Within the domain of electronic substrate, we can consider the possibility of text as a living, organic structure, not a mere artifact. Like all other living phenomena, text can be understood for its emergent qualities, the ability to adapt and grow within the contexts from which it was conceived. Online text need not replicate printed text in order to become a legitimate medium for scholarship. Within electronic environments, a text can emerge modestly, then live on within the changing world that conceived it. A case for plastic texts This organic conception of text challenges our mythology about the sanctity of the written Word.
Cultural tradition runs deep, imposing strong and tacit influences upon our present consciousness.
A draft of an article commands very little homage compared to a fixed, permanent image of the text, even after the published article has become outdated by subsequent revelations. To illustrate this point, let me cite an example from my own workplace, a fortune-500 company that manufactures computer peripherals for large data processing environments. As part of the global trend toward online documentation, the company's technical manuals are going through the transition from hard copy to electronic form. Currently the company provides both printed and electronic versions. A recent engineering change in one of our products obsoleted some information contained in the information bulletin for another product.