mappingCYBERSPACE

what isCYBERSPACE?

1. A virtual space created by global computer networks

2. Made up of binary figures

3. Exists in various forms

4. Volatile

5. A portal of human communication

consensual hallucination

GIBSON, W. (1984)“

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properties ofCYBERSPACE

1.Consists of many domains

2.They are constantly changing

3.No physicality

is it possible to map something

that isn’t tangible?

ASYNCHRONOUS:PARTICIPANTS COMMUNICATE IN VARIOUS TIME

EMAIL

SYNCHRONOUS:PARTICIPANTS COMMUNICATE AT THE SAME TIME

CHAT ROOMS

to be in the virtual world is to

have an intrinsically geographic

experience, as virtual worlds are

experienced fundamentally as

places

TAYLOR, J. (1997)

The emerging geographies of virtual worlds. The Geographical Review 87, 172–92

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what is a map?

classify, represent and communicate

spatial relations

continuous and arranged space

cyberspace hasno geographic referent

Ptolemy’s Ulm edition world map, 150 AD

St. Sever World Map after Beatus, 1030 AD

during the RENAISSANCE ERAemphasis was made on

the accuracy of maps with maths and geometry

does our cultural understanding of mapping

limit the way we imagine space?

cartesian gridscoordinate systems

invention of the compassperspective

issues with CYBERSPACE

spatialising immaterial information is

challenging to mapdue to it’s complexity and

mutability

maps require the areas they represent to becontinuous and arranged

cyberspace is

DISCONTINUOUS

current attempts atMAPPING CYBERSPACE

network topology

traffic counters

http://opte.org

cyber cartographersENCOUNTER SEVERAL CHALLENGES

1. Constructing dynamic maps of cyber spatiality when some spaces don’t have

explicit spatial relationships

2. There are no agreed upon conventions to how each area within cyberspace is

expressed.

3. Cyberspace is not limited to three dimensions

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