That was very nostalgic. I liked it. It's always curious to know how these things came about, and of course Toy Story is one of the most revolutionary movies of all time, paving the way for some of my favorite movies ever like Finding Nemo. And this is a great quote: "Think of it as a rare window into the old “wild west” days of computer graphics, when computers ran slow, programmers ran fast, and we all just made it up as we went along, with nothing to go on but some pixels and a dream."
Rawk.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Rest of NMR
Chapter 16
--"demo or die"
--1968 - Fall Joint Computer Conference, a demonstration of the Augmentation Research Center's work so far, the "mother of all demos"
--After this, the ARC developed programs that went on to overtake the market
Chapter 17
Chapter 19
--Baudrillard - argued against Ezenberger
--Said a situation won't improve by allowing everyone creative freedom, that will just make it worse
Chapter 20
--Concept of flow is main way to organize television
--Allows for a fluid combination of programs and commercials
--Television remains a major part of media in our culture
Chapter 21
--Theodore H. Nelson, 1974
--Computer Lib predicts the rise of personal computers; challenged the purpose of computers at a fundamental level
--Dream Machines sees computer as a new form of media
--The essential message was about media and design
--Nelson suggested new media experiences should be published on basically the internet
Chapter 22
--Augusto Boal, 1974, Theater of the Oppressed
--1992, Boal runs for public office
--Boal imprisioned for practicing interactive techniques
--Boal's techniques are effective for creating embodied interaction
--Some of techniques now practiced around the world.
Chapter 23
--Nicholas Negroponte, 1967
--Founded the Architecture Machine Group at MIT
--Developed methods of managing data spatially
--1975 "Soft Architecture Machines"
--1985 MIT Media Lab opens with aid of MIT President Jerome Weisne
--Researches future applications of technologies via academic disciplines
--Structures for human activity are the basis for architecture and human computer interaction
--Negroponte believed users should be empowered by computers
--Co-founder of Wired Magazine!
Chapter 24
--Joseph Weizenbaum, 1964-1966
--Invents Eliza [chatter box system]
--System can interact and respond to humans using a script called "Doctor"
--He explains the influence computing has had on linguistics
--His specific concern is that people are unable to draw the boundaries between the proper use of computer technology and computer applications
Chapter 25
--Myron Krueger, 1977, Responsive Environments
--"Father of Virtual Reality"
--Worked on virtual reality concepts and received mixed feelings from the community
--Losts of critical response for "lack of humanism"
Chapter 26
--Alan Kay and Adele Goldbergm 1977
--Foretold notebook computing
--Almost all the specific ideas for the uses of notebook computing developed in the group that Kay directed at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
--Kay believed computers would be used creatively and even by children
--Their group at Xerox PARC developed not only the notebook computer, and the personal desktop computer.
Chapter 27
--Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, 1980
--The idea of rhizomatic writing, sometimes used to describe hypertext
--Challenges the reader to consider dualisms
--Foucault calls their writing an introduction to the non-fascist life - "a call to be radical without being sad."
Chapter 28
--Seymour Papert, 1980
--Papert believes in the power of the computer to facilitate educational experiences
--Constructionism
--Mindstorms is a hypothetical conversation between two children who are working and playing with a computer
Chapter 29
--Richard. A. Bolt, 1980
--Multimodal interfaces, combining speech and gesture input, etc.
--Data represented spatially on all graphical computers today
--Almost always in two-dimensional space
--Multimodal interfaces allows people to communicate with a computer by simultaneously using channels such as speech, gesture, gaze and facial expression
Chapter #30
--Theodore H. Nelson, 1980
--Literary Machines
--Complete outline of his Xanadu project and the concepts behind it
--In this vision, people will read and write almost everything from and to a global computer network
--Xanadu is the ultimate archive with each element of this archive constantly in process
--The Web is only a slice of this vision
Chapter 31
--Bill Viola, 1995
--Video artists vs interactive video artists
--In the 1960's video appeared to be only lesser version of film
--His interactive video relates to an instruction manual that makes us consider language anew
--He takes a poetic approach to exploring the video medium
Chapter 32
--Ben Bagdikian, 1983
--Old and new media are becoming increasingly compatible, comparable
--New media is becoming big business, and no longer operates as a marginal phenomenon
--He traces the changes over nearly 20 years in his book "The Media Monopoly"
-6 firms now control all U.S. mass media
Chapter 33
--Ben Shneiderman, 1983
--His idea of direct manipulation
--Data is being processed, exposed and accessed in a graphically representational way
--GUI, visual programming environments, etc
--Relates the computer activity to an ordinary action
-Wrote how it can take a great effort to learn certain specialized direct manipulation interfaces
Chapter 34
--Sherry Turkle, 1984
--She noticed how video games were descriptive of how we interact with computers
-- Asked players about their experiences to determine why they played video games
--Discovered these games play a social and psychological role
--Games provide a way in which people can take on different roles that are important to them psychologically
--Considers the nature of games themselves
--Adults think the stories associated with arcade video games irrelevant to their play
I find this to be untrue--a lot of people don't like games with no story. But some do. To generalize this in this manner is short-sighted.
