Digital literature, hypertext, hyperlinks, and electronic literature are all extreamly new terms in my vocabulary. I have never thought about literature made on the computer made for reading on the computer. This is partly because I am incredibly digitally illiterate and try to focus more on physical books that I can feel and touch. However, stepping into this digital world of literature is more fascinating than I ever thought it could be. It is experimental and fresh, taking from the past and making it into the new. As seen in the text, Electronic Literature, “We encounter electronic literature as both a reading experience and an application, an artifact that may also encompass the tool used to produce it. (page, 173)” This short quote articulates that form and media directly affect the form and content. This then affects how a person will read it and how long it stays relevant in our ever-changing world. There are also connections to be made about how media forms from the past affect the media forms we practice and consume today. The past and present are constantly in communication; in the same way, there is always a feedback loop between the arts. I am learning that it is very important to understand this when studying literature and its history. Especially, if you are doing research in media archeology, looking at artifacts and archives. This quote directly speaks to this, touching on the fact that an artifact will encompass the tool used to produce it. Therefore, writing something on a typewriter will create a different product than writing on the computer or by hand. Also, the affordability of paper will influence how long something may be or if it is lengthy or condensed. The main idea here is that it is impossible to ignore the form used to produce media. We live in a purposeful, obsolete culture where media dies. This is why digital literature will have a very short shelf life. This literature is hard to archive; software is always adapting and changing. In contrast to a book, which takes a physical form and can be preserved and kept safe from damage. Anything digital is not safe and is susceptible to deletion. This is all so fascinating, and I am so excited to be learning this, especially since we live in such a digital age, and im trying to be less digitally illiterate.