Chell's blog

Thoughts, ideas, and other things 'a bit unkempt'…

Literary Machines, Theodore Holm Nelson

August8

This was my take-notes-as-I-read approach to this reading…

–       How the heck am I supposed to read this? Chapter 0> Pick one of three chapter 1’s > Then chapter 2 > then another chapter one> then one of the chapter 3’s, and then there are lots of other chapters not even numbered…. What???

–       I didn’t know George Orwell’s name was actually Eric Blair! 🙂

–       Hypermedia/ hypertext

–       Nelson actually coined the term “hypertext” over 20 years ago

–       Hyper-text.. non-sequential writing… ahhh! So that’s why the chapter-structure is non-linear!!!

–       With computers, beginners are taught a world of prevailing but unnecessary complication… yep that’s how I feel!

–       Overall, if I’m being completely honest, this reading tried to, but did not help me understand the meaning of “the network”.

–       However, I did make a connection between this reading and the Bush reading… Nelson says that “ A universal repository hypertext network… will make stored texts and graphics, called on demand from anywhere, an elemental commodity, like water, telephone service, radio and television”, and Bush said that “A scientific record must be stored, continuously extended and consulted. Today we make the record conventionally; by writing and photography, followed by printing;; but we also record on film, on wax disks, and on magnetic wires”.

Hmmmmm….

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