Out of dozens of readings that have been assigned in this course, this week’s second reading was just the first (that I can see) that was written by a woman. We’re in week 11 now. I’m not going to go in to what this may say about the industry we are looking into (an maybe even this course) but it is something to think about.

This introduction to Lisa Gitelman’s book Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture (2008) seemed like more of a week one reading that a week eleven extract. The author introduces the idea of using the word ‘media’ both collectively and singularly, and adds her own definition of what media are.

Gitelman believes that media are ‘socially realised structures of communication’ and that each has it’s own set of histories and rules that govern how it is used and how users understand it. Here is where I believe our prior learning in Networked Media comes in handy. Gitelman explains that though we may not know how the media came to be, or how it works exactly, we are still considered able users of a media, in much the same way that a scientist does not have to understand how a telescope works in order to use it expertly.

Throughout this course, many a debate has been had over whether or not it is important for us as media students to know the ins and outs of the technologies we should be proficient at using. Adrian likes to argue that, for example, a knowledge of how to build websites using HTML is important to using though websites professionally. This is contradicted by Gitelman and I have to say I agree. I believe that is possible to be proficient at using a technology, including in a professional capacity without knowing exactly how and why it works. I also believe that if a person is using a technology so frequently they will pick up the ins and outs. Yes, knowing more will always be better, but it won’t always be necessary.