technical difficulties

One of the major arguments against doing a digital dissertation, or generally dissertations in other media formats, is the issue of access. What do we do when the technology moves on and this current “new” media becomes old, outdated media? becomes perhaps even inaccessible media? Right now I am battling a bit of this issue as I try to locate a TK3 reader so I can view Virginia Kuhn’s digital dissertation (one of the first to ever be done). But as TK3 was a forerunner to Sophie, and as the progress has moved specifically to Sophie, I cannot seem to find a current, active download for this program. Sophie, yes. TK3, no.

The issue is not about my particular frustrations, though they are also involved, but rather the legitimacy of the argument of access. But I think the situation is one that perpetuates itself. These fears drive part of the resistance to other media dissertations. But the lack of widespread access to certain media platforms, the lack of a mandatory TK3 download as an option on every University Library’s homepage, is partly because these things are not generally considered acceptable. As long as print remains, books will be available. But because these other media creations aren’t prolific, maintaining access to the software isn’t prolific, which only sustains/supports this argument of access. It is quite a cycle, and in the meantime I have to figure a “work around” to find/locate/install a TK3 reader.

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http://www.clemson.edu/~hodgson