"Ancient Images & New Technologies: The Semiotics of the Web" response

The article, “Ancient Images & New Technologies: The Semiotics of the Web” focuses on how semiotics has affected the World Wide Web.  It digs through the history of semiotics i.e. to medieval Renaissance and shows us how even back then semiotics and signs were used as a type of communication and expression.

There are three types of signs: symbols, icons, and indexes.  The Internet uses all three and cannot survive with only one type.  Icons thrive through indexes, etc. For example, the hotlinks and hyperlinks on web pages are indexes (the highlighting/ underlining/ changing colors of the links gives direction to viewers.)  Images on web pages are symbolic signs and the icons are mixture of both the symbols and indexes because they are basically clickable images that lead you to another index.

Computers are successful because of its universal language: the usage of binary notation (numbers) and then alphanumeric character, followed by the digitations of pictures.  It defects the common language barrier because all languages use numbers and images can be interpreted despite being illiterate.  Images are also way easier to memorize than words.  It would actually be a very good idea to invest in picture encyclopedias!