Lev Manovich, expert in new media theory, once wrote that “new media technology acts as the most perfect realization of the utopia of an ideal society composed of unique individuals” (Manovich).  White Space aims to extend that idea to the word processor.  Over the years since its origin in the 1960s there have been innumerable features that have come and gone from word processing, many of which have been lost over time due to either non-use, user preference, or simply because of new technology.  With White Space, the user can bring them all back, or keep them all gone.  In recent years there has been a trend towards spartan, disconnected devices that allow for keys to make letters appear on a screen and nothing else, White Space will afford the user the ability to turn their own computer into such a device as well.  Through an initial setup that requires the user to select or deselect a number of features, anything from spell-check to condition-based internet connection, White Space will be fully programmable in an extremely user friendly and intuitive manner. 

Not only will users be able to essentially custom design a word processor of their own, but they will be able to save any number of these presets for use on a range of documents or projects; document specific presets and configurations will also be available for those that would rather not set up their own.  To bring this image to life, the software may appear in a variety of different manners, again depending on user preference; anything from a spare white screen with black text or white text on a black screen, to text editor formatting, to a traditional wordesque look, White Space aims to accommodate any and all users of word processors, even the notoriously stubborn George R.R. Martin.  Numerous fonts will also be available, and downloading new ones from the internet will be made as simple as possible by integrating online databases of fonts into the system’s user interface.  With the ability to redesign the way the toolbars and features work and look, White Space will be able to serve as a way to recreate word processors of the past while at the same time allowing for new user-generated creations to take hold.  In regards to internet connectivity, one of White Space’s unique features is the ability for the user to allow the program to control the computer’s online access.  For writers who wish to remain distraction-free but need to write on their computers, White Space will have the ability to restrict internet access unless certain conditions are met.  These conditions may range from needing to reach a specific word or page count to password protection (theoretically generated by someone else, a friend perhaps).  

 As Matthew Kirschenbaum explains in the opening paragraph of his upcoming work  Track Changes, a book dedicated to the word processor, there are already a number of word processors on the market, however I believe that White Space’s elegant design and ability to cater to both casual and deep users will make it popular among a very wide range of demographics.  Not only will users be able to to have their word processor look and act the way they want it to, but White Space will play nicely with other existing software including cloud-based systems.  This means that anyone who currently uses Pages, for example, will be able to easily convert all of their documents into  White Space documents, and anyone who has White Space as their default word processor will be able to automatically open any document sent to them, no matter the format.  In this way White Space is universal in both user interface and in the realm of document sharing.

If an ad campaign for white space were to be launched it would revolve around the overall simplicity of the software while at the same time conveying to consumers the wide range of customizable features.  The title at the top of the first page would be more or less what the add consisted of, with the right side a black background with white text.  The letters themselves, however, would be made up of interconnecting designs and formatting icons, speaking to the underlaying complexity of the program.  Other ads might also feature the two-tone layout, however rather than the patterns existing within the letters, the white half would be filled with black designs and symbols around the text while the black side simply displayed the white text, or vice versa.  The initial word, “w  i t e” also allows for intentional misinterpretation in that it may be read as both “white”, speaking towards the programs default layout and overall simplicity, or “write” an equally descriptive word. On this note, great efforts would be made to have a strong online presence in both ads and in google searches.  I understand the risk involved with having a name that may be easily misread, and therefore searches for “white space”, “write space”, and “wite spce” would lead to the website. Thinking past the initial launch, the program would be kept in order as bugs are discovered via online patches and updates.  A user help line, or online chatroom connecting users with those who understand the software deeply would allow for streamlined and efficient trouble-shooting.  Lastly, in addition to these updates, new suites of features or crafty user-generated preset combinations would become available as they came to the surface. 

