[-empyre-] What is digital writing?

[Simon Biggs <simon@littlepig.org.uk>]

Where does one start.

Digital writing is different to other writing due to what is possible to do
with computers, network systems and other digital technologies that are
either difficult or impossible to do with other media.

The two areas of writing that immediately stand out are what I have always
understood as non-linear writing and generative writing.

Non-linear writing is that form of writing where data (content/text) is
invariable but the reader's route through it flexible. Hypertext belongs to
this category of digital writing.

Generative writing is that form of writing where data is created by a
computer program (or other generative process) rather than a "writer". That
is, the author details a program or process which when invoked generates a
text that is then read. Cutups and self-writing softwares belong to this
category of digital writing.

There is of course a blurred spectrum of forms between these two extremes,
as well as other forms of digital writing, but if one was to establish a
single principle that underpins digital writing it might be concerned with
the idea of establishing an abstract "digital" or binary coding system which
in turn supports our conventional coding systems, creating another layer in
the semiotic process. Thus Saussure's diachronic approach to semiosis is
expanded to a tripartite set of relations composing the sign, with the role
of authorship/readership/generation deployed as an active ingredient. This
also allows for a reconciliation of Derrida's critique of Saussure.

Best

Simon


On 18.10.05 03:00, "empyre-request@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au"
<empyre-request@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au> wrote:

> Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 12:12:35 +1000
> From: Roman Danylak <rdanylak@it.uts.edu.au>
> Subject: Re: [-empyre-] C. S. Peirce and Code
> To: soft_skinned_space <empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
> Message-ID: <BF7945B4.70CE%rdanylak@it.uts.edu.au>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> 
> 
> 
> When people say "digital writing" how is this different to pen writing? Is
> this different to typewriter writing? Does it then make a difference  to the
> language  used if you write on an electronic word processor?
> 
> Do I compose language differently for the telephone?



Simon Biggs
simon@littlepig.org.uk
http://www.littlepig.org.uk/

Professor, Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University, UK
http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/cs/cri/adrc/research2/