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

Abstract

Computer applications are highly popular tools used in almost every sphere of social life, from education to entertainment. They make human existence easier and enable the performance of certain tasks that might otherwise be impossible. Computer applications are a result of technological development and changing user needs. Since they are intentional creations of human hands and minds, they have been classified as cultural artifacts – omnipresent in the social environment. The aim of the research is to characterize the functions of computer applications in the modern world and their impact on the development of 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 method was applied to highlight the role of computer applications. Computer applications, as universal, inclusive, substitutive, supportive, integrating tools, etc., allow users to experience social space, including the world of culture, more fully and conveniently. They are cultural artifacts perceived as elements facilitating the functioning of entire communities. Without them, it is difficult to imagine any development and operation in both virtual and non-virtual reality.