Bolter- Karissa Gardella

Bolter in Chapter 2 talks about writing as technology. Bolter explains the first types of technologies that you can use to write which was the printing press, typewriter, and the Linotype machine. Technology really began developing after the letter press became known. Bolter states that, “The mechanization of writing began in the 15th century with the letter press itself, which was the first text processor” (14). Technology and writing go hand and hand. Technology has helped to enhance a persons writing in my opinion. With technology, you can find different words if you are too repetitive, or use spell check when that little red squiggly line pops up underneath a word. Bolter also informs readers that, “Writing with quill and parchment is a different skill from writing with a printing press, which in turn differs from writing with a computer” (18). This is important because in this sentence, it gives readers an idea of how far technology has come and how much technology has changed in writing. Before technology came about, people wrote on clay scribes or like mentioned earlier quill and parchment paper. Bolter also talks about the raw materials that people used to have to use to do things such as create a book. People had to use things like raw animal hides to create the bind of the books. I really liked this article because it gives an idea to how far technology has advanced within time. Everyone kind of forgets that a computer did not fall from the sky but had to be created by someone. People also forget that to create words, they had to use whatever natural resources they had around them. It is not like today where we have pens and computers everywhere.

Bolter’s View on Technology in Writing – Nicole Gross

Bolter has many good ideas about writing and writing technologies in his article. One thing that he mentioned that caught my attention right away was about the pen. “Despite its apparent immediacy, however, oral poetry is no more natural than writing, just as writing with a pen and paper is no more natural, no less technological, than writing on a computer screen” (Bolter 17).This is true in my life. I find that typing on a computer is now as technological as writing free handedly.

With the rise of technology today, writing has multiple meaning, not just writing with a pen and paper. Writing can be different genres and written in several fashions, such as through a computer. “Each technology of writing involves different materials or different ways of deploying the writing materials, and these differences are significant” (Bolter 19). This is very important, especially in the classroom. Students need to be aware of the necessary materials required for class whether it is a pen and paper for in class activities or tablets to type their assignments on.

It’s important to remember that each culture has their ownstyle of writing. People come from all around the world with different knowledge about writing, so it is important to figure out the proper tools needed to write and write with technology.

Towards the end of Bolter’s article, in Chapter 3, hypertext is mentioned. I find that hypertexts are an important part of technological writing. For example, this can help expand a readers mind and open their minds up to something new. Also, hypertexts can help develop someone’s writing with new ideas and tools. This can help you verify information that is being expressed. Even though this part of Bolter’s article is cut off, I think it is importnat to recognize it.

Lastly, Bolter explains to us about remediation in writing. He explains how “in Western Europe the shift from handwritten codex to printed book was another such refashioning, and the shift to electronic wrting is yet another” (Bolter 23). This explains how such a change takes place from shift to shift. It must have been difficult for people to adapt to each change in writing. I know that today, it takes time to get used to different keyboards because we get used to a specific one and others can have different features. For example, the keys are be spaced further or closer apart. Bolter makes great points about his view on technology in writing.