At the same time the PC, Mac, and Linux versions of the program go live, there will be an accompanying app on both iOS and Android dubbed White Space Mobile.  Download codes would be included for any who purchased the parent program, and others would be able to buy the mobile version on its own.  The app will also support the same simple programmability as the the parent version, but with features catering towards hand-held devices.  The key aspect of this mobile version will be the option to have an extremely fast start-up, putting the user directly into a new document, enabling them to get ideas down as quickly as possible, no matter the situation.  Ideally, iPhone users will be able to affix Word Space Mobile to the lock screen along side or replacing the camera function, thereby getting them into a document with one swipe without ever even entering the home screen, though if the user has a passcode on their phone they would remain locked out of the rest of their documents until they input their device’s code for safety purposes.  The app will likewise have the ability to disconnect the device entirely from the grid, blocking phone calls, alarms, text messages, or any number of other distractions one might encounter, all at the user’s discretion. 

White Space Mobile is a perfect example of the idea at the core of what White Space does: it facilitates writing in as many ways as possible.  By removing any friction a normal word processor might create during the writing process the product allows the user to focus on creating alone.  This principle is reflected in the design of both products, as each of them aim to get as many words on the page as possible in a shortest, most natural amount of time.

Though White Space would undoubtedly be an online download, available via a website, there would naturally be physical and environmental impacts of its creation.  As Jussi Parikka writes in his article entitled “The Geology of Media”, it is a “fallacy that media is increasingly immaterial, wireless, and smoothly clouded by data services” and in regard to this need for sustainability-focused software products, any discs, packaging, or transportation of materials would have an inherent effect on the environment.  In balancing this impact, White Space would be developed using as much renewable energy as possible, and any internal waste created would be disposed of in an environmentally sound way.  When searching for a company to mass produce physical copies, (if needed) I would endeavor to find the most earth-friendly and ethical company possible. 

In summation, White Space is simply something I have always wanted.  I myself  am easily distracted and appreciate the simplicity some word processors present, but buying a machine simply to run a word processor is extremely inconvenient as well as cost prohibitive, and many other word processors either lack features I want or have features I don’t and can’t turn off.  After asking around I know I am not the only one who is dissatisfied.  Being able to force oneself to write, regardless of the quality of the writing is always important in getting started; once the ball is rolling, writing only becomes easier, and that’s what White Space will do, make writing and sharing easier than ever.

W  r k s   C i t  d :

Hayles, Katherine. How We Think: Digital Media and Contemporary Technogenesis. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2012. Print.

Manovich, Lev. The Language of New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2001. Print.

Parikka, Jussi. “The Geology of Media.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Sept. 2014.

As students progress in the education system, they are faced with complicated, lengthy texts that they often have trouble comprehending. Students find themselves reading these complex academic texts and realize that, without knowing it, they have sped through four pages and did not absorb any of the information. As digital technologies have started to overtake print, our attention spans have shrunk and become “a limiting, scarce resource” (Hayles 16). Everyday we read and write in short-form through digital technologies, like texting, tweeting, etc. We no longer have the attentiveness to read and comprehend extensive texts (Kirschenbaum 6). Because of this, I am proposing an application that connects to e-readers to reduce distraction and encourage focus and comprehension while reading, called the Comprehension Coach. When opening an academic text on the Comprehension Coach, all that can be seen is the first chapter. In order to see the next chapter, the reader must “unlock” it by answering critical questions about the content of the first chapter. The application will be accessible through students and teachers. This way, the teachers can compose the questions and guide them toward the information or topics most relevant to what they are teaching in class. The questions would be answered in short sentences and would be gaged correct or incorrect by if they include key phrases originally input by the teacher. If a student answers incorrectly, a summary of the chapter, also inputted by the teacher, will pop up. The student must verbatim type this summary to unlock the next chapter. In order for students to be sure they have the questions that correlate to their teacher, there would be a drop down menu on the homepage that have them put in the name of their school and then gives them a list of teachers.

