Traversals: the use of preservation for early electronic writing

Many pioneering works of electronic literature are now largely inaccessible because of changes in hardware, software, and platforms. The virtual disappearance of these works not only puts important electronic literary work out of reach but also signals the fragility of most works of culture in the digital age. In response, Dene Grigar and Stuart Moulthrop have been working to document and preserve electronic literature, work that has culminated in the Pathfinders project and its series of 'Traversals', video and audio recordings of demonstrations performed on historically appropriate platforms, with participation and commentary by the authors of the works.