Topic 1i, week 2, Ideal Interactivity

I am not sure whether we will ever be able to answer if there is an 'ideal interactivity', this being because everyone individually has there own view on what they think is ideal interaction. For example Meikle gave four forms of interactivity; transmissional, registrational, consultational and conversation. Registrational could be seen as the ideal as it is 'surveillance that may allow producers to influence user behaviour in future' however on the other hand whenever personal details are given out the opportunity is there for them to be used on another database sometimes for commercial value. This is a scary thing for me, every time i write something on the Internet i wonder where it is being used, who has seen it; once it is up on the screen it can be cut and pasted anywhere and your details can remain in the virtual world 'forever'. Although this is a bad thing for me sometimes it can be seen as ideal because some like to have their information shown to build up a profile of themselves, perhaps so they are part of the commercial side and things can be sold to them. Therefore already just from 'one form' of Meikle's interactivity there are examples of the ‘ideal interactivity’ for some, but not for others. I think it will be a long time before, if ever, the ‘ideal interactivity’ for every user is found.

Meikle, G. (2002) Future Active, chapter 2.