The Role of Computer Applications as Cultural Artifacts in Socio Cultural Space

Abstract

Computer applications are highly popular tools used in nearly every sphere of contemporary social life, ranging from education to entertainment. They facilitate human activity and enable the performance of tasks that might otherwise be impossible to accomplish. Computer applications are products of technological development and changing user needs. Since they are intentional creations of human hands and minds, they have been classified as cultural artifacts that are omnipresent within the social environment. The aim of this study is to characterize the functions of computer applications in the modern world and to examine their impact on the development of both virtual and real culture. Observational, exemplificatory, and descriptive methods were employed to showcase the features of computer applications that demonstrate their inclusion in cultural reality. Simultaneously, a functional approach was applied to highlight the role of computer applications. Computer applications, understood as universal, inclusive, substitutive, supportive, and integrating tools, allow users to experience social space—including the world of culture—more fully and conveniently. They function as cultural artifacts perceived as elements facilitating the operation of entire communities. Without them, it is difficult to imagine contemporary development and functioning in both virtual and non‑virtual reality.