About the book
How Control Exists after Decentralization
Is the Internet a vast arena of unrestricted communication and freely exchanged information or a regulated, highly structured virtual bureaucracy? In Protocol, Alexander Galloway argues that the founding principle of the Net is control, not freedom, and that the controlling power lies in the technical protocols that make network connections (and disconnections) possible. He does this by treating the computer as a textual medium that is based on a technological language, code. Code, he argues, can be subject to the same kind of cultural and literary analysis as any natural language; computer languages have their own syntax, grammar, communities, and cultures. Instead of relying on established theoretical approaches, Galloway finds a new way to write about digital media, drawing on his backgrounds in computer programming and critical theory. \"Discipline-hopping is a necessity when it comes to complicated socio-technical topics like protocol,\" he writes in the preface.
Galloway begins by examining the types of protocols that exist, including TCP/IP, DNS, and HTML. He then looks at examples of resistance and subversion—hackers, viruses, cyberfeminism, Internet art—which he views as emblematic of the larger transformations now taking place within digital culture. Written for a nontechnical audience, Protocol serves as a necessary counterpoint to the wildly utopian visions of the Net that were so widespread in earlier days.
Editions of Protocol
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780262072472
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262572330
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262303637
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262273428
Read an Excerpt
How Control Exists after Decentralization
Is the Internet a vast arena of unrestricted communication and freely exchanged information or a regulated, highly structured virtual bureaucracy? In Protocol, Alexander Galloway argues that the founding principle of the Net is control, not freedom, and that the controlling power lies in the technical protocols that make network connections (and disconnections) possible. He does this by treating the computer as a textual medium that is based on a technological language, code. Code, he argues, can be subject to the same kind of cultural and literary analysis as any natural language; computer languages have their own syntax, grammar, communities, and cultures. Instead of relying on established theoretical approaches, Galloway finds a new way to write about digital media, drawing on his backgrounds in computer programming and critical theory. \"Discipline-hopping is a necessity when it comes to complicated socio-technical topics like protocol,\" he writes in the preface.
Galloway begins by examining the types of protocols that exist, including TCP/IP, DNS, and HTML. He then looks at examples of resistance and subversion—hackers, viruses, cyberfeminism, Internet art—which he views as emblematic of the larger transformations now taking place within digital culture. Written for a nontechnical audience, Protocol serves as a necessary counterpoint to the wildly utopian visions of the Net that were so widespread in earlier days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Protocol about?
How Control Exists after Decentralization
Is the Internet a vast arena of unrestricted communication and freely exchanged information or a regulated, highly structured virtual bureaucracy? In Protocol, Alexander Galloway argues that the founding principle of the Net is control, not freedom, and that the controlling power lies in the technical protocols that make network connections (and disconnections) possible. He does this by treating the computer as a textual medium that is based on a technological language, code. Code, he argues, can be subject to the same kind of cultural and literary analysis as any natural language; computer languages have their own syntax, grammar, communities, and cultures. Instead of relying on established theoretical approaches, Galloway finds a new way to write about digital media, drawing on his backgrounds in computer programming and critical theory. \"Discipline-hopping is a necessity when it comes to complicated socio-technical topics like protocol,\" he writes in the preface.
Galloway begins by examining the types of protocols that exist, including TCP/IP, DNS, and HTML. He then looks at examples of resistance and subversion—hackers, viruses, cyberfeminism, Internet art—which he views as emblematic of the larger transformations now taking place within digital culture. Written for a nontechnical audience, Protocol serves as a necessary counterpoint to the wildly utopian visions of the Net that were so widespread in earlier days.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Protocol?
Computing and Information Technology > Digital and Information technology: general topics > Internet: general works
Where can I read a sample of Protocol?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262072472
Is Protocol part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Leonardo
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Protocol?
Alexander R. Galloway
Who is the Publisher of the book Protocol?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Protocol is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780262072472) and paperback(ISBN 9780262572330) and ebook(ISBN 9780262303637) and ebook(ISBN 9780262273428)
Where can I buy Protocol online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Protocol from below
Where can I buy Protocol?