#technotext

Xuan Ye 叶轩

(they/them, https://a.pureapparat.us/editions/)

In this short talk, I will introduce my self-publishing imprint *A Pure Apparatus Editions*, which releases small-run artist multiples, including but not limited to printed matters, edibles, sound & digital objects such as software, typeface, etc. *A Pure Apparatus Editions* is a channel through which I distribute some of my research creation in media poetry – a poetic practice that is made possible by digital media and technology and aesthetic possibilities that are extended through the semantic impacts of data, alphabet, code, visual, sound, etc.

A document that relates to my research is a magazine, particularly seventeen magazine which is directly geared towards teenage girls. Magazines are a place where people go to so they can see the latest style trends. This medium is great for people interested in style to get an idea of what is popular and trendy since it is a source that has many ideas of style all in one place. People do not have to look all over the internet to find what celebrities are wearing, they can just flip the page to many celebrities at different events wearing the newest trends. Magazines are also a great medium for people into fashion because magazines are easily bookmarked by folding the page or by placing a sticky note onto the page of interest. Magazines are a cheap source, not like books, so people feel more comfortable ripping pages out of the magazine if they see something they like than they would if it was an expensive book. Ripping pages out is also not an option online.

Magazines are unique because they are interactive. Within magazines there are posters specifically made to be ripped out, so teenage girls have easy access to posters of their favorite celebrities. Another way magazines are interactive is through the perfume samples that are present throughout them. The samples give the readers the means to know what the perfume smells like so they can know if it is something they want before buying it. This type of interaction is not possible with computers or other mediums, making the magazine a very special medium because it is currently the only medium that includes scents. Magazines can also be interactive by having a little box to scan to find out more information about certain topics or links that people can go to on social media. Additional forms of interaction are the quizzes provided in the magazine and the horoscopes. Some of the forms of interaction in this medium would not be possible if this medium were not paper. The perfume samples require a physical medium to be transferred and posters also need to be in a paper medium in order to be ripped out.

Magazines are a medium that is not meant to be read linearly. They are a casual source that can be read in any order that one wishes. The stories and articles within magazines are short and require no commitment to read, which makes them easier to pick up and put down and read anywhere, whereas books take a lot of time to read.

A way that Seventeen magazine calls attention to its medium is through the quizzes that it provides. Each quiz instructs the taker to circle the answer, and by telling the reader that they must mark the paper with a pen means that the magazine is drawing attention to itself as paper medium. The cover also draws attention to itself as a paper medium since covers always say “turn to page...”. Since the text calls attention to its medium, it can be considered a technotext.

I would like to analyze the modern day tablet as a technotext. In particular, I would like to analyze the online book aspect of the tablet.  Technotext is defined by Hayles as a document or text that refers to its own material qualities. I think that using a tablet to read online books is a prime example of technotext. The tablet and online reading refers to its own material qualities because the tablet basically knows that it can act as book and will even tell you. For example, if you’re using the reading app on a tablet and searching for new books to read, sometimes the tablet will display something along the lines of, “We suggest these books for you”. So, the tablet and internet know that one of its jobs is to let you read books and so it even suggests new books you should read based on its knowledge of your previous readings. The reading experience is enhanced greatly when using a tablet. Not only can you basically read any book with the touch of a finger, but you can also enhance your reading experience. For example, if you’re reading a book and want to see a summary of the chapter you just read, you can simply press the internet application and “google” it, and then go right back to reading your book. Tablets such as iPads will now even go as far as talking to the user. The tablet knows its materiality and basically comes to life, which is remarkable. You can ask the tablet any question and it can basically give you the answer. Another important element to look at regarding tablets is its actual texture. Reading a book on a tablet is far different than reading an actual paperback or hardback book. Rather than your usual white pages and black texts, it is a blue lighted screen which takes time to get used to. Going on a slight tangent, when we talked about how blue light makes it harder to fall asleep, I wonder if avid nighttime tablet readers have had sleeping troubles since making the switch from the traditional book. 

Another interesting aspect to look at is if you listen to an audio book on a tablet. This can also be a form of technotext in my opinion. If you’re listening to an online story, the narrator will come out and talk to the reader at points while reading the novel, such as after the narrator finishes a page, he or she will say “turn the page” (assuming that the reader is following along with text). This narrator is aware of its materiality and that he or she is not only reading a story, but also speaking and directing an audience. Overall, tablets have almost endless possibilities and they have changed the way many people read and analyze books. Some traditionalists may be opposed to this new form of reading as opposed to reading the book, because some may say that it might take away from how the author intended the reader to read the novel. But, it is just a movement and progression in technology that probably won’t ever look back. 

