Aarseth's Concept Of Cybertext

The notion of cybertext concentrates on the integration of the text, and the medium of the text plays a pivotal role. Also the participation of the reader is an important constituent of cybertext. Unlike the reader of classical text the reader of cybertext needs more effort on his part in order to understand the idea that is being conveyed. This phenomenon the author calls ergodic, using a term appropriated from physics that derives from the Greek words ergon and hodos, meaning "work" and "path" thus "ergodic" meaning "reader has to work to form a path". In ergodic literature, nontrivial effort is required to allow the reader to navigate the text. [you should use quotes when borrowing another author's language] Author also classifies the classic text as non-ergodic which does not require much effort form the reader but just movement of the eyes and turning of pages. This is one of the major factors that differentiate non-linear text from linear one.

Cybertext creates an array of expressions. The strategic incorporation of cybertext keeps the reader interested and curious all the time because of the different forms it can take and be dynamic. [true] A Reader is almost always unsatisfied and is curious about the outcome that did not come up because of his selection and his choice of path. Cybertext creates an imaginary world around the reader. Reader can take any path and depending on where he chose to go he encounters a different result at every stage and every step of the way. Aarseth differentiates between linear and non-linear text by using a very elaborate example: "Like a passenger on a train, he can study and interpret the shifting landscape, he may rest his eyes wherever he pleases, even release the emergency brake and step off, but he is not free to move the tracks in a different direction."

Even though cybertext, it can be argued, is not narrative text but they retain some features of it. [awkward sentence, clouds what you are saying] It can be better explained by taking an example of a "fork" path where the reader comes to a juncture where he has a choice to make as to which path to take as all paths go to different destinations compared to single path which is twisting and turning and on the way carries different adventures but there can only be one end. [a labyrinth is another model EA uses]

Cybertext, as surprising as it might sound, does exist in form of bounded material e.g. books. Practice of cybertext goes as back in history as the existence of linear text. Examples from history include wall inscriptions of the temples in ancient Egypt where the text was written in a two and three dimension way rather than typical one dimension, it's existence in antiquity in the Chinese text of oracular wisdom, Guillaume Apollinaire's "calligrammes" from early in this century and according to Aarseth "The words of these poems are spread out in several directions to form a picture on the page, with no clear sequence in which to be read..." etc. With the invention of digital computing a whole new dimension came into existence with plenty of space for exploration. The new textual technology is way more powerful, expressive and flexible than the preceding media.

Rapid growth in technology has given birth to many new theories about the new text media and how it is different from the old text media. It leads to claims that the "new digital media enables readers to become authors." & "...reader is allowed to create his or her own "story" by "interacting" with "the computer."" This might be somewhat true but it definitely does not give the complete picture. It depends from author to author and the kind of media that is used to portray the thoughts of the creator. Author [Aarseth?] suggests that it is of no good to consider the advances as something that is not part of literature and should these revolutions be included in literature or