Week 2

Hey all,
For those following this we are now in the second week of class. Our next assignment is to define what new media is in our own words, using varous "new media" sources. I will post my definition later today.

P.S. GO GIANTS!

This is the first assignment which was discussed in class earlier today. Here is my thesis of New Media:

The use of new media today is vast. The implementation of old media is perhaps the best way to describe this trend. Basically new media is the marriage of mediated communications technologies with digital computers. New Media is the use of old media in a new setting.[1] The term is in relation to “old” media forms, such as print newspapers and magazines that are static representations of text and graphics.[2] This new setting is largely the internet and other wirelessly enabled mobile devices. One of the more important aspects of new media is that it requires participation, some say that we now find ourselves immersed in a new culture, that of participation. [3]
Although the involvement of users is a key element of new media and its various forms, the developer or programmer who actually coded the software or hardware for that matter is ultimately just as important as the end user. The views of new media as a cyber-culture are for the most incorrect, although the view of new media is certainly subjective. Lev Manovich explains that the concept of new media is computer technology used as a distribution platform, as well as digital data controlled by software. Finally new media is the mix between existing Cultural conventions and the conventions of software.[4] Although the latter deductions are rather dated, Manovich was able to describe the notion of new media. Since technology moves forward exponentially, it is somewhat foreseeable which way new media will go on a corporate level. What is much more important however is the human factor which creates new types of new media on a regular basis.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media
[2] http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/N/new_media.html
[3] http://www.conversationagent.com/2007/11/what-is-new-med.html
[4] http://www.manovich.net/new_media_images.html

Please feel free to leave comments! Thank you.