Manovich’s Variability
Manovich portrays in one of his five principles of new media that variability is “a new media object it is not something fixed once and for all, but something that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions” To better explain the idea of variability, he compares old media to new media. Unlike old media, new media does not change structure and content together.
He interprets that you can take a piece and control it in a way from the original type that it differs by using other values to change the effect of the original, an example of variability would be how photos can be resized using zoom in and zoom out.
My understanding of something that contains variability is how the different versions of Microsoft Word that was first created in 1983 Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems now has evolved into more complex versions as it progressed and changed the effect of original and currently latest version is Microsoft Office 2012.
I agree with Manovich principle of Variability. Things that can be prearranged in distinctive format and structures, delivering the user with different outcomes.
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February 21st, 2012 at 4:38 pm
This is interesting, Akash. the example you use though (MS Word) is one of the evolution of computer software over time. If I’m reading Manovich correctly, variability refers to the potential for simultaneous existence of a new media object (like a word document, image, computer program, etc.) in potentially limitless varied forms. Take computer code for example: many different, or “forked” versions of code for software can exist simultaneously on a service like GitHub. A digital photograph you upload to, say, Facebook, changes again when you download it or save it to your desktop. It can also be resized in an infinite number of ways. What other examples might you give us to mull over?
February 26th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I thought that variability was an interesting principle. The way Manovich connected variability to modularity was helpful in explaining some of how capabilities of Computers, TV and Satellite Radio are integrated with each other. I see positives and negatives. Positive is the technological ability of programs like Google maps, embedding audio, video and website links to individual papers, and realistic effects of computer games, animated images, etc. Negative is the ease of distraction associated with variability. Example: Baruchmail’s e-mails are so embedded with associated links and documents that I get sidetracked from the information gathering, knowledge process.