After reading A Vernacular Web by Olia Lialina, I think that one of the most interesting points she raised was about how the algorithms of search engines push older websites to the wayside because they are usually less useful to the user than refined and up-to-date sites; however, I believe that this is somewhat destructive to the records of internet history, and reaffirms why archives preserving early webpages are important. I think many early websites can be used as reference points for people to be able to compare the current internet to the years just after its inception, but also for a revitalisation of the aesthetic qualities, as some of the old styles may be harkened back to in the future. The use of archives, or at least having an avenue through which these websites are more accessible, would be a method to avoid restraining creativity for future designers looking to capture the inexperience of the early internet.
My website is a shifting house next to a river of knowledge. What could yours be? by Laurel Schwulst mentioned how an individual who creates a website is both the author and architect, which I agree with, as websites could almost be considered an exhibition of a topic. I think it is important for artists to have control over not only their content, but also how that content in presented, and websites provide the opportunity for both, so that both elements have as much weight and cohesion as the creator would like. I felt as though many of the metaphors the author used could be related by how ever-changing and malleable websites are, and how there is always the opportunity to tear down, reconstruct, or completely change a website. Also, I think that websites are ultimately extensions of the creator or creators, and the article served as a reminder that the power is within the individuals hands to make the changes to, or construct, a website in-line with their desires.
Summary: In Typography and the Screen, the author discusses the development of typography through following the Macintosh platform, among contemporaries, and accompanying technologies developing at the time. Typography, with its newfound relationship to the screen, had some difficulties when translating to print, as early printing methods such as dot-matrix left the type with a downgrade in visual quality. Printing was fairly more accurate with the creation of the LaserWriter, as it could print around 300 dots-per-inch, and also came with Adobe Systems’ PostScript, a program that made it possible to arrange text and images on a page. Bitmap typefaces designed specifically for the screen, such the Macintosh fonts Chicago and Geneva, led to the creation of fonts for both the page and the screen, such as METAFONT and Lucidia. From there, more typefaces for the screen began to be developed around the mid 1980’s, with Zuzanna Licko creating the fonts Emperor, Oakland, and Emigre, and designers such as April Greiman, began to experiment with the idea of placing the pixilated, screen-ready type, on a printed medium. Many fonts at the time were still mostly made of bitmaps from existing fonts and not specifically designed for the screen, which led to companies such as Apple creating dedicated digital fonts, as did Adobe Systems around the same time. With Adobe Photoshop being created in 1990, software started to take advantage of the access to color and antialiasing, culminating in being able to edit photographs. With the World Wide Web, designers used Photoshop to make type into graphic files, in addition to a company named @Home providing services that would let people use the fonts they provided in HTML. In 1996, a program called OpenType would embed fonts into HTML documents, although development was slow.
Response and Questions: After reading through Typography and the Screen by Loretta Staples, I felt like I have a more developed understanding of the history of typography's interaction with technological advances. The back-and-forth nature of developing type only for the screen, and then type that could be both printed and viewed on the screen was interesting to see, as it was a melding between two eras that the leading web design companies had to constitute and control. Some questions I have are: Did the development of technology change the fundamental process for creating typefaces? Is it essential for all typefaces to be designed for both the screen and for print? Will there be a need for typefaces to be created for printing purposes in the future?
I think the idea of forming a website through content first is an idea that I would like to implement into my own work, as sometimes with website design, I feel as though the constraints of the grid hinders my original goal for a site. I think that, especially with website design, a lot of the design process seems too structured or rigid; reframing the manner in which I approach a project could prove to be more accurate to my desired design due to the freedom I initially give myself. I think as technology progresses creating websites will become a much more simplified process—the ease of use that comes with the developments of technology would only expand upon the idea of edgelessness mentioned in the article, as there would be new methods to organize content outside of the confines of coding languages and the structures that have become a mainstay of website design.
