[Air-l] Re: a question

Michael Zimmer mtz206 at nyu.edu
Wed Feb 11 12:31:17 PST 2004


If you haven't already, you might want to consider the arguments made 
by Bolter & Grusin in "Remediation" that all new media technologies 
refashion prior media forms.


On Feb 11, 2004, at 3:12 PM, Jonas Heide Smith wrote:

Jesper,

> Who was the first to say that the computer can simulate all former
kinds
> of media?

I believe the honour goes to Alan Kay ("Personal Dynamic Media", 1977):

"...the ability to simulate the details of any descriptive model means
that the computer, viewed as a
medium itself, can be all other media if the embedding and viewing
methods are sufficiently well provided. Moreover, this new “metamedium”
is active..."

But you could - I think - call the statement an extension of Alan
Turing's description of the computer as a machine which could simulate
(or be, if you like) all other machines.

Best,
Jonas



-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-admin at aoir.org [mailto:air-l-admin at aoir.org] On Behalf Of
jespert
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 3:50 PM
To: air-l at aoir.org
Subject: [Air-l] a question


Dear list,

Who was the first to say that the computer can simulate all former kinds

of media?

Best Regards
Jesper

-- 
Jesper Tække - MA. Ph.D.-Student - IT University of Copenhagen - Dept.
of Digital Aesthetics & Communication -  Glentevej 67 - DK-2400 NV
Copenhagen NW - Phone +45 3816 8888 - Direct +45 3816 8881 - Fax +45
3816 8899 - http://home16.inet.tele.dk/jesper_t/  - e-mail:
jespert at it-c.dk



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-------------------------------------
Michael T. Zimmer
PhD Student, Media Ecology
Department of Culture and Communication
New York University




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