believe Facebook will have it’s inevitable downfall like Myspace, for now it is safe because of this essential feature. 

However, while reading about the Alexa program I wondered if it also took into account the number of users on the applications on their phones, or just website visits. I think far more people visit Twitter and Instagram on an application on a mobile device than actually going to a web browser and visiting the site. I also think that Instagram will continue to rise in popularity, although I have a feeling it will not reach as many different age ranges as Facebook has. Twitter and Instagram, for the most part, seem to be more dominated by younger generations, while Facebook reaches out to baby boomers and senior citizens. This factor could be Facebook’s saving grace in keeping a top spot in the Alexa rankings. 

New New Media: Chapters 1-7

New New Media: Chapters 1-7 New New Media enters an age of the many different social media outlets available. This new new media is much more than the social aspect, but all the other many interactive components these media outlets have. New new media is almost always free opposing to new media, which may sometimes cost you for the additional features. Within these chapters online friendship was discussed which are in question of actually being friends, or are they? You don’t truly know these “friends” online, but you do know their interests. I found the three sub groups of categorizing friends very interesting as we do the same in real life. Social media, rather New new media is something I thought I was more familiar with, but after reading these chapters I have a whole new outlet on these media outlets. I believe it showed us the different stages of how new new media began to change the world and the way we interact and behave in life. New new media shows us how everyones a producer, which I see as the participants to be in complete control of the way they use certain media.

New New Media (chapter 1-5)

When I began reading the book New New Media, I wondered how much could one write on Facebook or Twitter or Wikipedia or any of the topics covered. But, after reading each topic, I figured that each of them is wider than I thought or imagined. New New Media are nothing but an extension of the old media and the new media as Marshall McLuhan would call it. New New Media show a patter of continuity and are predictable in nature. Some of the metaphors used for each of them really got me into thinking why I didn't ever thought of them. For instance, they say Twitter is a classroom, chat room, or gathering that goes on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It facilitates group to individual and individual to group communication. Twitter can certainly be educational, it is the communication structure of the classroom, not its content, that is catapulted into a worldwide conversation on Twitter. (p 32). The old media exists offline and new media exists online but retain old media ways of doing business. (p.57). New Media amplify aspects of our communication, obsolesce a currently widespread form, retrieve an earlier form, and eventually reverse or flip into something else. (p 40). If we apply this to any of the media that we are currently using, we will find this same patter. Be it Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. 

The comparisons made are not limited to things we see around. Levinson says, "Answer videos or video responses are a YouTube equivalent of text comments on Facebook". The best thing about YouTube is we can find the recordings and videos which are even more than 50 years old. The drawback however I have myself encountered is that some of the videos I saved in my channel were no longer available due to the copyright issues. Hence, the longevity of videos on YouTube is little bit of an issue, which even Levinson mentions in the chapter. The videos need not be just the one broadcasted on television. Any person could shoot a video with his/her phone and just upload it on YouTube. Its as simple as that. Unlike all the new new media, YouTube is not space binding and time binding in nature. To me, Wikipedia seems to be one of the weakest media forms right now due to its openness to let anybody write and edit the content. However, personally I do look for information on wikipedia, no matter how untrustworthy it is considered.  

New new media have definitely changed  the way we receive information, the way we communicate and so on. Twitter's 140 character limit seems to be indicative of the fact that as more and more people do not like to read or don't have the time to read, succinctness is the need of the hour. People love visuals accompanying the text. Thats what the new new media seems to be putting all its money on. 

NEW NEW MEDIA (Chapters 1-5)

First, to start off with I just wanted to say that out of all the books we have to read in class, this is by far my favorite. I believe the main concept of this book is to show us how new new media has changed the world and how communication has changed in our lives. “This revolution of communication encompasses all levels of society.”

In the book New New Media, the author Paul Levison addresses media as “new new media.” The reason he calls it new new media is to distinguish the lack of power that new media such as Amazon and iTunes and The New York Times online give to producers versus the enormous power that new new media including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, put in everyone’s hands. Since the first social media site was introduced, people immediately responded positively to it and some people even became obsessed with it. It is a newer concept that people can now share anything, at any time, with anyone and the best part about it is that it is completely free for people to use.