Much of this application is built upon the current technologies of gaming and Quizlet. In video games and smartphone game applications, the next level is not accessible until you get through the current level. Why should reading be different than this? If a student cannot get through to the next chapter without finishing the current chapter, this forces them to fully focus their attention so that they can completely understand the content of what they are reading. Although it is common for authors to have critical thinking questions at the end of a book or text and for teachers to hold class discussions, these questions and discussions always come after the completion of reading. These questions and discussions would be much more beneficial if students had something of the like while actually working on the reading. Having questions at the end of a chapter not only focuses the student, but further engages them in the reading. The Comprehension Coach is also built upon Quizlet in how it gages whether an answer is correct or incorrect. In the “learn” function on Quizlet, students type the answer that they think is correct and if they get part of the definition, or a key phrase, correct, Quizlet highlights that phrase. If they get it wrong, the website has them type the definition word for word before they can move on. This heavily inspired the logistics of how to unlock the next chapter.

The Comprehension Coach would be useful for students and teacher starting in elementary school, however it would be extremely useful for university students and professors. In this day and age, university students have many other time commitments besides their classes and often try to equally focus their attention on all of them. This application would compel them to comprehend and concentrate on what they are actually meant to be reading, rather than allowing them to skim through it. It would also let professors guide the reading in the direction most suitable for what they are teaching.

While this application could be beneficial to all students, it would be particularly beneficial to students with attention problems, whether this means an actual learning disability or just someone who gets distracted easily. Because our society has become so technical, the products of our society need to recognize the way this changes human cognition and makes us less attentive (Hayles 86).The application has the text and questions in one place so that there is no need to turn from the text, creating distractions. Because it makes you think about what you are reading while you are actually reading the text, rather than completely after the fact, you are more likely to absorb the material.

Logistically, the Comprehension Coach would connect to e-readers through an email account. The application would be downloaded on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop and you would need to create an account through an email address. The e-reader would have a login section that makes the application directly accessible. In order for this to work, either Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Apple would have to be willing to collaborate to use the application on either the Kindle, Nook, or iBooks. Then, a technician from one of those companies will embed two versions of the application into the e-reader: one for educators and one for students. The one for educators will allow them to simply upload questions and key terms for each chapter while the one for students will just allow them to answer the questions.

This product would be marketed towards students, teachers, parents, schools, and any other institute of learning or education. Since the point of this application is to promote attentiveness and it does this through “locking” chapters of a text, I have come up with the slogan of “unlock your attention”.

Advertisements will be placed on websites catered towards students, like Sparknotes, Schmoop, and Gradesaver. Students gravitate toward these websites when they do not understand what their reading, but with the Comprehension Coach they will not need these websites.

Works Cited

Hayles, Katherine. How We Think: Digital Media and Contemporary Technogenesis. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2012. Print.

Kirschenbaum, Matthew. Track Changes, A Literary History of Word Processing. N.p.: Harvard                       UP, 2014. Print.

Learning disabilities affect many students in the United States – 5% of the students enrolled in public schools have been officially diagnosed with at least one LD while many more go undiagnosed. There is a certain amount of stigma attached to this label with many individuals mistakenly linking learning disabilities to a lack of intellect or a manifestation of autism (NCLD). In reality, students with LD’s are of normal or above-average intelligence, they simply have trouble receiving, processing and storing information that other people do naturally. While some schools, mostly private and charter, attempt to address these disabilities by varying the teaching methods in the classroom, public schools make little effort in mitigating the struggle that these students face. Standards and test-based pedagogy dominates the public system, leaving little room for alternative methods including visual and oral teaching. In order to assist this under-represented demographic, and to make reading more fun, I’d like to propose a new web and app-based tool to improve youth literacy. Cartoonclopedia would bring together illustrators, artists and cartoonists from around the world in order to build a database of drawings for as many words in the English language as possible.

