A Web Reply to the Post-Web Generation

Critical Writing
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Year: 
2019
Journal volume and issue: 
2018-08-26
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Abstract (in English): 

At the recent ELO conference in Montréal Leonardo Flores introduced the concept of “3rd Generation” electronic literature. I was at another session during his influential talk, but I heard about the concept from him beforehand and have read about it on Twitter (a 3rd generation context, I believe) and Flores’s blog (more of a 2nd generation context, I believe). One of the aspects of this concept is that the third generation of e-lit writers makes use of existing platforms (Twitter APIs, for instance) rather than developing their own interfaces. Blogging is a bit different from hand-rolled HTML, but one administers one’s own blog. When Flores & I spoke, I realized that I have what seems like a very similar idea of how to divide electronic literature work today. Not exactly the same, I’m sure, but pretty easily defined and I think with a strong correspondence to this three-generation concept. I describe it like this: * Pre-Web * Web * Post-Web (Source: Post Position)

Platforms referenced:

Title Developers Year initiated
HyperCard 1987
Storyspace 1987

Databases/Archives referenced:

Titlesort descending Organization responsible
The Interactive Fiction Archive
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Record posted by: 
Scott Rettberg