Reading Response 1: A handmade Web
In presenting the concept of the "handmade web," J. R. Carpenter reveals a clear thesis that
encapsulates a counter-cultural stance against the general corporate dynamics of the modern internet. By
underscoring the era of the mid-1990s, characterized by the flourishing of individually coded web pages, the
author paints a vivid picture of a time when the digital landscape was characterized by personal expression and
experimentation. The analogy drawn between the handmade web and natural print materials like zines evokes a
strong nostalgia for a period when the web was a more democratic, user-driven space. Carpenter supports an
ongoing commitment to creating web pages, stressing the physical labour embedded in their construction. This
dedication is portrayed as a form of resistance, an active denial of the highly commercialized, standardized,
and proprietary nature that overlooks the modern internet. The term "handmade web" becomes a symbolic call to
reclaim the personal, the experimental, and the poetic in the face of an increasingly regularized online
environment.
J. R. Carpenter's presentation of the handmade web as a form of resistance highlights a
deliberate defiance against the pervasive corporatization of the internet. The opposition lies in pushing back
against the mainstreaming trend that has subsumed the web, transforming it into a space dominated by
multinational corporations and proprietary applications. In a landscape where individual agency in online
identity ownership is decreasing, the handmade web emerges as a principled commitment. It represents a conscious
choice to resist the homogenizing forces of commercial interests and standardized technologies, empowering
individuals to reclaim control over their digital presence.
This form of resistance encapsulates a desire to preserve the personal, the experimental, and the poetic in web
creation. By advocating for the handmade web, Carpenter supports the value of individual assistance, emphasizing
the originality and creativity that each person brings to the digital realm. It becomes a perspective against
the loss of the web's original ethos, encouraging a return to a time when the online space was characterized by
diverse, user-driven content rather than being driven solely by commercial imperatives and corporate control.
The incorporation of physical gestures into virtual spaces symbolizes a transformative shift
in how users interact with the web, merging the digital and physical realms. The beginning of touchscreens on
smartphones and tablets revolutionized web interaction by introducing tactile feedback. Users can now swipe,
tap, and pinch, generating a tangible link between their physical actions and the digital content they use. This
improves the user experience and offers a more intuitive and engaging way to navigate online spaces, sparking
conspiracy about the evolution of web interaction. Also, VR's emergence moves this physical integration to new
heights. In VR experiences, users are plunged into 3D digital environments, enabling them to physically move and
interact with the content. This revolutionizes how users sense the web and instill a high sense of reality and
immersion. By intertwining physical movements with digital interactions, VR blurs the boundaries between the
physical and virtual, offering a more immersive and receptive-rich experience that beats traditional web
interaction. These advancements paint an exciting picture of the active synergy between technology and the human
body, redefining the possibilities of web engagement.