Rating: 
Summary: Interesting.....
Review: I'm impressed by the number of people who can "see" the way that the internet is going, and where it has come from. This book is an interesting view at the way computer interfaces dictate how we use computers. I'm trying to incorporate some of these ideas into my interface design -- biologists tend to think about their problems in a graphical context -- but translating that pictorial representation into a computer interface is difficult
Rating: 
Summary: One of the most intelligent and graceful of the cyberbooks
Review: I've read a lot of these books about cyberculture recently, and Johnson's is one of the best. Positioning itself in neither the camps of "technoboosterism" nor "neo-Luddism," the book is an insightful, informed, and gracefully written history/meditation/prophecy about the evolving nature of "interfaces" as our primary means of inhabiting information society as a culture. Two things about the book stand out for me. One is Johnson's ability to pierce to the core of the notion of "interface" by thinking at a fundamental level about the experience of using such components as "windows," "links," "desktop metaphor," etc. His discussion of these topics is aided by a very judicious, selective look at recent software examples or online paradigms (e.g., his nice discussion of the nature of link discourse on the Suck site). In general, Johnson made me think about these seemingly mundane elements of the "interface" in new, broad ways--technical, social, cultural, and artistic. Secondly, Johnson's penetrating sense of the continuities between current information society and past literary, artistic, and technological societies is a wonder to behold (I enjoyed particularly his comparison of information space to such architectures of the past as the Gothic cathedral or city, and also his excellent comparison/contrast of information space to the 19th-century "connective" novel). He never overdoes the comparisons; I see them as the ballast that accounts for the steadiness of his middle tone between "technoboosterism" and "neo-Luddism." He is not Luddite because he has a strong sense of the evolving, slowly accreting momentum of technical changes and their (sometimes surprising) social reception. (The book thus moves toward an optmistic guess about what a revised text or "meaning"-based interface might look like.) Even the best of the "neo-Luddites" by contrast--for example, Cliffo! rd Stoll's wonderfully droll and insightful Silicon Snake Oil--gives one the impression of being stuck in a little time warp: they came, they saw the limited state of the technology in 1989, or whenever, and they conquered. But on the other hand, Johnson is not boosterish either precisely because his strong sense of history discounts the inflated millennium-mongering of those who claim that every new technological development is revolutionary. A very thoughtful piece of work. I'd recommend it in particular to anyone whose background or current training (e.g., in the humanities, arts, etc.) leaves them grasping for a meaningful way to understand the interface between what they know and love in the past and what the engineers and programmers aspire to in the future.--Alan Liu
Rating:
Summary: One of the most intelligent and graceful of the cyberbooks
Review: I've read a lot of these books about cyberculture recently, and Johnson's is one of the best. Positioning itself in neither the camps of "technoboosterism" nor "neo-Luddism," the book is an insightful, informed, and gracefully written history/meditation/prophecy about the evolving nature of "interfaces" as our primary means of inhabiting information society as a culture. Two things about the book stand out for me. One is Johnson's ability to pierce to the core of the notion of "interface" by thinking at a fundamental level about the experience of using such components as "windows," "links," "desktop metaphor," etc. His discussion of these topics is aided by a very judicious, selective look at recent software examples or online paradigms (e.g., his nice discussion of the nature of link discourse on the Suck site). In general, Johnson made me think about these seemingly mundane elements of the "interface" in new, broad ways--technical, social, cultural, and artistic. Secondly, Johnson's penetrating sense of the continuities between current information society and past literary, artistic, and technological societies is a wonder to behold (I enjoyed particularly his comparison of information space to such architectures of the past as the Gothic cathedral or city, and also his excellent comparison/contrast of information space to the 19th-century "connective" novel). He never overdoes the comparisons; I see them as the ballast that accounts for the steadiness of his middle tone between "technoboosterism" and "neo-Luddism." He is not Luddite because he has a strong sense of the evolving, slowly