DTC 101 – Spring 2013

Brandon Phillips

@brandonluc01

In Theodor Nelson’s book titled Literary Machines, he focuses on the ongoing conversion of text of human ideas and information into computerized code and programs that are stored in mechanical functioning systems (the computer). He emphasizes the great potential computers have for dramatically increasing the accessibility humans have to information and ideas. In Vanevar Bush’s article “As We May Think” he puts great emphasis on the fact that humans will one day become reliant and machines and computers and not need to rely on their own intellect and hard work; that soon accessibility to all information could neutralize the human intellect.

The movie the Matrix is a great film that highlights the relationships humans have with computers. The relationship between humans and computers is identified in the plot of the movie The Matrix; being that humans need computers just as much as computers need humans. The plot of the movie is in a post-apocalyptic world machines harvest humans for energy and humans rely on the machines to create a false but secure reality that leaves them blind to the true apocalyptic world. In the dreaming scene in the movie a green raining code, composed of a variety of different characters, is shown to symbolize the visual, auditory, etc information of a virtual reality. The image from the matrix is an image of the green raining code but it makes the image/scene more visible for the viewer by highlighting the outlines of human bodies in a hallway. The purpose of dream scene and matrix image is that both show how visual information has been converted to computerized code like how Theodor Nelson claimed that soon all sorts of information will become.

The concern for the future is, will humans become entirely reliant on technology as Vanevar Bush predicts? And will computers one day have too much information that they will one day be able to have their own intellect and create their own ideas?

What is real? In the 1999 movie, “The Matrix,” our reality is questioned. What if this world that we see, hear, touch and know isn’t real. As demonstrated in the still image and “Dream Sequence” from this movie, it is suggested that our world is made up of computer code–a virtual reality. In the movie, humans are plugged into a gigantic network of computers and interfaces, much like today. In American society it is more common to have a cell phone than not. In a way, we have become that reality where human are so wrapped up in technology that our reality is virtual rather than tangible.

As Vannevar Bush suggested in his article, “As We May Think,” he drew up the plans of a variety of technological advancements he said would soon take the world by storm. His Memex machine was the precursor of today’s desktop computer. He imagined how a man could make “trails,” or a history of searches and related material, and summon up that information onto a tablet with the touch of a button. Really, he produced sketches of the first human-machine interactive device. Since his time, we have only become more and more dependent and consumed by electronics. Televisions, smart phones, tablets, computers, et cetera. We are linked to our own personal technology from morning until night.

The “raining code” seen in The Matrix is a visual representation of how technology has been brought to us from the intellect of scientists and inventors. They bestowed upon us a great gift, which we abuse daily to argue with strangers and watch cat videos. That raining code shows that technology is a continuous stream of information that slowly but surely will consume our world as we replace the tangible with the virtual.

@YakustaLeader4
#dtcv
Hello, my name is Philip Crivello. I am a student here @WSU Vancouver and wanting to major in either Biology or Geology (still debating). For my new media object, besides @facebook, my iPod, laptop and video games, I use @IHeartRadio a lot of the time while I’m on the computer. IHR is an internet radio site where you can customize your stations; listen to stations in other states, as well as from artists. This internet radio site uses both #Digital Arts and #Media Communication. Digital Arts in how you are able to listen to music and watch live concerts from IHR. For Media Communication, there are radio stations on IHR where you can listen to news stations from across the country in real time. For #IHR it uses Numerical Representation in having a digital code (Manovich 28) from being created on a computer. With Modularity, it uses different sizes for its images and also advertises products from sponsoring companies. Automation in IHR is present due to having Numerical Representation and Modularity (32). While I listen to the music on the site, once a song is over, then it starts a new one right afterwards with no commercials on the artists stations (on city stations then they broadcast from the station but have very limited commercials). In having an internet radio site, there is a lot of Variability (36) within the site. It’s always updating in versions and adding new music every day. While you listen to a station, you never know what’s next on the custom stations so the music is varying within the genres and artists. Because you can customize your own stations, then you create your own Variability. Lastly, there is Transcoding, which is basically translating one format to another (47). How this applies to IHeartRadio is in how you can listen to different stations in various languages and cultures.
Because of this easy and new way to access music it has turned music into even more of a digital age. Where you can listen to stations from your old city you use to live in (when you live across the nation), and you can listen to music from your favorite artists or genres just from searching it and clicking play. You are also able to buy music and get the lyrics (where before a digital age, getting music or lyrics meant going to a record store and buying it there).

@Reneejo714
The Xbox Kinect, Created by Microsoft is a fairly new media object. The Xbox Kinect falls under a new media object because it has been made through multiple computer programs, which makes it digital. This can be read from slide five from the slideshow presentation. This is only the beginning for our generation. There are many other New Medias like The Wii by Nintendo, Face time by Apple. The Kinect allows your body to connect to sensors and you become the controller. The sensors work by how the camera from the Kinect transmits the invisible near-infrared light and a measure its “time of flight” after it reflects off the objects. First characteristic is Numerical Representation: Means that the Kinect itself can send the invisible near-infrared light to give a visual of the body that can go back through a computer that will eventually break it down to see that it had come from a numerical form. (Manovich 28)Modularity: components such as images, shapes, and sounds are all basic factors with the Kinect, throughout the game you will have your picture taken of what you look like while you’re competing against someone or simply having a good time.(Manovich30)Automation: The Kinect can connect with this characteristic by a few things, with the 3-D, the Kinect shows yourself which is 3-D, creates backgrounds, and even some courses in some games. The Kinect can also relate by the AI. The AI creates other players to play with or compete with. (Manovich 32-34)Variability: Being able to customize your own character. This is something that you can do with the Kinect; this is a personal factor for most games. Your body that picks up the sensors is the controller to the character you customize. Transcoding: A computer layer and culture layer that are important elements of each game, allowing the game to have a story line of some sort. With these five characteristics you can see that the Xbox Kinect is a new media object.