When a student encounters a word they don’t understand while reading, they’re expected to go look it up in a dictionary. In our current era of ubiquitous tech use, it’s much more likely that the student will look up the word online. If you Google a word with the term “define” in front of it, the first search result is a definition. Furthermore, resources such as Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com offer free definitions for anyone seeking them. Unfortunately, these sites require a revenue stream of some sort, so students get advertised to in exchange for finding a definition for a word. Additionally, both dictionaries and online databases rarely offer context for the definition. Occasionally the definition is followed by a sentence with the word in it, but at least in my experience, I’ve found that the sentences have obscure references and would certainly be difficult for a younger student to understand. Visual learning is a vital tool in children’s pedagogy; children’s books, computer games and instructional toys all illustrate the importance of a visual aspect in apprehending basic reading and writing skills. Even Vannevar Bush states that the human mind “operates by association,” and by offering an image for students to refer to when thinking of a word, we’d create a link to make comprehension easier. Few of these tools for improving a child’s literacy are free, so this restricts their usage to children of middle and upper-class families. Hence, students with LD’s tend to be from lower-income families. This is due to the fact that it is possible to substantially mitigate the effects of LD’s with instruction, but this requires equally substantial time and financial resources from the parents or school. What is missing in this market for instructional tools is a free resource to be used both at home and in school that would help all students with different learning types understand new terminology: Cartoonclopedia.

Cartoonclopedia would be a prime example of what can be achieved through crowd-sourcing in our constantly more connected and globalized world. The Oxford dictionary has about 170,000 words in it and it is generally assumed that our language uses about 250,000 words, so this would have to be a globally collaborative project. I’d aim to begin the project with an educational grant of some sort, whether it be from the government or a foundation which would allow the project to pay the first illustrators to contribute substantial amounts of drawings to the database. The framework for the website and mobile app would be relatively simple and cheap to construct, it wouldn’t need complicated user interfaces nor functionality. In the long run, it’d be ideal to have user accounts so that instructors and students alike could build their own lists of words. Teachers could compile a list of illustrations for the words they thought were the most challenging or recurring in a text which then students would look over before and while reading. Students could save the words that gave them the most trouble in order to return to them later and consign them to memory. In the short run, however, simple access to the database would be more than substantial. We would conduct studies including both surveys to teachers about what terminology their students found most challenging as well as usage of scholarly tools to identify the most commonly used words in school texts to base the beginnings of our database from.

One of the most exciting aspects of Cartoonclopedia is that, since it’s a global collaboration, the illustrations will be from artists with all different types of cultural backgrounds. The project won’t attempt to standardize the type of illustration, we’ll only check to make sure the content is both appropriate and intelligible to younger students. This will result in the proliferation of many different cultural values and traditions: the New Yorker-style illustration about what the word “chore” means might be contrasted with a South American or Indian illustrator’s interpretation of the word “work.” The individuals portrayed in the cartoons will often wear the garb of their own country and reflect their own traditions, as the illustrator won’t necessarily be American at all. In a world where many cultures are being forced to collide at a rapid pace, this would aid the new generation’s understanding and acceptance of the diverse population around them. It will help guarantee that cultural “knowledge evolves and endures throughout the life of a race rather than that of an individual,” (Bush). Cartoonclopedia would both help students with disabilities have a visual resource to understand what they’re reading, as well as give all students a break from reading to look at something fun (and often funny) while still instructive.

While some picture dictionaries do exist, they’re not widely used, and Cartoonclopedia would work to bring the resource to any individual’s fingertips. The concept behind an illustrated word bank is reflective design, where we see vocabulary, “as alterable rather than immutable.”(Kraus) The images we associate with certain words come from our surroundings: social and media inputs. Cartoonclopedia seeks to furnish students (and all users) with a range of worldly perspectives about what words mean, allowing them more breadth of understanding. Let’s learn and laugh together!

Works Cited:

“What Are Learning Disabilities? | Learning Difficulties.” National Center for Learning Disabilities. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Bush, Vannevar. “As We May Think.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 01 July 1945. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.

Kraus, Kari. 2013. Bibliocircuitry and the Design of the Alien Everyday (2013), The New Everyday, Textual Cultures.