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Lev Manovich
SOFTWARE TAKES COMMAND
THIS VERSION: 
November 20, 2008.Please note that this version has not been proofread yet, and it is also missingillustrations.Length: 82,071 Words (including footnotes).
CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE:
Software Takes CommandbyLev Manovichis licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
ABOUT THE VERSIONS:
 One of the advantages of online distribution which I can control is that I don’t have topermanently fix the book’s contents. Like contemporary software and web services,the book can change as often as I like, with new “features” and “big fixes” addedperiodically. I plan to take advantage of these possibilities. From time to time, I willbe adding new material and making changes and corrections to the text.
 
LATEST VERSION:
Checkwww.softwarestudies.com/softbookfor the latest version of the book.
SUGGESTIONS, CORRECTIONS AND COMMENTS:
send tomanovich@ucsd.edu with the word “softbook” in the email header.
Manovich | Version 11/20/2008 |
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Introduction: Software Studies for Beginners
Software, or the Engine of Contemporary Societies
In the beginning of the 1990s, the most famous global brands were thecompanies that were in the business of producing materials goods orprocessing physical matter. Today, however, the lists of best-recognizedglobal brands are topped with the names such as Google, Yahoo, andMicrosoft. (In fact, Google was number one in the world in 2007 in termsof brand recognition.) And, at least in the U.S., the most widely readnewspapers and magazines - New York Times, USA Today, BusinessWeek, etc. - daily feature news and stories about YouTube, MySpace,Facebook, Apple, Google, and other IT companies.What about other media? If you access CNN web site and navigate to thebusiness section, you will see a market data for just ten companies andindexes displayed right on the home page.
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Although the list changesdaily, it is always likely to include some of the same IT brands. Lets takeJanuary 21, 2008 as an example. On that day CNN list consisted from thefollowing companies and indexes: Google, Apple, S&P 500 Index, NasdaqComposite Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average, Cisco Systems, GeneralElectric, General Motors, Ford, Intel.
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 This list is very telling. The companies that deal with physical goods andenergy appear in the second part of the list: General Electric, General
Manovich | Version 11/20/2008 |
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1
 http://money.cnn.com, accessed January 21, 2008.
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Ibid.
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