Obviously, we've discussed print and its evolution in almost every class this semester, so it piqued my interest.
This advertisement is for a company called ISSUU which provides designers and authors a digital platform in which to publish all kinds of works - magazines, catalogs, brochures, ads, and newspapers. According to the company, over 20,000 publications are uploaded to its site daily:
"Once published on ISSUU, publications become instantly available to active readers in every corner of the globe who use our site and mobile apps to discover and engage in whatever interests them."
This concept somehow reminds me of the Roman system of distributing information and of Cicero's Web. As we read in Standage's Writing on the Wall, thousands of years ago, like-minded people interested in similar subjects used their tabellari to keep each other updated on important current events. This eventually evolved into their acta, a people-led newspaper of sorts. Today, we know that in a sense, print is "dying" and newspapers are on the outs. ISSUU provides people the ability to not only read various types of publications, but it also creates a type of social network where people of similar interests can read and share what others have written.
ISSUU is by no means the first or only site to offer these features to the masses. Scribd, Calameo, and Zynne are just a few other examples of web-based publishing platforms anyone can use to bring their publications to people all over the world. These electronic publishers are yet another sign of changing times. Print methods of old may be falling to the wayside, but society's basic need to stay connected and share information will never cease.
Great post, and your final point is quite valid. The need to stay connected--and to be informed--has been and will remain constant.
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand why this ad caught your eye. It is something so relatable to our class and I think you did a great job in explaining it. I had no idea something like ISSUU existed and I like their idea of looking at it. In a world where the number of printed books are dwindling, and peoples love for the physical book doing the same, I like how it reassures you that print is not dead. It is just better for the environment this way. I think your connection between Cicero’s Web and iSSUU is accurate. I think a lot of print takes on the same system as the romans once used. Many of the concepts we have today are the result of concepts of the past. And it will only continue that way as we move into the digital age.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your last comment. However, platforms like ISSUU concern me because it seems like anyone can publish anything on it. I may be reading about it wrong but with everything going digital it seems like it's going to be easier for anyone to publish anything they want. While this can happen with paper publishing as well I feel like it's a little harder to do. When everything goes digital I'm worried that we're going to lose great authors and works in the choas of everyone publishing whatever they want, without any oversight.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting discovery. It's yet another example of how the publishing world is adapting. Rather than publications like books and newspapers dying out, they simply adapt to the new online world. They've come up with a way for people to have more of a voice and contribute more to what is being published. They've found a way for this kind of publication to be easily shared among people across the world. This fits in with everything that has changed in this Internet-focused time. Everything adapts to be more shareable and personalized. Your last point is very valid. Regardless of the fact that methods are changing, people will always desire to share information, and there will always be a new way to do it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting discovery. It's yet another example of how the publishing world is adapting. Rather than publications like books and newspapers dying out, they simply adapt to the new online world. They've come up with a way for people to have more of a voice and contribute more to what is being published. They've found a way for this kind of publication to be easily shared among people across the world. This fits in with everything that has changed in this Internet-focused time. Everything adapts to be more shareable and personalized. Your last point is very valid. Regardless of the fact that methods are changing, people will always desire to share information, and there will always be a new way to do it.
ReplyDelete