ABSTRACT
Some have turned to new technology as a possible savior for the ills faced by contemporary art. Certainly, technological innovations in computers and digitization have revolutionized many areas of our lives. Industrial development has taught us that things will continually get better, smaller, faster — whether we need them to or not. Often, new technology seems to be created simply because it is possible. Often we
must just scratch our heads and wonder about some new technology’s usefulness until someone comes along with that “killer app” that makes us wonder how we lived without it. However, the possibility that a transformative application of the technology might be possible is not, in and of itself, a justification for confidence that technology can cure the ills afflicting artistic domains. For many years some have offered as the defense for mediocre works (both artistic and commercial) employing technology the underdeveloped state of the technology. Developers and artists say, “Just wait, when the computers or software get a little better, this will really be something.” It is hard to believe this could be the real problem, however.
