# Terminal Time

> creative work by Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, Steffi Domike

**Wikidata**: [Q132199224](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132199224)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/terminal-time

## Summary
Terminal Time is a creative work and software application published in 1999. It was authored by Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, and Steffi Domike. The project functions as an exhibit and end-user application documented within the Electronic Literature Knowledge Base.

## Key Facts
- **Authors:** Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, and Steffi Domike.
- **Publication Date:** 1999.
- **Instance of:** Creative work, Exhibit, Application.
- **Nature:** Software program or group of programs designed for end-users.
- **Language:** English.
- **Identifiers:** ELMCIP ID 5674.

## FAQs
### Q: Who are the creators of Terminal Time?
A: Terminal Time was created by Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, and Steffi Domike.

### Q: When was Terminal Time released?
A: The work was published in 1999.

### Q: What type of software is Terminal Time?
A: It is classified as a creative work and exhibit that functions as a software application designed for end-users.

## Why It Matters
Terminal Time serves as a significant example of late 20th-century digital media art, bridging the gap between creative expression and software utility. As a collaborative effort involving artists and technologists—Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, and Steffi Domike—it illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of electronic literature and interactive exhibits during the 1990s.

Classified simultaneously as a creative work, an exhibit, and an application, Terminal Time highlights how software can function as a medium for artistic and cultural discourse rather than merely a tool for productivity. Its inclusion in the Electronic Literature Knowledge Base (ELMCIP) underscores its relevance to the history of digital humanities and electronic literature. By existing as an English-language program designed for end-users, it provided an accessible entry point into interactive digital storytelling or art during the formative years of the web and multimedia computing.

## Notable For
- **Interdisciplinary Authorship:** Created by a trio of artists/researchers: Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, and Steffi Domike.
- **Hybrid Classification:** Uniquely defined as a "creative work," "exhibit," and "application" simultaneously.
- **Era Significance:** A late-1990s example of the intersection between software development and media art.
- **Archival Status:** Formally cataloged in the Electronic Literature Knowledge Base (ID 5674).

## Body
### Overview and Classification
Terminal Time is an English-language creative work that functions as a software application. Structurally, it is defined as a program or group of programs designed for end-users. In addition to being software, the work is categorized as an exhibit, suggesting it was designed for display or interactive engagement within a specific environment.

### Authorship and Development
The project is a collaborative effort involving three primary authors:
*   **Michael Mateas**
*   **Paul Vanouse**
*   **Steffi Domike**

The work was published in 1999.

### Documentation and References
Terminal Time is formally indexed in academic and cultural databases.
*   **ELMCIP ID:** 5674
*   **Wikidata Description:** "creative work by Michael Mateas, Paul Vanouse, Steffi Domike"