International Document Summer School, Troms

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International Document Summer School, Tromsø,
2005 Documents and Media Convergence. Michael
Buckland, University of California,
Berkeley buckland_at_sims.berkeley.edu July 1, 2005
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Media convergence is a myth -- an influential
belief. Motives 1. Curiosity What could
media convergence mean? Can media convergence
be measured? 2. Practical difficulties in
cross-media retrieval, e.g. retrieving texts and
socio-economic statistical data on the same topic.
Maybe Convergence means increased
interoperability. Can documents become more
convergent? or less? -- How? Maybe document
divergence is a good thing! N. W. Lund, RTP-Doc
videoconference, 17 May 2005.
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Terminology There are different definitions for
document, documentation, genre, media
type, etc. Using these terms is part of the
method, not the purpose (objective). The purpose
is to understand the phenomena of interest and
their context. Terminology is subordinate to
that objective.
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Digital media types, MIME, XML, e.g. Type
Image Subtypes TIF, GIF, JPEG, etc. Converting
from one type to another is more or less
difficult.
More generally 2 or more Multimedia Image -
Picture, diagram. Sound, incl. music. - Text,
numbers. 3-Dimensional Object (Realia). -
Moving image. - Sculpture, globe,
models. Executable program. - Museum objects,
specimens. - Educational toys. Feel (Tactile)
e.g. Braille. Taste. Smell.
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Economies of scale when producing more copies of
the same product is economical. Economies of
scope when producing different products is
economical. Here convergence is
advantageous. Technology Econ. of scale Econ.
of scope Manuscript Low Low Printing High Lo
w Photography Medium Medium Digital High Hig
h
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Phenomenological aspect Documents are objects
perceived as signifying something. The status of
being a document is not inherent but attributed
(given to) an object. Meanings are always
constructed by observers.
1. Cultural codes All forms of expression depend
on some some shared understandings, language in a
broad sense. Convergence here is cultural
convergence or interpretation.
Character Status
2. Media Types Different type of expression
have evolved Texts, images, numbers, diagrams,
art
3. Physical Media Paper film analog magnetic
tape bits.
Anything perceived as a DOCUMENT (1) has
cultural (2), type (3), and physical (4) aspects.
Being digital affects directly only aspect 4.
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Descriptive metadata constitute an intermediate
infrastructure to compensate for lack of
convergence. So document convergence comes
INDIRECTLY through an infrastructure of
DOCUMENTATION (e.g. Topic list gazetteer time
period directory biographical dictionary etc.)
or comparable algorithmic infrastructure.
Suggestion Bibliographic access depended on
stable points of reference. Traditionally,
perfected for published printed books Author,
title, publisher, place and date of publication.
But these points are unstable / unclear with new
media. So new / different / more general and
stable points of reference are needed.
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Convergence means, in effect, interoperability. 1.
Cultural codes All forms of expression depend
on some some shared understandings, language in a
broad sense. Convergence here is cultural
convergence or interpretation. In general,
convergence / compatibility is necessary for
comprehension, but limited divergence for
rhetoric effect. 2. Media Types Different type
of expression have evolved Texts, images,
numbers, diagrams, art 3. Physical Media
Paper film analog magnetic tape bits.
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Genre. Specific combinations of 1, 2 3 that
are used by tradition, by social convention.
Historically and culturally situated. Rejecting
genre conventions reduces social
acceptability. 1. Cultural codes All forms of
expression depend on some some shared
understandings, language in a broad sense.
Convergence here is cultural convergence or
interpretation. 2. Media Types Different type
of expression have evolved Texts, images,
numbers, diagrams, art 3. Physical Media
Paper film analog magnetic tape bits.
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SU!


Physical Media Media Types Cultural codes
VU
LU
I thank Marc Davis, Ron Day, Niels W. Lund, and
others for helpful discussions, and the support
of the Institute for Museum Library Services.