Web as Art: Word Perhect
------> http://www.e-2.org/perhect/frame.html <------
This art piece is a mockup of Word Perfect where the user makes an old school type of Microsoft word. The normal functions that are usually implemented to make writing a piece of work down much easier. Keeping electronic copies of your work is much neater and more efficient then having it everywhere. However, the author sees the problem that using Microsoft Word, everyone must conform to how it works. The way it works. This version that he calls Microsoft Word Perhect. This piece has a variety of tricks to type out their work. Although its not a real functional program where you can actually type, it does allow you to use the options you would see in the top toolbars of word perfect (save,undo,open, etc...) but with twists of course.
The artist uses the web to display his piece of new media art because the basis of it, the program which it is mocking is a computer program. And his work needs alot of human interaction for it to work and thus putting it on a virtual estate where anyone can access it and feel the intentions of the artist must be a good thing. The internet has been one of the most influencial product in the last decade and using it to your advantage is not a bad thing at all. Also, the artists intention was to make fun of word perfect, how it conforms us to the norm and computerizes everything, leaving out the good old days of pen and paper. Well he is literally digitalizing pen and paper where for example: When trying to use the save option, it would have a pop-up telling you to either 1) Go to a local shop to photocopy or 2) Re-write it. TBC...
2 Comments:
His mock up of microsoft word is pretty cool. I would like to have one myself but i would not use it on a daily basis. I would probably just use it for fun. However, this shows how you can use the internet for something to be noticed. Most of the people in the world are on the internet every single day and by putting it on the internet makes it so much easier to put your product out in the open.
Jonathan,
This is a very good analysis of the piece - one of my favourites on the list. Well thought out entry!
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