Protocol: How Control Exists after Decentralization
- ISBN-10
- 0262572338
- ISBN-13
- 9780262572330
- Series
- Protocol
- Category
- Computers
- Pages
- 288
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2006-02-17
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Author
- Alexander R. Galloway
Description
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.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
Family History Digital Libraries
By William Sims BainbridgeOne named Sara and Timberlake had 11 male workers, 1 female worker, and 4 children workers, so it might have employed the Minor family.
-
Foundation Dreamweaver MX
By Craig Grannell, Jerome Turner, Matt StephensSo here's what we need to do to arrive at our layout: s Create the main table to hold all the page elements. s Deal with the navigation area which is ...
-
Cisco CCNA Certification, 2 Volume Set: Exam 200-301
By Todd LammleThis inclusive, two-book set provides what you need to know to succeed on the new CCNA exam. The set includes Understanding Cisco Networking Technologies: Volume 1 and the CCNA Certification Study Guide: Volume 2.
-
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-006
By Todd Lammle... you can use: –a –A –c –n –r –R –S –s All nbtstat switches are case sensitive. Generally speaking, lowercase switches deal with NetBIOS names of hosts, ...
-
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide with Online Labs: N10-007 Exam
By Todd Lammle, Jon Buhagiar... you can use: –a –A –c –n –r –R –S –s All nbtstat switches are case sensitive. Generally speaking, lowercase switches deal with NetBIOS names of hosts, ...
-
CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate FastPass
By Todd LammleS The S reference point defines the point between the customer router and an ... with the letter E deal with using ISDN on the existing telephone network.
-
Stranger in the Chat Room
By Todd Hafer, Jedd HaferA sequel to In the Chat Room With God finds a group of teens contacted by a mysterious and increasingly malevolent character who claims to know about their encounters with the Almighty and challenges their beliefs. Original.
-
Error Correction Coding: Mathematical Methods and Algorithms
By Todd K. MoonM M−1∑ k=0 −∞ ∞ k=0 The average energy per signal E s ∫ can be related to the ... we will deal primarily with additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), ...
-
Security+ Training Guide
By Todd King... to deal with most , but unfortunately not all , of these potential threats . ... The S / MIME standard implements encryption for message content using ...
-
CCDA: Cisco Certified Design Associate Study Guide: Exam 640-861
By Todd Lammle, Andy BarklS reference point The S reference point defines the reference point between ... with the letter E deal with using ISDN on the existing telephone network.