1.
Writing in clay forced me to have to deal with several issues. Before the writing even took place I had to knead the clay, which took time and energy. Once the clay was flat enough I had to figure out what writing utensil would be most suitable for the clay. After trying a few different options I decided my best bet would be to use a pen cap. The problem with the pen cap was that it was too thick to use space efficiently. Due to this issue, I could not complete the transcription. I also had an issue getting rid of writing errors. Since the clay does not erase as paper does, I had to get rid of mistakes by smudging my finger into the mistake until the clay surface was flat again.
Typing on computers has its challenges as well. Certain programs make corrections that are not desired. Sometimes programs do not make corrections that are needed. In this way, the process of typing is not made any easier by a computer because there is a constant need for one to proofread for the computer’s faults. Another thing about typing on computers is that one must always be mindful to save their work. We all have had instances when we had to redo work (that usually did not come out as good), simply because the computer crashed before we could save anything.
2.
The technology heavily determines what sort of content will be yielded. The computer makes jotting ideas a quick process and allows one to erase (or backspace) more easily than on paper. Therefore–at least in my use of computers–I get more work done in a shorter period of time and it looks neat and well organized. Certain mediums are better for some content than others. For example, in my case, I would rather write a poem that utilizes a funky form than type it. Having to space, space, shift, and shift to get a poem how I want it to look on a computer would be too tedious. It would be way easier to simply do this by hand, in my opinion.
3.
Technology never stops evolving, so the idea of being able to make such a poem on a computer is not that far fetched. Writing on a computer screen with a stylus is one way right off the bat that could make computers just as easy to use as pen and paper. A common example today of how technology has met communication needs is the creation of e-mail. In order to communicate urgent things in a timely fashion, e-mail was created. Now we do not have to worry about a message taking a few days to reach a recipient, it reaches in a matter of seconds.
4.
The technology one uses to read can effect how the content is read. For example, with a book, one would need to read in a well-lit environment or have a light of some sort with them. Such a challenge with lighting would not be as much of an issue if one is reading on a computer since the screen emits light already. Therefore, using a computer, one could read at night in a dark room. For someone who is vision-impaired or blind, reading from a traditional book would be difficult or impossible, however certain electronics have the reading capability to read the text to the visually-impaired person.