Ian Bogost Books

A single line of code offers a way to understand the cultural context of computing. This book takes a single line of code—the extremely concise BASIC program for the Commodore 64 inscribed in the title—and uses it as a lens through which to consider the phenomenon of creative computing and the way computer programs exist in culture. The authors of this collaboratively written book treat code not as merely functional but as a text—in the case of 10 PRINT, a text that appeared in many different printed sources—that yields a story about its making, its purpose, its assumptions, and more. They consider randomness and regularity in computing and art, the maze in culture, the popular BASIC programming language, and the highly influential Commodore 64 computer.

A critical approach that marries literary theory and information technology, reading digital and cultural artifacts--whether videogames, literature, or film--as configurative systems of interlocking units of meaning.

This exploration delves into how videogames construct arguments and express statements about the world, highlighting their unique persuasive power through their computational properties. As both expressive and persuasive mediums, videogames illustrate real and imagined systems, inviting players to engage and form judgments. Ian Bogost's innovative analysis draws on a 2,500-year history of rhetoric to examine its role in software and videogames. While media studies typically focus on visual rhetoric, Bogost introduces "procedural rhetoric," a new form tied to the rule-based representations and interactions inherent in videogames. He argues that this procedurality grants videogames a distinctive persuasive power that surpasses other computational forms. Videogames not only reinforce existing social and cultural positions but also have the potential to disrupt and transform them, fostering significant long-term social change. Bogost investigates three areas where videogame persuasion has emerged, demonstrating its impact on politics, advertising, and learning. Through this lens, the analysis reveals how videogames can influence perceptions and drive meaningful dialogue in society.