After reading the article, I believe it is important to consider the effect of technology being so widespread, with such little diversity in those who are creating the technology. I think a gap in interconnectedness could occur if the tech industry does not introduce diversity, as the majority white employees are able to maintain a power structure over people of other cultural backgrounds, teaching the user base how to use and interact with technology from only a white perspective. I think the white, male perspective in the industry should be uprooted, as cultural implementation would allow for different takes on how people and technology should interact, as well as catering more to groups who could find modern technology to be less accessible due to cultural barriers. I think a shift in perspective, or change of hands, is what the author was insinuating the black gooey is, a break from the white tradition of technology's past.
I think the author's perspective on the function of an object compared with how people actually use objects is an interesting dynamic that I think many areas of design, especially UX and product design, revolve around. I appreciate the sentiment that form and function are always related, as visual indicators are the most direct way to influence how a product is used: for example, highlighted or raised effects on buttons within a website can directly translate to the user that something should be clicked. An object's value can almost totally be determined by its use, making the use of the object its purpose. Even if the object is not used for its intended function, it still holds some value as it fulfills a need of the user.
Can the Internet be Archived? by Jill Lepore explores The Internet Archive and The Wayback Machine, and their role in keeping the history of the internet alive. I think that countries having specific rules for their websites being logged in the archive, as well as having companies wanting to control the information saved is worrying in terms of corporatization of the internet. While I feel as though it is almost a direct function of Capitalism, I still think the internet should not be controlled specifically by any one company, nor should companies have influence over the archives of the entire internet. I believe that the efforts of people such as Kahle and the other archivists will prove to be important as countries and companies impose more restrictions on the internet in the future. I also think that there should be some effort to have more organization to the archive, to make it even more accessible to the public through ease of use.
The article Data Feminism / Collect, Analyze, Imagine, Teach by Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren Klein discusses the role of discrimination and abuse of power in data. Data in its modern standing is used as a power construct for people in power to take advantage of, allowing for the obstruction of data, and ability to create data from favorable measurables to attain specific results. Additionally, since the data is being collected by people in power, minorities and the situations of minority groups are usually not considered when collecting data, making the data unfairly slated to favor the group that created the set. The role of people in power affirming their role through data brings a necessity for modern data science to be challenged through creating data sets that critique established data sets, in addition to minority groups using data to be able to share their own voice, using the oppression and inequality as a basis for their systems.
Sharing as Survival: Mindy Seu on the Cyberfeminism Index by Mindy Seu and Marie Hoejlund detailed the creation and the use of the Cyberfeminism Index, a website which amasses many other cyberfeminism websites, sources, references, and projects. I think that the Cyberfeminism Index plays an important role in internet history, providing a central hub for users to trace the origins of Cyberfeminism, and see how the movement evolved and expanded over time. Accessibility to knowledge about the Cyberfeminism movement is central to the website, and I believe that presenting the information in such an open format enables more people than ever to discover real people and real points of view, that a user can immerse themselves within, one entry at a time. I also believe the navigation of the site plays into the strengths of the movement, as for users, it is truly up to them how they would like to approach their engagement with the topic, making the entry level for readers widely accessible.
The Adventures of an Avatar and Her Real Girl by Helen Gregory, details the works of Skawennati and her use of a digital avatar to discuss prevalent social issues. I believe the relationship between Skawennati and the avatar named xox to be a unique way to discuss and bring attention to social issues such as the future of Indigenous people, as the avatar is able to act as an example for Indigenous people, as a glimpse into what could be in the future. I believe that the work of Skawennati is also a call to action for other Indigenous people to begin thinking about their place in society in the future, and to change current public perceptions so that the imagined future is closer within reach. I also believe the concept of the avatar within social activism for minorities is an interesting topic, as groups of people can begin to make more connections with each other online through the use of avatars, and possibly have more safe spaces for expression and a way to be around others whom they identify with.
