Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces
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This overview examines the concept of constructing a flattened self in computer interfaces after the postmodern era, exploring the implications of post-postmodernism and the trends in interface design. It looks at the history of interfaces, hardware interfaces, command line interfaces, graphical user interfaces, and the rise of social spaces in communication.
Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces
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Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces Johndan Johnson-Eilola Purdue University
Overview: Constructing the Flattened Self • Postmodernism (a brief sketch) • Work (a brief history) • Post-Postmodernism (a suggestion) johnson-eilola
Why “Postmodern”? • Defining “Postmodernism” • decline of master narratives • increase in fragmentation • loss of coherent, stable identity • Postmodernism & Trans-national Capitalism • Collapse of Space johnson-eilola
Postmodernism Goes to Work • Jameson, Deleuze & Guattari: Art, architecture, postmodern capitalism • Drucker: Post-capitalism, flexible management • Hammer: Managing fluid, flattened communication in organizations • Reich: Symbolic-Analytic Work johnson-eilola
Why “Interface”? • US Workers spend over 30% of work hours on a computer (Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University) • 118.4 million people with Internet access in US (Nielsen/NetRatings data for November 1999). • 275 million people in the world are online (Nua Survey Compiled Results) johnson-eilola
Why “Flattened”? • History of interfaces moves from deep learning to surface learning • Interfaces increasingly structure work and living • Communication and work becoming fragmented and flattened johnson-eilola
A Short History of Interface johnson-eilola
Hardware Interfaces • Users learn/work serially, over time • Users learn/work within a face-to-face social context by working with experts johnson-eilola
Command Line Interfaces • Users act serially, over time • Learning moves into computer, to some extent johnson-eilola
Command Line: Linux johnson-eilola
Command Line: Linux Online Help johnson-eilola
Graphical User Interfaces • Users work across two dimensions, increasingly spatial • Users learn from interface itself johnson-eilola
GUI Example: Dreamweaver johnson-eilola
Work and Learning Trends • Witnessing a general trend away from time and toward space • Hardware interface: work located in temporal, social context • GUI interface: work located in screen space johnson-eilola
Recuperating Surface:The Social • Email, Chat as First Step Toward Social • MOO and Other VR as Second Step johnson-eilola
Rise of Internet Communication • Currently Unstable • Currently Two-Dimensional • Grain Size of Communication Very Small johnson-eilola
Usenet News: Time and Space • Posts made serially, over time • Newest posts surface then fragment older posts johnson-eilola
Usenet News: Flattening History In article <8ac7i9$e21$1@bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au>, "Christopher Smith" <drsmithy@usa.net> wrote: > > <lloydsargent@my-deja.com> wrote in message > news:8ac22d$9df$1@nnrp1.deja.com... >> In article <8aak69$5m2$1@bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au>, >> "Christopher Smith" <drsmithy@usa.net> wrote: >>> >>> "Florent Pessaud" <flop@netcourrier.com> wrote in message >>> news:8aad06$jg$1@muguet.sncf.fr... >>>> >>>> Sascha Bohnenkamp <bonito@mevis.de> a écrit dans le message : >>>> 38C8AA85.C505B5D2@mevis.de... >>>>>> No, deadlock is as serious as a heart-attack. >>>>> NO -- a deadlock between two apps in a PMT system, stops those >> two apps >>>>> from working. >>>>> A lock-up in a CMT environment stops the whole system! >>>>> That is a BIG difference, thinking of servers at last. >>>>> johnson-eilola
Rise of Social Spaces • Contingently Stable (Multiple, Non-Coherent) • Multi-Dimensional (2D + Time) • Grain Size Relatively Larger (Maybe It’s Not the Issue) johnson-eilola
Examples of Social Space • Distance Education • Modernist Assumptions • Replicates Classroom (good & bad) • Project ViEW: ProNoun MOO • Spatial (Online) • Fluid Space • Contingently Stable Subjectivities johnson-eilola
MOO Spaces • Recursive Definition • MOO = MUD, Object Oriented • MUD = Multi-User Dimension/Dungeon • Textual/Graphical Virtual Spaces for Collaboration • Across Time • Across Space johnson-eilola
ProNoun MOO • 30-50 Sections of Business/Tech Writing at Purdue • Split Location (F2F + MOO) • Contingent Coherence johnson-eilola
Constructing a Flattened Self • Computer-supported communication (can) expand opportunities • Current interfaces tend to flatten spaces, fragment histories • Re-socializing interfaces (might) construct higher-order, contingent social spaces johnson-eilola