This new new media has changed the way people live their lives. We are all now included in someone’s life when they post something on Facebook or Twitter. Even with YouTube we can watch something that just happened to someone because they will post it right away. We live in a world where everything is instantaneous. We don’t write letters anymore, we write e-mails. We don’t take pictures with a film camera; we take pictures on our phone. We don’t make phone calls, we text. Everything we do now is to get an immediate response. Like Levison stated, “Every Consumer Is a Producer” meaning that anyone reading a blog can start a blog instantly. This new new media that we have now continues to evolve and as time goes by, new media will be introduced.

Small Tech: A culture of digital tools

From orality, we jumped to literacy, but that seemed not to satisfy the human race. The art of reading and writing was been as a great way in which humans could document whatever they wanted. However, the dawn of computers has seen this perception fade into the dark overtime. In this volume (22) of electronic mediation, the focus is directed towards the culture of digital tools. This part of the book begins with a flashback of how we used to live in the Stone Age. However, man has evolved into the world of silicon chips and not stones anymore.

Walter Benjamin’s study concludes that “copy at first glance appears to be entirely modern, a product of the age of mechanical reproduction’’. The authors mention that copy functions have predated its existence with the example that singers performed the same song again and again. With the passage, “as for paste, it is a function whose traces are wiped out overtime….. It is therefore difficult to discuss pasting with any certainty ’’ finally, the author of this article talks about cutting and distinguishes the three (cutting, copying and pasting). I must admit that I find this article very interesting. The author not only provides a sneak preview into the whole topic, but details information as well.

In conclusion, this is a very educational reading. It reminds us of where we have been and why we are where we are in terms of information recording. From the Stone Age, to the silicon age, data is no longer on ink but encoded in binary. I would easily recommend this book to anyone because it is simple to read and has precise information.

Windows and Mirrors

Windows and Mirrors (4-6)

The idea of the “Magic Book” discussed in this section of the book is extremely interesting. The idea of virtual reality is essentially an extension of one’s imagination. Although in many cases virtual reality takes away a person’s ability to freely imagine, I feel as though if it’s a part of the learning experience can be prove to be very beneficial in many aspects. I believe the best aspect of the idea of the “Magic Book” is its ability to distinguish between transparency and reflectivity as a classmate of mine previously mentioned. The “Magic Book” is another function of new media that can become detrimental in the human ability to creatively think for themselves.

Windows and Mirrors (7-9)

The term “Terminal Time” was something I found extremely interesting because it was a mixture between “windows and mirrors”.  Terminal time was defined as a series of video clips that revolved around cultural context and their definition of history. The reason I classified this term as both “windows and mirrors” is because these videos required audience participation which makes it an interactive experience. This is a mirror because the audience’s views reflect the final product because the interactive questions will provide the basis for the choice of film after. But as I mentioned earlier, I t is also a window because when the movie begins the audience is now looking into different aspects such as time periods and are unaware of the direction of the film they’re viewing so in a since they're lost in what they're currently viewing. I believe “Terminal time” is very interesting not only because it represents both “windows and mirrors” aspects but also because it allows the audience to respond and express themselves regarding the piece. I believe that the in class discussion about these chapters served to be very vital to my understanding of this reading. it helped to make the read a lot easier and understandable.

Understanding information in the context of Media ecology

Understanding information in the context of Media ecology

The field of media ecology has variable components as described in the article. The article also mentions that information has always been used without proper understanding of the concept. I like the way the writer begins this article. There is a precise sense of direction, and the introductory paragraph prepares the reader about what is to come. The article also focuses on many aspects that attempt to explain information. All these are well arranged into subtopics, with the first one trying to provide a clear explanation of information after a detailed introduction has been given.

