# Lines of Force

> creative work by Nick Montfort

**Wikidata**: [Q132204911](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132204911)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lines-of-force

## Summary
**Lines of Force** is a work of electronic literature created by Nick Montfort and published in 2019. It is classified as a creative work, software application, and web page that is distributed as printed matter. The work was constructed using multiple programming languages, including Python and GNU Bash.

## Key Facts
- **Author:** Nick Montfort
- **Publication Year:** 2019
- **Genre:** Electronic Literature
- **Instance of:** Creative work, Application, Web page
- **Distribution Format:** Printed matter
- **Programming Languages:** Python, GNU Bash, and additional specified codebases (Q2005, Q42478, Q161053)
- **ELMCIP ID:** 14555

## FAQs
### Q: What type of work is Lines of Force?
A: Lines of Force is a creative work classified as electronic literature. It functions as a software application and web page but is notably distributed as printed matter.

### Q: Who created Lines of Force and when was it released?
A: The work was authored by Nick Montfort and was published in 2019.

### Q: What technologies were used to create Lines of Force?
A: The work was developed using the Python and GNU Bash programming languages.

## Why It Matters
Lines of Force represents a convergence of computational practice and literary expression, characteristic of the electronic literature genre. By classifying the entity simultaneously as a web page, a software application, and "printed matter," the work highlights the evolving nature of textual distribution in the digital age. It serves as an example of how code—specifically general-purpose languages like Python and shell scripts like GNU Bash—can be utilized as a medium for creative authorship rather than purely functional utility. The work contributes to the digital humanities landscape by challenging traditional boundaries between the virtual application and the physical printed artifact.

## Notable For
- **Hybrid Distribution:** Uniquely categorized as a web page and application that is distributed via printed matter.
- **Technical Foundation:** Built using a combination of high-level programming (Python) and shell scripting (GNU Bash).
- **Genre Classification:** A cited example of Electronic Literature, tracked within academic databases (ELMCIP).

## Body

### Identity and Classification
Lines of Force is a creative work authored by the digital poet and theorist Nick Montfort. Within knowledge bases, it is strictly defined as an instance of three distinct entities: a creative work, a software application, and a web page. It is identified within the Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice (ELMCIP) database under the ID 14555.

### Technical Composition
The development of Lines of Force involved a diverse technical stack. The source data explicitly confirms the use of **Python**, a general-purpose programming language, and **GNU Bash**, a command processor. The work's metadata further references additional programming entities (identifiers Q2005, Q42478, Q161053), indicating a complex, multi-layered code foundation typical of sophisticated electronic literature.

### Publication and Format
Released in 2019, Lines of Force challenges standard format expectations. While it operates as a digital application and web entity, its listed distribution format is "printed matter," suggesting a work that bridges the gap between executable code and physical text.