About the book
An argument that the material arrangements of information—how it is represented and interpreted—matter significantly for our experience of information and information systems.
Virtual entities that populate our digital experience, like e-books, virtual worlds, and online stores, are backed by the large-scale physical infrastructures of server farms, fiber optic cables, power plants, and microwave links. But another domain of material constraints also shapes digital living: the digital representations sketched on whiteboards, encoded into software, stored in databases, loaded into computer memory, and transmitted on networks. These digital representations encode aspects of our everyday world and make them available for digital processing. The limits and capacities of those representations carry significant consequences for digital society.
In The Stuff of Bits, Paul Dourish examines the specific materialities that certain digital objects exhibit. He presents four case studies: emulation, the creation of a “virtual” computer inside another; digital spreadsheets and their role in organizational practice; relational databases and the issue of “the databaseable”; and the evolution of digital networking and the representational entailments of network protocols. These case studies demonstrate how a materialist account can offer an entry point to broader concerns—questions of power, policy, and polity in the realm of the digital.
Editions of The Stuff of Bits
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780262036207
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262546522
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262340113
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262340120
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262340137
Read an Excerpt
An argument that the material arrangements of information—how it is represented and interpreted—matter significantly for our experience of information and information systems.
Virtual entities that populate our digital experience, like e-books, virtual worlds, and online stores, are backed by the large-scale physical infrastructures of server farms, fiber optic cables, power plants, and microwave links. But another domain of material constraints also shapes digital living: the digital representations sketched on whiteboards, encoded into software, stored in databases, loaded into computer memory, and transmitted on networks. These digital representations encode aspects of our everyday world and make them available for digital processing. The limits and capacities of those representations carry significant consequences for digital society.
In The Stuff of Bits, Paul Dourish examines the specific materialities that certain digital objects exhibit. He presents four case studies: emulation, the creation of a “virtual” computer inside another; digital spreadsheets and their role in organizational practice; relational databases and the issue of “the databaseable”; and the evolution of digital networking and the representational entailments of network protocols. These case studies demonstrate how a materialist account can offer an entry point to broader concerns—questions of power, policy, and polity in the realm of the digital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Stuff of Bits about?
An argument that the material arrangements of information—how it is represented and interpreted—matter significantly for our experience of information and information systems.
Virtual entities that populate our digital experience, like e-books, virtual worlds, and online stores, are backed by the large-scale physical infrastructures of server farms, fiber optic cables, power plants, and microwave links. But another domain of material constraints also shapes digital living: the digital representations sketched on whiteboards, encoded into software, stored in databases, loaded into computer memory, and transmitted on networks. These digital representations encode aspects of our everyday world and make them available for digital processing. The limits and capacities of those representations carry significant consequences for digital society.
In The Stuff of Bits, Paul Dourish examines the specific materialities that certain digital objects exhibit. He presents four case studies: emulation, the creation of a “virtual” computer inside another; digital spreadsheets and their role in organizational practice; relational databases and the issue of “the databaseable”; and the evolution of digital networking and the representational entailments of network protocols. These case studies demonstrate how a materialist account can offer an entry point to broader concerns—questions of power, policy, and polity in the realm of the digital.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Stuff of Bits?
Computing and Information Technology > Computer science > Human–computer interaction
Where can I read a sample of The Stuff of Bits?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262036207
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Stuff of Bits?
Paul Dourish
Who is the Publisher of the book The Stuff of Bits?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Stuff of Bits is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780262036207) and paperback(ISBN 9780262546522) and ebook(ISBN 9780262340113) and ebook(ISBN 9780262340120) and ebook(ISBN 9780262340137)
Where can I buy The Stuff of Bits online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Stuff of Bits from below
Where can I buy The Stuff of Bits?