This is a photo of my very tiny, very messy desk at home, taken last weekend, just hours after my computer keyboard and trackpad decided to pack in permanently.
It wasn’t a major problem – I already had a bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and I was able to get an appointment to get the computer fixed this week. But I included this image because this slight interruption in the way that I work felt unsettling. The computer not working as I expected it to affected the way that I would normally study, and it affected (well, delayed) what I had planned to do over the weekend.
One of the themes of EDC is battling the supposed binary of technological instrumentalism and technological determinism, of proving that it’s all a little more complex and nuanced than that. This was, for me, a reminder (and a pretty annoying one) that my conceptualisations of how technology might be used and practised is not always followed through in my enactment of it.</P
Helen, I empathise! For most of the duration of this course, I’ve battled with a very slow and erratic broadband connection and this has impacted on how I work and what I produce (and I too am trying to avoid conveying a sense of technological determinism). In some ways, being ‘slowed’ has proven to be a positive: I can’t quickly move between streams and sources, so I have to focus. However, on the other hand, it’s simply a complete pain. Looking forward to getting back to fibre in a few weeks.
Your lifestream’s looking great by the way. Best of luck with the final assignment.