An in-depth relation of the correlation between information, electricity and technology is presented right from the abstract and is developed as the article progresses. I admire the way the author conveys the content of his article interesting comparisons, such as that the origin of man. The author says that just as humans are said to have originated in Africa and spread all over the world, it is the same way information spreads. Aspects of this spread, such as speed and what facilitates it, are discussed within their own subtopics; being clearly explained so both an average reader and a college student can easily conceptualize and understand the idea.

Finally, I like how the author managed to focused on the topic of media ecology and connect it to everything else. There are no instances when the author has gone away from the topic or made it too vague. This is a well-developed article that I would recommend to anyone in the field of media.

 

 

 

Windows & Mirrors Chapters 7-9 Response

Terminal Time is defined as a construction of ideologically-biased documentary histories in response to audience feedback. The audience answers multiple-choice questions via an applause meter. I'd have to say that the whole concept of terminal time is extremely intriguing. Like the book describes, terminal time is in its own way, a work of art. Terminal Time is subjective, because of its correlations between history and art; it is totally based on the viewer's/observer's interoperation and perspective. 

Terminal Time is heavily dependent on the viewers interaction, as it swings back and forth between our own participation and its own presentation; carrying our own sets of beliefs and preconception. I thought this was interesting, because it creates a unique experience based off the viewer's ideals and perspectives. In our everyday lives, we present ourselves based off a generally shared sum of beliefs and prejudices, we call this culture. I found it interesting how the book brought this up as an example as our daily lives is a constant oscillation between presenting and spectating. We have to constantly take into consideration the opinion of others, this is especially the case for an artist or designer. This is also similar to the windows and mirrors concept; as when we participate we lose consciousness of what we are viewing, taking it in, or better, observing it like throw a window. However, it is also like a mirror in which our own views and ideals frame it to form an interpretation. 

Chapters 7-9 Terminal Time and the Art Gallery to Before and After

The readings in chapter 7-9 were, as they should be, another assignment of continuation and building upon the last two readings of chapters 1-6. Chapters 7 brings us out of the gallery and into another section of the SIGGRAPH convention located now in a theater.The exhibit now being explored is Terminal Time. Its creaters Mateas, Domike, and Vanouse describe it as and " audience powered history engine that combines mass participation, real time documentary graphics, and artificial intelligence to delivery the history the viewers deserve" This is an interesting exhibit that differs from many of the previous because it accounts for the ideas of the majority rather than one person " the user is an audience rather than an individual" (page 135) A multiple choice question is first asked to the audience whose answer is based on an applaude meter. In this portion the audience is conscious of the interface and think about their own answer as well as the answers of the rest of the audience. Based on the applaude meter, the historical event with the largest reaction is chosen and a short film is presented. The audience has now switched form the participants to the viewers. They are meant to experience the film rather than think about it. This exhibit as stated in the books makes the audience aware of the content as well as the cultural assumtions and influences on the context itself.
Chapter 8 now gives us an almost arial view of the SIGGRAPH art gallery itself. It describes how the galleryas a whole is an exhibit itself created by the lighting, space, direction and placement of exhibits. The concept that I found most interesting within this chapter was on page 147 "Digital art is about performance. As users we perform the design, just as we would a musicasl instrument....Digital artists and designers create instruments that the user will play" This stood out to me because it described the creation of the intrument or art which was created with a purpose and the user is able to take that art and create such as the letters in TEXT RAIN or the experience in Magic book. 
Chapter 9 now leads into a more informational section that for all intensive purposes ends our tour of SIGGRAPH 2000 with a series of information and reflection on what has been touched upon throughout the first 8 chapters of the book.

Response to Windows and Mirrors (Chapters 7-9)

Terminal Time is a series of six-minute videos about cultural contexts and how they define our history. It is interesting to see that the videos’ requires audience participation. The audience indicates their answers to questions by applauding. The audience participation creates an interactive experience and therefore the audience is involved with what is happening on screen. When someone goes to the movie theater to see a movie, they are strictly watching someone else’s vision playing out on screen. Terminal Time gives the audience the opportunity to express their beliefs and prejudices. The author mentions Plato’s allegory which is the opposite lesson of Terminal Time. For Plato, we are not defined by our cultural contexts; instead, we can stand outside all contexts and understand a higher truth. I wish I could agree with Plato, but I believe that the majority of people are very influenced by their cultural contexts and by society’s “expectations” of who we should be. Even though I have never seen Terminal Time, it seems to have an inspiring message. According to the author, the video offers a message that makes us aware of our ideologies and inspires us to change – to make us feel less comfortable with our own narrow views. It will help people acknowledge the multiplicity of possible ways in which history can be written and read. Terminal Time sounds like something worth watching, and I think I will.