A technotext is something that comments on its own form. I think my neuroscience textbook can be categorized as a technotext because within the book, there are pages that ask readers to use alternative resources such as websites and videos for additional details. By asking readers to look at these other mediums for more detailed descriptions, the textbook is acknowledging that it does not contain all the necessary information, and that it works in conjunction with these ‘outside’ resources. These things working together gives the reader an opportunity to better comprehend the content presented within the book.

In Writing Machines, Katherine Hayles places emphasis on the materiality of the document/book rather than the content. She highlights that the material form can influence the way it can be experienced. As far as the textbook goes, the first thing I notice is the glossy feel of the pages. This appeals to the sense of touch. Personally, I am more inclined to read a book with glossy pages because it feels better on my hands than uncoated paper, thus leading to me having a better experience with the text. The next thing I notice is the towering height of the book when it is closed. This appeals to the sense of sight. At first sight, the lofty height could be intimidating for readers and cause distress before even opening the book, translating into a negative experience right off the bat.

As mentioned earlier, my textbook is dependent upon various media. Not only does it rely on websites and videos, but it is notorious for its use of images. Images are often essential in any type of science textbook, and for good reason. For most people, a visual tends to resonate more and is easier to comprehend compared to reading a paragraph. This makes sense considering our brain is great at image processing, but not so great at word processing due to the abstract nature of letters.  These additional media sources speak to the physical limitations of the textbook. Though the images are great, they are 2-D and not interactive. This is why the book suggests videos to watch along with each chapter, and recommends visiting certain websites that allow active participation with the material.

Textbooks are interesting in the aspect that they do not have to be read from beginning to end. They are divided into chapters, which are divided into sections, which are further divided into paragraphs. This means that textbooks can be read through a myriad of paths. I generally prefer to read a chapter at a time, as the first couple sections usually contain foundational concepts that are necessary for understanding the rest of the sections. However, there are times when I find it unnecessary to read an entire chapter. If I want to read an individual section within a chapter, I can do that as well. Say I did not understand a small detail in lecture, I could find that paragraph within a section and just choose to read that. Textbooks give people a lot of navigability options, which can enhance the experience of the reader because it is convenient and they are able to explore on their own terms, at their own pace.

I think television is a good example of technotext. There are many shows or programs that are aware of the fact that it is TV. News shows acknowledge the audience and speak to them as if they are there sometimes, apologizing for a delay or something obscene that appeared on screen. Some Television shows are also another example as sometimes they break the infamous “4th wall” where they speak to the viewer at home, interrupting the story or immersion that the television and the shows together were trying to create. Television also has many other attributes that fit within in Hayles’ Media Specific Analysis. The material form of television influences a much different experience than books and other texts. When it was introduced it was amazing that it was able to bring in moving pictures to your home. You could see and hear the actions taking place in your living room. Since then Television has only improved towards high definition content delivery that makes it even more immersive as everything looks so clear and real. The limits of TV however will be that it cannot put you into the action such as a new media form coming in a few years with virtual reality where the medium tricks you into thinking you are somewhere else.

    A medium that is working its way into every aspect of modern day society is the computer, which can accomplish so much for humans as they search for answers on Google, type papers, or seek entertainment separate from the physical world.  When you step back to look at a computer though, you have to ask yourself, “what is it really,” and “how are we experiencing this technological creation.”  In regards to materiality, the computer at first seems very simple in that it has a screen, a keyboard, and a mouse for selecting items on the screen.  People who have just discovered the computer can figure out these amenities and use them to do simple tasks.  Those who have been around computers for a long time or work with computers, however, know their possibilities seem endless.  There is no set way to navigate it, and one cannot experience all that it has to offer by moving in a straight line because it offers so much.  For example, type any question into a search engine such as Google, and even the most basic question such as “2+2” will yield thousands of websites not only giving you the answer but also giving you mathematical proofs and theories in every language.     In doing this it seems as though computers may have no limits, but in reality they do, especially with regard to the senses. Computers can provide for humans in a visual and audio manner, but they do not give humans much to feed the other senses.  Even with touch screen computers such as iPads and iPhones, a person can touch them, but in reality they are merely touching a glass screen, and not the ocean or animal that may be appearing on their screen at the time.  In addition, computers are very dependent upon other forms of media to serve their purpose.  When you search something on Google, Google merely looks up websites that may be useful for you, and does not fully fix your problem.  Because of this, computers are very dependent on other media sources to service to their user.  Even in typing this paper, my computer is dependent on Microsoft Word software to be able to capture my ideas.     A technotext is a media that comments on its own materiality, and a computer can be categorized as such because many of the parts are intertwined and work together to help the user have a better experience with the technology.  When I download my prelab for another class, Internet Explorer asks me how I would like to download the item and in what media I would like my download to appear. For example, would I like to open the document in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Adobe Acrobat? Similarly, my computer recently asks me if it would like to run a program that would clean any potential problems with the hard drive and security features within its makeup.  In doing this, the computer is seemingly acknowledging its own existence and taking steps to use that knowledge to create a better technology.