Janet Murray characterizes digital environments using several properties in her article Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace. These electronic spaces act as infinite expanses for free expression due to their interactive and immersive qualities. As a computer scientist, many of Murray’s examples sounded familiar to innovations in deep learning and language processing about which I have heard. Examples of unconventional, electronic works that Murray and Dr. Sample have showcased are often feats of cutting-edge computer science.
The ELIZA program, in particular, interested me because it bridged the gap between computers and humans and integrates computers as functional “members” of society. Similarly, the IBM Watson computer can interpret human questions and search for answers online in record time. I saw IBM Watson play Jeopardy, and I was astonished by how quickly the computer could listen to Alex Trebek and translate his voice into something understandable to a computer. In an internship I had last summer, a mentor of mine discussed a natural language processing algorithm that “read” a doctor’s note and inserted that information into a database. This is impressive considering how notoriously sloppy doctors’ handwriting is. These examples of language processing are critical advancements in the digital world and unlock a whole new way in which we interact with games, literary works, and business projects.
Today’s electronic literature reminds me a lot of modern abstract art. There are no rules or conventions with abstract art; there are experiments and unlimited styles. The user/viewer’s interpretations or decisions are incredibly valuable in the meaning of the work, like with the Zork game or choose your own adventure novels. With the rise of technology and the wide variety of current digital environments, it begs the question if there any boundaries or limitations to digitized spaces. Murray argues that digital narrative holds “new beauty and new truths about ourselves and the world,” so as long as we continue to push the boundaries of English, computer science, and digital studies, our digital world will have unlimited potential.