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Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces

This overview examines the concept of constructing a flattened self in computer interfaces after the postmodern era, exploring the implications of post-postmodernism and the trends in interface design. It looks at the history of interfaces, hardware interfaces, command line interfaces, graphical user interfaces, and the rise of social spaces in communication.

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Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces

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  1. Constructing the Flattened Self: After Postmodernism in Computer Interfaces Johndan Johnson-Eilola Purdue University

  2. Overview: Constructing the Flattened Self • Postmodernism (a brief sketch) • Work (a brief history) • Post-Postmodernism (a suggestion) johnson-eilola

  3. Why “Postmodern”? • Defining “Postmodernism” • decline of master narratives • increase in fragmentation • loss of coherent, stable identity • Postmodernism & Trans-national Capitalism • Collapse of Space johnson-eilola

  4. Postmodernism Goes to Work • Jameson, Deleuze & Guattari: Art, architecture, postmodern capitalism • Drucker: Post-capitalism, flexible management • Hammer: Managing fluid, flattened communication in organizations • Reich: Symbolic-Analytic Work johnson-eilola

  5. Why “Interface”? • US Workers spend over 30% of work hours on a computer (Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University) • 118.4 million people with Internet access in US (Nielsen/NetRatings data for November 1999). • 275 million people in the world are online (Nua Survey Compiled Results) johnson-eilola

  6. Why “Flattened”? • History of interfaces moves from deep learning to surface learning • Interfaces increasingly structure work and living • Communication and work becoming fragmented and flattened johnson-eilola

  7. A Short History of Interface johnson-eilola

  8. Hardware Interfaces • Users learn/work serially, over time • Users learn/work within a face-to-face social context by working with experts johnson-eilola

  9. Command Line Interfaces • Users act serially, over time • Learning moves into computer, to some extent johnson-eilola

  10. Command Line: Linux johnson-eilola

  11. Command Line: Linux Online Help johnson-eilola

  12. Graphical User Interfaces • Users work across two dimensions, increasingly spatial • Users learn from interface itself johnson-eilola

  13. GUI Example: Dreamweaver johnson-eilola

  14. Work and Learning Trends • Witnessing a general trend away from time and toward space • Hardware interface: work located in temporal, social context • GUI interface: work located in screen space johnson-eilola

  15. Recuperating Surface:The Social • Email, Chat as First Step Toward Social • MOO and Other VR as Second Step johnson-eilola

  16. Rise of Internet Communication • Currently Unstable • Currently Two-Dimensional • Grain Size of Communication Very Small johnson-eilola

  17. Usenet News: Time and Space • Posts made serially, over time • Newest posts surface then fragment older posts johnson-eilola

  18. Usenet News: Flattening History In article <8ac7i9$e21$1@bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au>, "Christopher Smith" <drsmithy@usa.net> wrote: > > <lloydsargent@my-deja.com> wrote in message > news:8ac22d$9df$1@nnrp1.deja.com... >> In article <8aak69$5m2$1@bunyip.cc.uq.edu.au>, >> "Christopher Smith" <drsmithy@usa.net> wrote: >>> >>> "Florent Pessaud" <flop@netcourrier.com> wrote in message >>> news:8aad06$jg$1@muguet.sncf.fr... >>>> >>>> Sascha Bohnenkamp <bonito@mevis.de> a écrit dans le message : >>>> 38C8AA85.C505B5D2@mevis.de... >>>>>> No, deadlock is as serious as a heart-attack. >>>>> NO -- a deadlock between two apps in a PMT system, stops those >> two apps >>>>> from working. >>>>> A lock-up in a CMT environment stops the whole system! >>>>> That is a BIG difference, thinking of servers at last. >>>>> johnson-eilola

  19. Rise of Social Spaces • Contingently Stable (Multiple, Non-Coherent) • Multi-Dimensional (2D + Time) • Grain Size Relatively Larger (Maybe It’s Not the Issue) johnson-eilola

  20. Examples of Social Space • Distance Education • Modernist Assumptions • Replicates Classroom (good & bad) • Project ViEW: ProNoun MOO • Spatial (Online) • Fluid Space • Contingently Stable Subjectivities johnson-eilola

  21. MOO Spaces • Recursive Definition • MOO = MUD, Object Oriented • MUD = Multi-User Dimension/Dungeon • Textual/Graphical Virtual Spaces for Collaboration • Across Time • Across Space johnson-eilola

  22. ProNoun MOO • 30-50 Sections of Business/Tech Writing at Purdue • Split Location (F2F + MOO) • Contingent Coherence johnson-eilola

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  24. Constructing a Flattened Self • Computer-supported communication (can) expand opportunities • Current interfaces tend to flatten spaces, fragment histories • Re-socializing interfaces (might) construct higher-order, contingent social spaces johnson-eilola

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