            The Art Gallery and Before and After talk about how art continues to help us understand that information itself can be and should be an experience. Every digital design must convey a message to its viewer. Digital designers and artists will have to accept the “new” in new digital media. Times are changing and the new digital medium can be seen as a technological revolution. People like, Janet Murray are very interested in a visual narrative that combines elements of film and artificial intelligence to control the appearance and behavior of virtual characters. I think that would be interesting to see what she can create. 

Windows and Mirrors Ch. 7-9 Response

I think that Terminal Time is the perfect example of a piece that is both a window and a mirror. Since the interface asks the audience interactive questions in which it will base the choice of film after, it is a mirror that reflects the audience’s views. However, it is also a window because when the movie starts, the audience is no longer consciously aware of the piece, but is lost in the world of different time periods. I also find this piece very interesting because it really is a piece of art -- letting the viewer’s beliefs and interpretations dictate their experience with it. History, just like art, is subjective. In both subjects, people see what they want to see and take from it what they want to take from it. Terminal Time is a strong symbol of this subjectivity of history and art. 

The author even goes one step further to argue that the entire gallery itself is a statement piece. Much like Terminal Time, it artfully combines pieces of mirrors and windows to create an experience for the visitors in which they continuously go in and out of awareness of the interfaces. This conscious and unconsciousness towards media is something we experience in our everyday lives and don’t even realize. Getting lost in a game on our phones as the world passes us by or even simply walking into a movie theatre are examples of this. The world of new media is full of combinations of windows and mirrors in which we are aware and unaware, and the entire SIGGRAPH conference reflects this. 

Chapter 7 - 9

Terminal Time is described as a history engine that combines mass participation, real-time documentary graphics, and artificial intelligence to deliver the history that viewers deserve. Terminal time oscillates between the modes of presentation and participation. With Terminal time, we always bring our sets of beliefs and prejudices. The book discusses the example of World Wide Web, which makes the designers aware of the need to consider cultural as well as work contexts because it reaches into several cultures throughout the industrialized world. Art Gallery, when viewed as a whole is designed to offer an experience - part of and yet distinct from the experience offered by the rest of the SUGGRAPH conference discussed in the book. The use of colors, lights, shapes, banners etc., at the gallery make it an engaging experience for its visitors. Digital art is about performance. As users we perform the design, just as we would a musical instrument. (pg. 147). Even digital designs like other media oscillate between transparency and reflection. Even creation of any interface requires it be reflective as well as transparent. Structurists are against the concept of having too many graphics  or reflective interface. But, designers consider that the website should offer high quality content as well as compelling experience to its users/viewers. 

Leah Johnson:Chapters 7-9

Windows and Mirrors: Leah Johnson (Chapter 7-9) In these last chapters, terminal time has been explored. Terminal time defines cultural contexts and how it defines our history. Presentation and Participation are concepts that have been discussed. We are used to being in roles as spectators at presentations, such as movies or even when we are home watching television. We are used to being entertained, so this side of the interaction is expected. Spectators are meant to experience the film, as they are conscious of the actual interface. Two perspectives or roles are looking through the screen of the production. Through each of these roles we incorporate our beliefs and prejudices to every media. I agree with this because it is human nature to have certain biases and our own beliefs. Interaction with digital media changes along the course of each media. The way we participate in certain media depends upon the actual production or interface. We consciously become consumed in either of these phenomena’s. The example of us being consume in the interface of the voting booth, made the interaction of a specific interface apparent. The intersection of virtual versus physical activity with different media is quite interesting and we all participate on a daily basis.

