Communicative interaction.

             Assignment 1: Explaining Communicative Interaction.

                       Temporary Notes: Kaspar de Geus

The distinction between physical and communicative interaction:
The difference as I can see it is with physical interaction you just for
example hit each other with no other meaning than hurting each other. With
communicative interaction you could also hit each other but then you try to
learn the other something. Like: "don't touch my ass".

Medium, channel and modalities:
A medium is a way by which information is past using one or more channels
from one or more modalities, but which has one message which is past on by
the different channels/modalities. Usually one channel/modality should
complement the next.
A channel is a way of encoding information to make it communicable. For
example written text is a channel, as are spoken words or music.
Modalities are the human senses. Touch, sight, taste, smell and hearing.

Symbols and symbol systems:
Symbols are markings which where made to represent something and which is
understood by one or more agents.
Symbol systems are systems that use symbols in representation of there
thoughts to other agents (e.g. when communicating). For this to be possible
they should be able to read and write (not necessarily physically) symbols
and be able to create new symbols.

The role of language:
Language is one of the most widespread forms of symbols used. It has its
own rules and symbols which should be quite clear to computers, but seems
to be impossible to implement, because humans use unspoken rules and hidden
signals in there body language which are almost impossible for computers to
grasp.

The "Shannon and Weaver" model for communication, its limitations and
modern augmentations:
The "Shannon and Weaver" model for communication can be described as
followed. Agent 1 has something in his head and he want to transmit to
Agent 2. Agent 1 encodes this information then transmits this encoded
information (some kind off noise can transform the info in transmission).
Agent 2 has a decoder that receives the info and decodes it so Agent 2 can
understand it.
For this to work we have to assume Agent 1 can encode en Agent 2 can decode
this information in a way that the information doesn't chance to much. Also
one has to consider bandwidth and noise although modern augmentations have
eliminated the problem of noise in most modern transmissions.

Information versus knowledge:
When we talk about information we are talking about the raw kind accessible
to al. When where talking about knowledge we can only speak of the
information that is in somebody's head. If we want to transfer some of our
knowledge we first have to encode it so it becomes information which others
can access and this has to be decoded again by the agent we want to
transfer it to. In this process errors are quite likely to occur. That is
why one should always try to evaluate what parts of the information has
actually reached its goal and try to re-encode the parts that didn't.
Here we can see a direct link to the need to have INTERaction with the
agent one wants to give knowledge to. And the need for any "intelligent"
symbol system to have an accurate image off what the user understands.


(Multi-media) assets, knowledge and user information:
Important assets one has with multi-media are the added values one can find
in the different media working together to more clearly get a perspective
of the subject that is being transmitted.
For more information on knowledge see above.
User information is critical in knowing if and what of the imparted
knowledge has been absorbed and what was rejected or misunderstood.

'Perfect knowledge' versus mutually shared believes:
'Perfect knowledge' is more a myth than reality in my beliefs. It would be
the better to mutually shared believes any day of the week but because of
the different perception from agent to agent it is impossible. One always
holds new knowledge to older beliefs so everyone has different perceptions
of his or her or its own truth.

Communication (and knowledge 'transfer') as a constructive process:
When communicating one is always looking to help others or help ones self
to expand the knowledge base, which is used to construct ones world view.
When looking at the world people (and all agents) do this with a predefined
world always protruding in the foreground and coloring the perception with
ideas made by previously acquired knowledge.

(Antonymous) agents, their internal state, goals and intentions:
For an agent to be antonymous it has to have goals. Without goals it would
not be inspired to do anything. The same goes for intentions. And without
an internal state it wouldn't be able to sense if the goals and intentions
would have been already for filled or still had to be done.
Among these goals and intentions there should always be stated that one
should try to better ones shelf.