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eliterature.org eliterature.org
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In the contemporary era, both print and electronic texts are deeply interpenetrated by code. Digital technologies are now so thoroughly integrated with commercial printing processes that print is more properly considered a particular output form of electronic text than an entirely separate medium. Nevertheless, electronic text remains distinct from print in that it literally cannot be accessed until it is performed by properly executed code
This statement emphasises the convergence of print and digital media, as both are influenced by code, but also highlights a fundamental difference: electronic texts depend on the execution of code for access and perception. Whereas print is a static outcome of digital processes, e-literature requires a dynamic interaction where the text only fully exists when the technology is activated. This emphasises the performative nature of digital texts and their dependence on code for meaning and accessibility, which distinguishes them from traditional print.
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The Electronic Literature Organization, whose mission is to "promote the writing, publishing, and reading of literature in electronic media," convened a committee headed by Noah Wardrip-Fruin, himself a creator and critic of electronic literature, to come up with a definition appropriate to this new field. The committee's choice was framed to include both work performed in digital media and work created on a computer but published in print (as, for example, was Brian Kim Stefans's computer-generated poem "Stops and Rebels"). The committee's formulation: "work with an important literary aspect that takes advantage of the capabilities and contexts provided by the stand-alone or networked computer."
The committee's definition of electronic literature highlights the unique intersection of traditional literary forms and digital technologies, recognizing that the medium can significantly determine a work's meaning and reception. By including both digital and computer-generated works, the definition expands the scope of what literature in the digital age can include. This formulation embraces the potential of interactivity, multimedia, and networked environments, extending literary possibilities beyond the static text. It emphasizes that the digital context is not just a medium, but a fundamental component of literary creation.
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