October 22, 2012

Writing Vs. Computing


As soon as I began reading this text, I immediately compared it to writing. I feel that writing can create a world that alters our view of reality. A book and a computer are two completely different mediums, but all in all they create the message that can give many perceptions. These perceptions the medium provides are ones that are not real. The computer allows for a “transparent world (213)” and with that comes this perception of what we see. Writing has similar attributes because the writer can decide what they want their reader to know and what role they have to play as suggested by Walter Ong. This perception the author creates become even more transparent when remediation is done.

With remediation, the author can correct any parts of the text they do not feel is necessary. This does change the reader’s reality from the original one created to, in a sense, a virtual reality.  The only difference between telepresence and writing is that telepresence is computer based. Cant writing be “a relationship between the medium and the physical world” if “everything is a medium?” The medium in writing is the text itself and the physical world is the environment surrounding the text. The text allows for the people in the world to connect and communicate.  The question that was asked how does the medium become the message can be answered by this explanation. The medium becomes the message because the medium is what holds the message and without the medium the message cannot be seen.  Like ubiquitous computing, writing is a way for readers to “enter into our daily lives.” If text were to be defined by Bolter and Grusin it would be anything that “makes the user aware.”

2 comments:

HScott3 said...

I agree with your statement and it was the same mindset I went into when trying to connect readings. There is an obvious connection between mediums of reality and writing. Writing itself maybe just one form of communication which can also include, language, words, music, hand signs, etc. Which we just learned about with our segment on anti/signfication.
The same way a doctor can use telepresence to elevate his surgical performance is the same way a writer can use other different fonts or ways of writing in order to create an desired effect. I still don't think their can be an actual definition of text related by Bolter and Grusin. The one you provided confused me still but I can kind of see what you're coming from. I just wish there was a more accurate definition available for interpretation by Bolter and Grusin.

gabyjoe21 said...

I agree with you to a certain extent. i do believe that the author does play a major role in the execution of the text obviously, however i also believe that that is where the the power of the author ends. I think that ultimately the author is at the mercy of the reader. The reader ultimately interprets the text how they please.

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