accreting momentum of technical changes and their (sometimes surprising) social reception. (The book thus moves toward an optmistic guess about what a revised text or "meaning"-based interface might look like.) Even the best of the "neo-Luddites" by contrast--for example, Cliffo! rd Stoll's wonderfully droll and insightful Silicon Snake Oil--gives one the impression of being stuck in a little time warp: they came, they saw the limited state of the technology in 1989, or whenever, and they conquered. But on the other hand, Johnson is not boosterish either precisely because his strong sense of history discounts the inflated millennium-mongering of those who claim that every new technological development is revolutionary. A very thoughtful piece of work. I'd recommend it in particular to anyone whose background or current training (e.g., in the humanities, arts, etc.) leaves them grasping for a meaningful way to understand the interface between what they know and love in the past and what the engineers and programmers aspire to in the future. --Alan Liu
Rating: 
Summary: easy to read
Review: In his book, Steven Johnson explains how we use interfaces in our daily lives. He then moves from this to expound on user interfaces specific to digital media. His arguments for their revolutionary nature are clear and concise. He is not, however, swept away by current interfaces and he makes sure to point out the limitations which he finds in their designs. For example, he points out that GUIs are not actually graphic, but a mixture of graphics and text. The mouse and desktop metaphor of modern computer interface design are revolutionary, but the metaphor is limiting--it is time for new metaphors that would better serve users and better utilize technology such as hypertext. While I agreed, to a certain extent, with his comments on television versus hypertext and the WWW, I feel that he overemphasized a competition between them. Nevertheless, his points regarding the passive receipt of a limited amount of information inherent to watching television and the active engagement with information inherent to the WWW are clear and well-reasoned. I don't feel that he follows his own advice in his e-zine, FEED. The sheer volume of text seems to replicate the uses hard-copy magazines, and the use of hypertext becomes laborious and confusing. In light of his assessment of the uses of hypertext, and his plea for artists and programmers alike to find ways to break out of fixed or outdated metaphors to fully explore the limits of hypertext, I would like to see him break free from this himself.
Rating:
Summary: It's like, you know...
Review: In Interface Culture, Johnson has found a way to reach the rest of us when it comes to connecting the human race to the world of computer technology. Fear comes from the unknown and Johnson, through the linking of technology, culture and history, offers the newcomer to computer technology a sense of familiarity. To experienced users and developers, Johnson offers an opportunity to look more closely and meaningfully at what seems a natural part of their lives. Johnson finds ways of defining technology and interfaces in ways that are simple yet not insulting to the most proficient user. His discussion of Dickens' works as a metaphor for links was an interesting way of breaking down information overload and simplifying somewhat the concept of the World Wide Web. Yet, he pushes the reader's mind onto a higher plane of a more advanced, interconnected and intuitive web that has yet to exist. I appreciated the discussion of mainstream versus the avante garde and how they have coexisted "in an uneasy, but generative relationship." There is always that tension between what is creative and what is easy for the user and (and in most cases) sells. This reminded me of the movie industry and independent film makers who, while they are at odds on the intent of movies, find ways of using each other for their own promotion. Like Johnson demonstrates throughout the book I found a connection between the phenomenally fast paced, changing technological world and something I understood. He creates these connections for the reader throughout the book and welcomes (actually pushes) independent thought beyond those connections. Johnson's book should appeal to technology buffs and insiders, as well as newcomers. He provides a clear, intelligent message without sounding overly technical. He details the history of the desktop metaphor, its initial reception of misunderstanding and derision, its eventual triumph, and its potential or eventual disappearance off the technological landscape. He leaves the reader with his views on the possibilities for future computer technologies and his hope that he has created a measure of understanding and thought for the user and non-user. I encourage the reader to buy this book and judge on your own terms whether he achieved his purpose.
