Reading

Reading is a problematic term in general, if you want to go there, but I am more interesting in looking at how it applies in terms of the web. We "read" these pages, although at times there are little or no words around, and we're hit with graphics, sounds and all other kinds of multimedia bells and whistles. And then we come back to this "page" metaphor. Now, I don't know about you, but looking at a computer screen takes all ideas of pages and screws them up. This box of text you're reading as we speak has as much in common with a page in a book as the display on your TV. So, when we "read" on line it's already a complicated idea, and it only gets worse as you have more choices and actions allowed to you. Non-linearity, interactivity, that's what they call it, whoever they are. So, you are encouraged to make more active choices as you look at a web page, so I click here, or there, where do I want to go, what do I want to do, oh for the days when I just picked up a book and read from start to end if I so desired. Well, read on my friends, read on.