Choices in Creating "TWUMOO's Interactive Virtual Archives"
In translating TWUMOO's archives from a synchronic medium to one that is not, I have had to make some choices along the way that I hope renders them familiar, engaging, and playful and which retains as much of their original flavor as possible.
I should say at the outset that demonstrating the virtual qualities of TWUMOO's archives for this webtext was not difficult mainly because "virtuality" is a characteristic indicative of both TWUMOO and the web---though, I should add, levels of "virtualness" become obvious when looking at a room created for a text-based MOO with a graphically rich browser like Netscape. In the same vein, interactivity can be a component of both media with this one caveat: Lost will be the real-time interaction between *visitors* of the archives. Retained can be the interaction between *a visitor and a space (and its objects).*
To learn about some of the choices I made when designing this webtext, click on any of the hyperlinks below. A *linear* downloadable text is available by clicking here.
Spaces to Represent 
Objects
to Demonstrate 
Synchronic
MOO Archives 
Language Usage
Coding
I end this note with an excuse and an apology. All acts of communication are acts of translation, and all acts of translation are acts of betrayal of the original texts. Therefore, I, the betrayer of these media, apologize for any liberties I may have taken in my translation. But, you see, I believe William Weaver is right when he claims that "there are no perfect solutions. You simply do your best" (Biguenet and Schulte 119). This webtext about TWUMOO's interactive, virtual archives is the best I can do under these circumstances, with what I know about computer resources, and with the tools I have to work with right now. Mea culpa.
For a general idea about Translation Theory, which underlies most of my work about textual analysis, visitors are encouraged to pick up a copy of my notes on this subject in the Learning Resource Center, or they are welcome to contact me directly about my ideas.