Rating:
Summary: Thinking about Interface Design
Review: In Interface Culture, Johnson takes us on a whirlwind tour of his thoughts on the integration of technology and culture. The result is a compendium of thoughts that provide fodder for thinking about interface design. He focuses on the following broad topics: Bitmapping (the use of graphics), Windows, Links, Text and Agents. He closes with a look at some of the challenges and choices facing interface designers in the next decade. Like others, Johnson believes we have just scratched the surface of interface design. We found a metaphor in the desktop (and a darn good metaphor its been for us), but have done little to move on from there. He suggests several possible reasons for the lack of focus or progress in interface design: (1) interface design has, until recently, been the exclusive domain of engineers and programmers-so the orientation for interface design has naturally been one of efficiency and consistency. (2) We don't have a language to talk about interface design. Until we do, it will lack credibility as an area of focus. (3) Those closest to the technology at it's introduction historically have the narrowest view of the possible uses of that technology. We are just now gaining some breadth in our thinking about the uses of the computer for individuals and groups ... this will obviously influence our thinking about interfaces and how we will interact with the computer. Interface Culture provides a few obvious truths, many though provoking questions and perspectives, and supports it all with examples from a wide range of disciplines.
Rating:
Summary: review of steven johnson's interface culture-by nataliemann
Review: In Interface Culture, Steven Johnson brilliantly brings together technology and the arts to create a work that shows how both effect and reflect on one another. He uses references of Gothic Cathedrals and Leonardo Da Vinci to tout that the role of the interface designer is similar to that of a more traditional artist. Johnson¹s dismantling of the superficially erected barrier between art and technology is quite successful. His book is filled with references to the fine arts and popular culture. He does this by carefully portraying how technology has been used and/or depicted in literature, film and other forms of visual art. By tying together different cultural periods in his analysis of technology, he reveals that the technical types are not always nerds that are solely concerned with cracking computer codes or developing websites. Using the modernist notion of the avant-garde, Johnson calls for the interface designers to step away from the old and into the new. He makes reference to the influence of the camera on modern art. Since the camera depicted reality as it was, there was no longer a reason for art to perform the role of documentation. This appears to be the same rationale that Johnson uses to challenge the role of the interface metaphors on today¹s personal computer. While Johnson does acknowledge that some of the user- friendliness that today¹s interface has to offer will dissipate as it takes on a more artistically and philosophically aesthetic approach, he fails to acknowledge (until the very last sentence of the conclusion) that our own perception of what is and is not user-friendly will change as the years go on. As we have seen in other forms of art, tastes and ways of looking at visual surfaces change and fluctuate as time goes on. What isn¹t user friendly today will be user friendly tomorrow. After reading Interface Culture and listening to Johnson¹s plea for interface designers to become more artistic, non-traditional and innovative in their designs, I was rather disappointed in his ezine, ³Feed.² ³Feed² hardly represents anything more than another ³fancy² website. It doesn¹t reflect his own vision of technology becoming more than just another user-friendly tool. His cyber-mag appeared to be nothing more than just another ezine full of hyperlinks to transport you too and from various articles pertaining to today¹s cultural climate. This seems hypocritical for someone who seeks to revolutionize the face of the interface, but it does go along with his attempt to synthesize technology and art. His ezine combines articles on culture, art, and society and places them in the realm of cyberspace. I would highly recommend Johnson¹s Interface Culture. His attempt to transform the way in which art and technology are viewed is successful. This book is interesting for both the computer nerd and humanities nerd. There is something that both of these types of people can get out of it. Johnson¹s book is one way of looking at ways to challenge the paradigms and dichotomization of the arts and technological sciences.
