My final project for the class focuses on the interaction of humans and computer in The Bug and Agrippa. Both of these works are centered on the historic timeframe in which personal computing was first introduced. How humans adapt to this new technology from that time forward will have resonating effects in the future. I have tried to use the contents or media form of these works to analyze the effects of interaction with digital information.

The form I chose to present this project in is a graphical PowerPoint presentation. I organized the text in a way that it simulates working with a text based OS and a classic Macintosh II desktop (scaled up). I came to the decision to use PowerPoint after failing to create an interactive website within the deadline. I feel that putting a reading in the mindset of the characters will help give a better perspective on what the characters are going through. Both of these works are a reference to a fixed point in time. The further we drift away from that time the harder it would be for a reader to put themselves in the mindset of the time. An accurate simulation is a great tool for closing that gap. The website was going to better simulate the user interface by allowing more interaction. My short comings in regards to completion of a gui simulating webpage displeases me, however I was able to capture part of that concept by repurposing my materials and images I created into the PowerPoint slides. I will also include a .doc copy of the text just in case the slides are broken on arrival. I have sent the presentation to a friend to verify functionality and he has given me the thumbs up that all the slides are available and working.

The project makes use of two modes. The first is the digital form that it resides on. All the information is digital. It contains graphics and a few basic animations. However, the second mode is that of a traditional paper. If all the text was stripped from the slides and reassembled in word, it would look like a standard essay style paper. Using the digital mode is important to the project because it forces the reader to interact, be it mildly, with the computer interface that is discussed in the paper. The use of a traditional essay mode allows for easier communications of my ideas to the reader. If the text was organized in a disheveled manor in which the reader had to navigate many menus without instruction that could turn into a nightmare for all involved.

I do not have links to this project online as I will be turning it in via email. I wish the website had worked out so I could host it, but like Ethan’s friend, Steghman, we must meet the deadlines or suffer the consequences.

I hope the project properly expresses my ideas on these two works.