Prezi Response

Electronic texts improve upon print in that electronic texts can be produced and shared much faster.  There is a sense of instant gratification that print cannot have because of the mechanical process it takes.  Digital spaces can also provide pictures, videos, links, and/or music with the text; print cannot make use of these functions. The print medium for the most part is very set-in-stone, and electronic texts are malleable and can change as much as desired by the author (and readers may also have the ability to change things based on the situation).  In addition, the electronic way of communicating allows much more people access to promote their thoughts, opinions, and ideas.  Because the new digital format introduces countless advantages over print, it’s inevitable the mass majority of people will accept it as the “standard.”

"Stitch Bitch" Inkshedding Activity

"In hypertext everything is there at once and equally weighted."

This statement means that in hypertext (or the text-within-text found in digital formats, or 'links'), one click can bring you anywhere ("there at once") and that even small amounts of words can give off a wealth of information ("equally weighted").

Bolter Text: First Thoughts

Bolter’s introduction in “Writing Space” talks about digital media’s rise in popularity and how it now seems to overshadow the print form.  This text having been written in 2001, a full decade ago, I had to take the author’s writing with comprehension of the fact that back then digital technologies were not yet as mainstream as they are today.  Having said that I believe we are indeed headed towards a digital-exclusive world.  Although it won’t happen over night, I believe the digital format will eventually become recognized as prestigious a medium as print, and once that happens, it’s inevitable that the print form will be deemed obsolete.

I think this change is healthy because like any medium (films, music, video games), how we read and write will be constantly evolving.  Just because we are slowly moving away from print materials doesn’t mean that writing is losing its legitimacy; I think that’s simply an irrational fear from “purists.”  In fact, this new digital age will bring new life and possibilities to the world of literature.  Nowadays virtually anybody can post their thoughts, opinions, stories, or anecdotes online for the world to see, which is in my mind the best way for ideas to be spread and information to be learned.

Taylor Mali's Poem

How does the form of the poem affect your apprehension and appreciation for it?

The form of a poem can alter a person’s perception, whether it is expressed through the written word or told orally.  In Taylor Mali’s poem, the way in which he orates his piece adds life and humor to a somewhat “dry” lesson in confidence in communication.  The ideas worked in the strictly audio form (the stand-up special) because his delivery added a “spice” to the work. However, as good as it was as a stand-alone oral routine, the “written word” version of the speech certainly aided and helped in the overall comprehension and appreciation of the piece.  The visual words overlapped by the narration emphasized important wordings and phrases spoken by Mali.  The words were a great addition to Mali’s poem, but on their own without the dialogue, the words would not do it justice.

Four-Letter Word Project

I edited the Four-Letter Word project using Final Cut Pro editing software.  The images were found using Google Images and the [copyright-free] music came DeWolfemusic.com.