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.