Lev Manovich's "Software Takes Command" argues that software has replaced older physical, mechanical, and electronic technologies as the primary interface for interacting with cultural artifacts, functioning as the universal language and engine of the early 21st century, analogous to electricity and the combustion engine in the early 20th century. The book provides the first theoretical and historical account of software for media authoring and its impact on media practices and concepts. It investigates the motivations behind early media software development in the 1960s and 1970s and how these software interfaces shape contemporary visual aesthetics and design.
The book explores the dissolution of traditional media categories as software simulates and extends previously media-specific tools, questioning the continued relevance of distinct mediums. Manovich supports his arguments with detailed analyses of key software like Photoshop and After Effects, web services such as Google Earth, and projects across motion graphics, interactive environments, graphic design, and architecture. "Software Takes Command" is essential for designers, media artists, and scholars focused on contemporary media.
Key concepts
- Software as a universal language — Software has become the primary means through which the world communicates and is processed.
- Software as a universal engine — Software drives contemporary global operations and interactions.
- Media authoring software — Tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, Final Cut, and After Effects are central to creating and manipulating media.
- Simulation and extension of media-specific tools — Software's ability to replicate and enhance traditional media tools challenges existing media definitions.
- Software interfaces and visual aesthetics — The design of software tools directly influences the visual style of contemporary media and design.