I thought this was appropriate in relation to the Cyber Security topic we discussed on Monday when talking about How We Think:
The feature that finds your flights and restaurant reservations is too much for me. What do you think?
Daily Archives: November 12, 2014
‘Track Changes’ Question
In the beginning of the chapter you talk about Henry James’ claims that he could not write without the metronome of the typewriter and also about your own experiences with the ‘big, heavy, noisy’ act of trying to write on your own typewriter.
Do you think that the medium with which a writer chooses to express their thoughts relies heavily on personal opinion or do you think that the development of seamless word processors that allow us to copy down every thought are the way forward and that one day everyone will have converted to using the same technology?
What do you think the future for voice recording software is and do you feel that it is possible to really write a novel without ever having written down any actual words?
Track Changes Questions
Modern word processors have taken all of the obstacles away from writing. In the end, does this lack of resistance take away anything from the work, or change it in any way?
Personally, I use a variety of word processors and such when I write. Right now, for example, I am writing in notepad- there are almost no distractions. When I am writing assignments like essays (especially those which have a minimum word count), I open up an online word counter and type in there (transferring to a final program to make last touch edits is a very satisfying experience- the same way fixing the font and spacing in a block of text in word is gratifying). And last year, when I wrote my college essays (which amounted to 30 different papers, though some of them were”frankensteined” from other essays) I did my initial drafts on paper. Much and perhaps most editing happened during the transcribing process. Many of my friends have similarly chaotic habits- mostly due to the abundance of choices. If this is the future of writing, is it aiding or complexifying the process?
When I have time to do assignments, I like to go to a computer that has word (rare to find since a recent upgrade of my home’s computers), but when there is no time I open up an email and type in the body and it feels the same to me. Is the insistence on a certain word processing program simply something finicky?
Track Changes Questions
On page 9 in Track Changes you say that with electronic word processing one can “always change the text today instead of tomorrow.” Why is this exclusive to electronic processing? It is unclear to me why this point is about the relationship between writing and word processing and not just a point about procrastination on a general level.
In terms of George R.R. Martin’s (among others’) unwillingness to change the way they write to newer forms, is this always to make sure the writing is in its purest form, or can the writing benefit from changing the formula and allowing access to maybe different ideas? Can maintaining the same tool cause a rut?
Are the ideas of tacit knowledge and materiality inherently linked, or is tacit knowledge more based in physicality?
‘Track Changes’ Questions
In Track Changes you reference how George R.R. Martin prefers the word-processor WordStar to more current and advanced word-processors due to WordStar’s bare interface that leaves little to no room from one to get distracted from writing. Do you think this same type of mode of thinking can be applied to other programs and software in that older versions of current software can in some senses be more efficient when it comes to the task the user wants to accomplish despite these programs being less efficient technically speaking?
Also, I was wondering who were the unresponsive authors that you reached out to in the process of doing research for your book and why did you reach out to them in particularly?
You reference tacit knowledge in Track Changes and how it applies to a writer’s workflow, specifically that of George R.R. Martin. Do you think that one needs to have a tacit knowledge of a program they use for their works in order to be successful in their profession and output of works? Furthermore, do you think that a person with tacit knowledge of a program has more creative sessions than a person who does not possess a tacit knowledge of said program? Does this mean that we should devote ourselves to understanding the ins-and-outs of every version of every software we use for are writing purposes or any processes of value to us we undertake for that matter?
Track Changes Questions
In your preface, I find it quite interesting that you point out how ‘Text” has actually evolved into a verb, along with an expansion of its noun form. Is this change empowering to text as a form of communication or deteriorating? What implications does this transformation have for the history of other manners of communication (such as speech, sound, and the moving image)?
On page 5, you discussed how the personal computer and word processing were so very everpresent by a certain point that they were essentially inescapable. Is this true for most (or even all) popular technologies and new media? Even if we are granted a choice, is avoiding new technology a viable option of living cohesively in a constantly developing world?
The process of revisions seems to be something that is continuously revised. Is there a point at which we will reach an optimal state for this process? Or will there always be more room for increased speed and convenience?