Windows and Mirrors Chapters 4-6

Chapters 4-6 of Windows and Mirrors was another interesting read that flowed nicely from the information presented in the first three chapter.  The Virtual tour of SIGGRAPH 2000 continued leading us out of the Art Gallery and into the emerging Technologies Exhibit. Starting with Magic Book, which from what i've read on other classmates blogs sparked interest in everyone.  This books ability to come alive in more than one way portrays the interactive experience that it has created. More than one reader can participate in the 3D adventure that the book is offering all while allowing for a manipulation of the original story. Although this may take away from the generic purposes of a "normal" print book which invokes personal imagination and the ability for the reader to create their own vision of the story "Magic Book" is meant to be a different experience all together. Chapter fours explanation of remediation being the making of new media forms out of older ones is seemingly the base of all of the material we study and the evolution of media.  More specifically the exhibits touched upon in the last few chapters and how digital art remediates present the creative, interactive remediation of the medium.

Fakeshop presented in chapter five brings us into yet another means of expression through digital media.  This project offers a visual representation of the world wide web offering streams of information in multiple windows simultaneously. Its representation of our bodies being sent through cyberspace invoke thought as well as emotion.

Our walk through T-Garden in chapter six is yet another interactive environment, possibly its own little world. The participants are able to creatively express themselves in more then one way. The subjects discussed of disembodiment are found throughout the chapter and are presented in a variety of ways. The chapter describes T-Garden as a mixed reality application that allows for the user to engage in physical, visual and intellectual participation creating the full digital experience.

Windows and Mirrors (Chapters 4-6)

          Let’s start off with The Magic Book. This is an amazing concept that was brought to life. It is fascinating to see how far technology has come. The Magic Book starts out as a printed book and then transforms into a digital pop-up book. We are not used to seeing three-dimensional moving images when reading a book, which makes this so different. I believe this is a great idea for children who can’t read yet and “read” books for the pictures. The Magic Book will create an exciting experience for kids. The downside of this is if they turned books for adults into this 3-D experience, it may change the whole dynamic of reading. I agree with what Samantha stated in her blog about reader interpretation. This plays a big role in reading books. People get so involved with their books because they can use their imagination to picture the story in their mind. Books have already transitioned to the digital side, where now everyone has a Kindle or a Nook. Although there are some cool features to it, I prefer to read a book the old-fashioned way, where I hold it in my hands and turn the pages.

            In chapter 5, David Siegel states that Web users are consumers and use the web to purchase something. They respond to a visual design and will succumb to a Web site that provides the proper experience. I couldn’t agree more. People also have a certain expectation when surfing the net. People want to be able to go to a Web site that loads fast and provides a user friendly “experience.” Have you ever looked up a Web site that took too long to load? Or visited a site that was way too complicated? When this happens, the user will just click off and go to another Web site. There are so many different Web sites that you can visit to get similar information, so why stay on a site that is taking forever to load? While technology is evolving, the Internet continues to be one of the most popular and widely used mediums. It will be interesting to see where technology will go in the future. 

Chapter 4-6

On a personal level, I am excited to experience the world that Magic Book can provide. The whole idea of being part of the story using the lorgnette can be quite a learning experience especially for the kids whose books are filled with images. The imagination power of different kids varies depending upon the kind of exposure they get in their initial years. There is no denying to the fact that Magic Book can restrict the imagination of an individual but the positive side of Magic Book is in its ability to make an individual think more creatively in natural environments too. The greatness of Magic book also lies in its ability to oscillate between transparency and reflectivity.

The Fakeshop offers both physical and virtual experience. It borrows and refashions most of the media that we find on the World Wide Web. As viewers of the site, our attention is drawn successively in many directions: toward the text, the images, and particularly the digitized video appearing in the windows, and back to the windowed interface itself. Most of the media that we see today are devised using new combinations of older media forms and not by unifying several media forms.  We have IPods for music, IPhones and other smartphones for making calls, texting and using Internet, and so on. The closest thing to a converged medium however, is the World Wide Web, a mix of various media forms (text, audio, video) and audiences.