Interactivity is among the most simplest terms to define when it comes to new media and technology. We can take the word interactivity and break it down: interact and interactive. Both words mean the same thing. One or more parties interacting or manipulating a certain object, technology or even a conversation. When it comes to new media, however Manovich provides a methodological approach to this concept. Not only giving us his definition of how interactivity relates to new media but exactly how It relates to technology. ” Interactivity: the ability of the user to manipulate and affect her experience of media directly. Communicate with others through media.” Manovich and his point is that media/technology can not work without someone or something manipulating it in a physical way.
Interactivity, is something that plays a huge role not only in life but new media as well. Not all things are interactive- you may be able to flip the pages of a book or scroll down on a webpage, but that does not manipulate or change the experience first hand. It becomes interactive when you are able to change text or images in such a way that it effects it as a whole. New media becomes interactive when someone is able to change the text, images or even coding system making it something entirely different. In a way, I am changing this very website by interacting with it. I am writing words on the page, adding texts and manipulating in the words that fit just right. This process no longer becomes interactive once it is a posted ( in a way). Solely because once this is posted, no one is able to manipulated, change, or fix what is written. It can possibly become interactive again, if someone decides to change what is on the post.
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