Introduction and Theoretical Foundations of New Media homework - Week 2

Concept map 2 - What is social interaction?

Essay question:
How does a community serve as a “cultural interface” to mediate communication with computers?

Manovich said that operations embedded in software are the general ways of working and thinking. I think that the ways of working and thinking are influenced by culture. A community usually shares a common culture or belief, therefore it can be said that it defines the way members of the community communicate with computers. In my opinion culture influences the ways we interpret the message, therefore culture also interprets the way we interact with computers, software, online environments and operations we use and create.

Introduction and Theoretical Foundations of New Media homework - Week 1

• What characterizes new media?

New media uses digital devices, Internet and software to create content. Its components can constantly be mixed and remediated to create media which is even newer. New media has practically no limitations when it comes to generating new devices and software for extending the so called “human body parts”. There are no laws or certain ways things should be done, it allows one to be very creative.


• New media – a technology or culture?

Technology is an extension of Man. It is a tool for making Mans life easier. But it is the culture, which demands how and for which purposes the tool is used. Therefore it can not be said whether new media is technology or culture, because it involves both of the aspects and much more.


• Examine critically new media definitions – can YOU define what new media is?

By collaborating different definitions of new media and filtering out the most intriguing parts for me, I came up with a definition like this.

New media are constantly remediated and improved media, which use the latest technologies, networks and software to create new ways of (cultural, personal, physical, emotional) expression.

A little rough and broad but does not simplify new media as being just the Internet and a computer as it is often done.