Rating:
Summary: Looking behind the metaphors
Review: In Interface Culture, Steven Johnson, opens our eyes to the way in which our interfaces have led us to where we are in the information age. From Gutenberg's printing press to the Victorian Novel to Apple's Desktop, Johnson tracks the path from introduction to enculturation of technology and innovation. He makes us think about how we react to the interfaces we are presented with and their strengths and weaknesses. It was fascinating to read about the driving factors and the choices made in selecting the desktop as the metaphor for our current computer interface and how that interface is now a limiting factor. Equally fascinating was his discussion of how hypertext could forever alter how we read and write, both in terms of form and content and how we are falling short of the mark in achieving this transformation. In both instances, Johnson cites examples of the successes and failures of the technology that is helpful in gaining an understanding of how we get caught within the confines of our metaphors. He also mixes in a number of things-to-come discussions comparing the benefits and potential pitfalls of the new "features" that is both exciting and fearsome. Chapter Six "Agents" was an incredible journey into the world of computers as assistants. Drawing attention to the debate over moral and ethical issues surrounding programs that act independently of direct human control. This was a very insightful book, and one that I would recommend to anyone trying to gain an understanding of how seemingly mundane design choices can have a significant impact on our lives. Johnson presents these subjects to the reader in a well-balanced format that presents many viewpoints.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: In my opinion, it is sufficient for a book of nonfiction to have one good new idea, as long as it is explained well. _Only the Paranoid Survive_ is a good example: one idea, explained thoroughly, many examples to illustrate, a theory behind. Grove shoots, he scores. _Interface Culture_ has many good new ideas. For example, Johnson claims that just as the novel is a great medium for exploring psychological depth, user interface is a great medium for exploring spatial depth. It is no accident that Quake is about a dangerous but oddly beautiful world. This idea could have been its own one idea book. Steven Johnson could have presented his work as 12 or 20 books instead of one. There is plenty of material here. In the hands of a lesser writer, _Interface Culture_ would have failed to explain any of the ideas well. Too much too quick. Fortunately for us, Johnson is a masterful writer, condensing ideas with rich allusions to contemporary life. He makes it work in 242 pages, but expect to be mentally breathless at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Interface and the Transformation of Culture
Review: In Steven Johnson's text, Interface Culture, his central line of reasoning concerns interface, that point of interaction between a computer and another entity, and its immplications for humanity. As he notes, his text literally becomes a working example of his argument via a new type of criticism. Johnson believes, as I do, that the elements of interface design are comparable to past cultural works: novels, films, and television. In focusing in on the prospects for interface in the 21st century each chapter becomes a labyrinth of historical dialogue, technical clarification, and cultural similitude. Johnson notes in his chapter on links how such browsers as Netscape have ignored the "power and the promise of hyptertext" while concentrating on animation and videos. Though these browsers do direct the PC user to click on a text link, it is nothing more than that. In Johnson's own ezine, "Feed," he has augmented the text link by having it "pop up," so to speak, instead of linking directly to another site. While other critics of hypertext prose have seen them primarily as "disassociative," Johnson sees the link as a "tool" that fuses elements together. He likens the hyperlink to "stream of consciousness" texts, such as Great Expectations. Where the author, Dickens, presents links in the "torn fabric" of societies born out of the Industrial Revolution, the hyperlink, in turn, does the same for the web surfer. The links, for Johnson, become the synthesizer of data on the web. Johnson cites Vannevar Bush's ideas about "trail blazing" as a way to improve the link so that it will "respond to the users world view." Instead of having to follow others perceived connections, the web user would be able to create their own lines of communication. In other words, the PC user would be stimulating his own intellectual and artistic abilities instead of having it done for him. While Johnson states that "every major technological age attracts a certain artistic form" he believes that the "digital age" must gain an appreciation for the interfaces creative genesis and its future prospects. Within this context Johnson explores future possibilities for digital interface. He informs his reader that what will drive the interface forward will be the "development of a functional interface subculture" that will reign as the adversary to the prevailing influences. Real creativity of interface will not come from programmers but from ordinary PC users from whom will emerge the avant-garde. This has already been evidenced in the likes of such ezines as Suck and Johnson's own Feed who have been imaginative enough to explore new "trails." Johnson is correct, of course, most great inventions have come out of those who are unafraid to "blaze" new paths. Though some critics have seen his work as "over reaching" for ideas, I believe this is because they are, apparently, unable to visualize future creations for interface and modern culture, Johnson has accomplished this in my view.
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