The article, Glitching the Master’s House: Legacy Russell and Momtaza Mehri in Conversation, discusses the relationship between minority groups and the internet, with the main focus being the current place of feminism on the internet. I think that the unwelcomeness that is displayed to women on the internet is part of a larger, systematic issue that has to do with men, mostly white men, believing that everything is made for them. Women online have strength in numbers, and are able to have safe spaces to connect with each other; however, the goal of glitch feminism is not to exist within the predominantly white, male space, it is instead attempting to restructure the landscape to where white men do not feel entitled to their space on the intent. I also found the sections where the authors discuss the role of Black culture on the intent, as I find that in my experience too, a lot of internet culture, terms, and trends, are based on the effort of Black people, but are taken and used by the vast majority of people. Much like in real life, the current model of the internet places constraints on minority groups, in a space where personal exploration and connection should be more fluid.
Alt Text as Poetry is an interesting angle to web accessibility for people who are visually impaired. I think the way the project attempts to paint pictures through poetry for people who are unable to see images on the web is an attentive way to make the web a more inviting place, especially if people have reservations about their ability to use it. I think that the two leads behind the project being impaired too is a way for impaired people to feel more welcomed to the project, as well as feel more welcomed to the web, as they gain the knowledge that there are people in similar situations who are willing to help. I also believe that the workshop on their website is an engaging way for people to learn more about their message, and also an active way for people to participate and gain experience with the topic.
The article The Hidden Life of an Amazon User by Joana Moll discusses the information that Amazon hides from users while using their website, most of which includes information detailing the users activity. The invasive levels of tracking that Amazon uses in order to make the most profit off of consumers is somewhat predatory, as many users do not have the knowledge that all their actions are being tracked and used against them, in addition to the system itself taking advantage of the users interests to consistently promote items they are more likely to purchase. I believe there should be stricter regulations on the amount of information companies are allow to collect from users online, to not only protect the user’s privacy, but to prevent companies from becoming too comfortable being predatory in their business practices.
The Internet’s Back-to-the-Land Movement by Becca Abbe discusses the impending limits on resources that humans must face in the near future. Throughout the course of the article, Abbe portrays many efforts to stop or at least slow the use of earth's limited resources, such as the many communes that appeared in America, who wanted to live off the grid in order to consume as little resources as possible in a self-sufficient society. However, the world in which we live always catches up, and the communes slowly began to disband, setting a precedent for the fate of the internet, as it too would soon be taken over by consumerism, and a desire for monetization. I also thought that the comparison of the cloud and the use of resources was interesting, as with the continual amassing of data online, there always had to be a physical place where that data is stored, and as time passes, more and more data will take up more and more space and resources.
I found Run Your Own Social by Darius Kazemi to present an interesting alternative to social media for a close group of friends. Oftentimes, people will use messaging apps to keep in touch, and while some apps do give the ability for individual owners of servers to change rules and the structure of the site, I believe that the alternative that Kazemi proposed would give the people interacting with the site much more of a say, along with the creators having greater control of each and every aspect of the site. I believe that it is important for people to have spaces on the internet where they are able to feel both accepted and comfortable, and I think that creating sites that promote finding friends and like-minded people ensures that there are options for people to find one another. Especially for minority groups, or people with niche interests, I think personalized websites designed for people to interact can allow people to find a common ground that may be too difficult to come by offline.
The article The Coup We Are Not Talking About raises some interesting points about the connection between Capitalism and data, and how dangerous unregulated surveillance of data could be within a system with authoritative intentions. I agree with many of the points brought up within the article, especially surrounding the regulations on data, as I believe that the government should not be able to encroach on the freedoms provided by the internet. The internet is a space that is able to unite people from all over the world, a unique property that gives the public power through connection; however, the freedoms of the internet can also lead to some radicalization of specific groups, and allow for the spreading of misinformation. These two sides of the same coin are difficult to monitor without the government attempting to place increasing amounts of surveillance on users, as the safest option for the government would be to suppress most freedoms to avoid any dangerous activities. An area of the internet that I do believe should be more scrutinized is the capital propagated surveillance, as the monetary incentives for stealing information allow for lobbying, making the users information at the decision of a biased government. While I think preventative measures should be put in place to stop the government and companies from taking advantage of users further, it is also difficult to prevent due to the companies having most of the influence to further push their goals.