In the introductory chapter of his book, Lev Manovich discusses the presence, importance and multiplication of software in our societies.
By giving a substantial list of examples across the chapter, Manovich pushes forward the idea that software has become our main medium.
He argues that, even though the majority of the objects that are being created these days use software in some capacity, there is the need to engage in what he describes as "software studies".
The author established the point that we need to approach this domain in a critical way that studies software as a cultural medium, rather than a technical way centered in computer science.
He also mentions and increasing curiosity to learn how to engage with software by pointing towards the rise in numbers of people who are learning how to code and understand how our world has being transformed. It is important to mention that he believes there is still a gap between those who feel confident programming and those who are entering this world, but he foresees a future when this knowledge will become more accesible (he reinforces this belief by comparing the evolution in photographic techniques across time).
The most important aspect of this chapter, for me, is the idea of the active relationship between the user and the software technologies that we have (and will have) and how we, as users, transform, complement and interact with these cultural objects.