Numerical Representation
“All new media objects, whether created from scratch on
computers or converted from analog media sources, are composed of digital code;
they are numerical representations.”
In plain non-tech English Manovich is saying that everything
we see on a computer, pictures, movies, and blog posts area all representations
of math equations. Remember 7th grade algebra when countless hours
were spent plotting points on a grid using an algebraic formula. Computers do
that exact same process as 7th graders only millions of times
faster. Each spot of color on your screen has an equation so the computer knows
where to place it on the screen.
Modularity
“fractal structure of new media.”
When we open a web page and see links to all different kinds
of websites and video feed, or one clicks a hyperlink in a Power Point
presentation and is directed to the web address are both examples of modularity.
Programs working within programs because they can stand alone and are not dependent
once they are written into another work. This allows digital document designers
to use links, videos, sound bites and many other digital files imbedded with
other files from different creators. Clicking on a video link and being
confrotneted with a “Download 10.0 vid player to view this clip” is an experience
web surfers frequently encounter. These encounters are because of modularity.
Automation
Automation is simply making a process automatic, for example
an automatic transmission in a car opposed to a standard, automatic opening
doors and even the automobile. With regards to computing automation is simply
replacing human action with a computers program. Instead of typing in thousands
of web addressed when looking for a new cookie recipe Google automatically
searches the web for new recipes we type in the search engine. Google has even
gone further by automatically filtering out search results we may not be
looking for such as “cookies and milk, a recipe for health disaster”
Variability
Grossly understated because this is a detailed section,
variability is the ability of computers to change on the fly through complex
programing. Amazon.com is a great example of variability. An Amazon.com user
frequently views a banner on the bottom of their browser suggesting other
products they might like based on their past browsing history and purchasing
history. These automatic selection provide Amazon.com users to a wide variety of
useful products they previously did not consider. Amizon.com seamlessly hyperlinks
and codes to customers personal taste each time they use Amizon.com. These
programs are continually working behind the scenes to recognize IP addresses,
log in frequency and mouse scroll patterns to tailor each buying experience to
the consumer.
Transcoding
Transcoding is the conversation of computers. When computers
exchange language they are transcoding. Computers have a constant open dialogue
with one another. For example when a user connects to the web they have opened up
transcoding to millions of computers. When a user is operating a computer
offline with no peripheral networks only minimal transcoding is taking place
within the computer’s OS, similar to a stream of though in a person’s mind and conversely
when one is participating in a large open discussion.
All five of the summarized principals above have impacted
our “culture undergoing computerization” equally the principals above are not
independent of one another. They have all evolved in unison. Each principal has
had an effect on culture and that is precisely why Manovich spent the time to
publish a 354 page text on the subject. It will be interesting to see if the
five principals above become new cultural theories similar to poststructuralist
and modernism.
Eric Kirkham
Great writing. You were able to sum up the concepts well and provide examples that worked! I liked your Google example. I'm amazed at what that company does.
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