View source for The Virtual and The Virtuous

Thanks to Internet the existent "electronic" material is increased. The web is certainly an innovation of great importance, a devastating step forward in  humanity progress history, but this technological device  has been subject of many critics since, according to a position which, once, we would have defined "apocalyptic”, this would bring us towards Gutenberg Galaxy’s end.



With Internet is evident that we have the same support thanks to which the writing is convayned and is geared, but this continues to exist, both as a possible interface of the entire traditional history of literature, as well as, in a consistent way, in new innovative forms : blogs, chat, forums, e-mail, websites and personal profiles are the living proof.



The meeting between digital and world of literature gave life to a completely new scene, characterized by a series of new possibilities, but at the same time, by paradoxes and  not few questions too.



The affirmation of two distinct, but still connected to each other, phenomena, was interesting: first we assisted to the redefinition of the relationship between centers and outskirts, second an alternative literature was born, which gives not few problems to the traditional book industry.



Certainly it is impossible to think about the web not thinking about also at the market, because there are many contaminations and influences .



The advent of the web has led that several movements in favor of the free movement of knowledge and ideas outbreaks , shouting "No copyright", using the expedient of the costruction of a free of charge culture.



How can we ever combine instances of these radical movements with the copyright? And in an event like this, by what tools we can protect  the "intellectual property" and how it is possible to divide the individual benefits?



Besides, in a society in which the data tell us that the consumption mediate is sensitively reduced, the questions are: what is the future of printing? This will remain a residual of the past? Or, instead, we will see a live redefinition?



These questions are still open. They should serve to bethink, in a scenario in which the digital dimension has a weight and it is increasingly relevant, to understand the avaiable opportunities that are open  in this diverse and this multiform present in order to better understand all the aspects of a reality that is constantly evolving.