Manovich Response 2

The first concept, that of Numerical Representation, is the idea that new forms of media, in particular anything digitized, may be represented mathematically. One good example of this is the way in which colors are represented by a series of numbers corresponding to hue, contrast, etc. Another thing touched on by Manovich is the idea that old media may be changed into this mathematical format. I cannot mathematically manipulate a paper photo, but I may scan that photo, effectively creating a mathematical facsimile of it which may then be manipulated.

The second concept is Modularity. This refers to the way in which the functions of a media may exist on multiple structures. In other words, a program may perform only one function for the user, but it may run multiple functions in order to do so. An example might be Pandora Radio, which runs the music, album photos, and text separately. Pandora uses different modules in order to run its website.

Automation builds on the concept of numerical representation, because so much of our new forms of media are mathematical, they may be controlled mathematically, even without the direct influence of humans. going back to our Pandora example, the program is automated because Pandora doesn't need to hire thousands of DJs in order to select new music for its users, there is no man behind the curtain controlling everything, it is all being done by a computer.

Variability, the next concept, means that the forms and capabilities of media can change, often for the better, over time. Digital photos are a form of media, but they may be manipulated by dozens of different programs, take many different file formats, and be converted between either one of these things. one good example is the way in which Microsoft Word changes with each update, The program remains a document editor, but as the version number increases, the medium, and the media taking the form of the program, changes.

Transcoding is the idea that each piece of digital media has two parts to it, the part that is designed to be understood and manipulated by humans, and the part that is meant to be understood and manipulated by the computer. The consequences of this are that we can send code, representing emails, photos, etc. across cultural barriers by transmitting over the date the computer understands, and allowing the receiving computer to reconstruct the human side of the information. One example of this is the way in which people often share code in HTML, Java, and other computer languages, even though they are not all building the same website or program. A general program such as a state machine may exist in the form of the exact same code for dozens of programs, even if the programs are different. Both a video game and a vending machine could use the exact same coding to fulfill the function of their state machine.

In my mind, the most powerful of these tools is the concept of automation. Automation, in my mind, has the most potential to change our future because it gives us the ability to create machines which perform work that would otherwise require humans to do. It is essentially the creation of free work value. taken to an extreme, and with the development of newer technology, we could develop a situation in which this automation would eliminate the need for most of the work done by humans, whether this will be good or bad will remain to be seen.