# Automatype

> creative work by Daniel C. Howe

**Wikidata**: [Q132198802](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132198802)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/automatype

## Summary

Automatype is a software application. It operates within the genres of generative literature and digital poetry.

## Summary
Automatype is a work of generative literature and digital poetry created by Daniel C. Howe. Published in 2012, the project functions as a software application and video game built using the RiTa natural language processing toolkit. It is accessible via a web-based format.

## Key Facts
- **Author:** Daniel C. Howe
- **Publication Date:** 2012
- **Genres:** Generative literature, Digital poetry
- **Instance Type:** Creative work, Exhibit, Application, Video game
- **Software Engine:** RiTa (software toolkit for processing English language)
- **Distribution Format:** Web page
- **Language:** English
- **Identifiers:** ELMCIP ID 4001

## FAQs
### Q: What kind of software is Automatype?
A: Automatype is a creative application classified as both generative literature and a video game. It utilizes software to generate textual output, falling under the umbrella of digital poetry.

### Q: Who created Automatype and when was it released?
A: The work was authored by Daniel C. Howe and was published in 2012.

### Q: What technology powers Automatype?
A: The project is built using RiTa, a software toolkit designed for processing the English language.

## Why It Matters
Automatype serves as a significant example of the intersection between computational technology and literary arts. By classifying simultaneously as a "video game," "application," and "generative literature," it challenges traditional boundaries between interactive media and static text. The work demonstrates the utility of the RiTa toolkit—a specific software library for natural language processing—within a creative context, highlighting how algorithmic approaches can be used to craft poetic experiences.

As an exhibit and web-based application, Automatype contributes to the field of Electronic Literature by utilizing code to manipulate the English language in real-time. Its presence in academic databases (indicated by its ELMCIP ID) underscores its relevance as a subject of study regarding digital poetics and generative storytelling. The project illustrates how web technologies can function as a platform for distributing complex literary artifacts that evolve beyond the printed page.

## Notable For
- Being a hybrid entity that functions as both a **video game** and a work of **literature**.
- Serving as a practical implementation and showcase of the **RiTa** software toolkit for natural language processing.
- Existing as a piece of **generative literature**, creating content through algorithmic means rather than fixed text.
- Being accessible as a **web-based application**, ensuring broad distribution.
- Classification as a **digital poem** within the realm of electronic literature.

## Body
### Creation and Classification
Automatype is a creative work authored by the artist and researcher Daniel C. Howe. It was officially published in 2012. The work holds a unique classification structure, identified simultaneously as a creative work, a software application, a digital exhibit, and a video game. This multi-modal classification places the work at the convergence of interactive gaming and literary art.

### Technical Implementation
The underlying architecture of Automatype relies on RiTa, a software toolkit specifically designed for processing the English language. RiTa provides the generative capabilities required for the work's function as a piece of generative literature. The system is designed to operate in the English language.

### Access and Distribution
The work is distributed via a web page format, classifying it as a web-based application or net.art. It does not require physical media or specialized hardware beyond a standard web browser. The project is indexed within the ELMCIP (Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice) knowledge base, holding the ID 4001, which serves as a reference for its academic and artistic standing.

### Genre and Style
Automatype is categorized under the genres of generative literature and digital poetry. These definitions imply that the output of the work is produced, at least in part, by a set of rules or an algorithm (the RiTa engine) rather than being statically written by the author beforehand. This allows for a dynamic experience where the text may change or evolve during the user's interaction with the application.