Chapter 35
--Donna Haraway, 1985
--Her cyborg is a socialist-feminist mythology not founded on belief in an idyllic past
--Feminists have not always engaged with the mythology of the goddess
--Boundaries between humans/machines, physical/virtual
--Technologically mediated societies
--Approaches cyborgs/feminism from a whole new and different perspective
--"demo or die"
--1968 - Fall Joint Computer Conference, a demonstration of the Augmentation Research Center's work so far, the "mother of all demos"
--After this, the ARC developed programs that went on to overtake the market
Chapter 17
--1970 - Exhibition Software - invited visitors to operate the computers
--Mostly failed, but some good things came out of it
--Useful to get artists and technologists in the same room, "cybernetic serendipity"
Chapter 18
--Ezensberger
--Media produces new forms of complete "intellectual property"
--All forms of media are melding together to form one
Chapter 19
--Baudrillard - argued against Ezenberger
--Said a situation won't improve by allowing everyone creative freedom, that will just make it worse
Chapter 20
--Concept of flow is main way to organize television
--Allows for a fluid combination of programs and commercials
--Television remains a major part of media in our culture
Chapter 21
--Theodore H. Nelson, 1974
--Computer Lib predicts the rise of personal computers; challenged the purpose of computers at a fundamental level
--Dream Machines sees computer as a new form of media
--The essential message was about media and design
--Nelson suggested new media experiences should be published on basically the internet
Chapter 22
--Augusto Boal, 1974, Theater of the Oppressed
--1992, Boal runs for public office
--Boal imprisioned for practicing interactive techniques
--Boal's techniques are effective for creating embodied interaction
--Some of techniques now practiced around the world.
Chapter 23
--Nicholas Negroponte, 1967
--Founded the Architecture Machine Group at MIT
--Developed methods of managing data spatially
--1975 "Soft Architecture Machines"
--1985 MIT Media Lab opens with aid of MIT President Jerome Weisne
--Researches future applications of technologies via academic disciplines
--Structures for human activity are the basis for architecture and human computer interaction
--Negroponte believed users should be empowered by computers
--Co-founder of Wired Magazine!
Chapter 24
--Joseph Weizenbaum, 1964-1966
--Invents Eliza [chatter box system]
--System can interact and respond to humans using a script called "Doctor"
--He explains the influence computing has had on linguistics
--His specific concern is that people are unable to draw the boundaries between the proper use of computer technology and computer applications
Chapter 25
--Myron Krueger, 1977, Responsive Environments
--"Father of Virtual Reality"
--Worked on virtual reality concepts and received mixed feelings from the community
--Losts of critical response for "lack of humanism"
Chapter 26
--Alan Kay and Adele Goldbergm 1977
--Foretold notebook computing
--Almost all the specific ideas for the uses of notebook computing developed in the group that Kay directed at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
--Kay believed computers would be used creatively and even by children
--Their group at Xerox PARC developed not only the notebook computer, and the personal desktop computer.
Chapter 27
--Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, 1980
--The idea of rhizomatic writing, sometimes used to describe hypertext
--Challenges the reader to consider dualisms
--Foucault calls their writing an introduction to the non-fascist life - "a call to be radical without being sad."
Chapter 28
--Seymour Papert, 1980
--Papert believes in the power of the computer to facilitate educational experiences
--Constructionism
--Mindstorms is a hypothetical conversation between two children who are working and playing with a computer
Chapter 29
--Richard. A. Bolt, 1980
--Multimodal interfaces, combining speech and gesture input, etc.
--Data represented spatially on all graphical computers today
--Almost always in two-dimensional space
--Multimodal interfaces allows people to communicate with a computer by simultaneously using channels such as speech, gesture, gaze and facial expression
Chapter #30
--Theodore H. Nelson, 1980
--Literary Machines
--Complete outline of his Xanadu project and the concepts behind it
--In this vision, people will read and write almost everything from and to a global computer network
--Xanadu is the ultimate archive with each element of this archive constantly in process
--The Web is only a slice of this vision
Chapter 31
--Bill Viola, 1995
--Video artists vs interactive video artists
--In the 1960's video appeared to be only lesser version of film
--His interactive video relates to an instruction manual that makes us consider language anew
--He takes a poetic approach to exploring the video medium
Chapter 32
--Ben Bagdikian, 1983
--Old and new media are becoming increasingly compatible, comparable
--New media is becoming big business, and no longer operates as a marginal phenomenon
--He traces the changes over nearly 20 years in his book "The Media Monopoly"
-6 firms now control all U.S. mass media
Chapter 33
--Ben Shneiderman, 1983
--His idea of direct manipulation
--Data is being processed, exposed and accessed in a graphically representational way
--GUI, visual programming environments, etc
--Relates the computer activity to an ordinary action
-Wrote how it can take a great effort to learn certain specialized direct manipulation interfaces
Chapter 34
--Sherry Turkle, 1984
--She noticed how video games were descriptive of how we interact with computers
-- Asked players about their experiences to determine why they played video games
--Discovered these games play a social and psychological role
--Games provide a way in which people can take on different roles that are important to them psychologically
--Considers the nature of games themselves
--Adults think the stories associated with arcade video games irrelevant to their play
I find this to be untrue--a lot of people don't like games with no story. But some do. To generalize this in this manner is short-sighted.
Chapter 35
--Donna Haraway, 1985
--Her cyborg is a socialist-feminist mythology not founded on belief in an idyllic past
--Feminists have not always engaged with the mythology of the goddess
--Boundaries between humans/machines, physical/virtual
--Technologically mediated societies
--Approaches cyborgs/feminism from a whole new and different perspective
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
For 12/3
Data Visualization
I don't really have much to say on this (surprise, surprise) because I don't think it's at all a new idea. I mean, pie charts and graphs and diagrams have existed pretty much since the printing press, and I'm sure there were doodles to explain data before that even. I just think, as with most things, technology has allowed us to become inappropriately obsessed with things, and we spend all our time trying to represent it instead of acting and being constructive.
Glass Tower
My best friend LOVES this building. I think it's tacky. Then again, my favorite architect is Gaudi, so that's kind of the pot calling the kettle black.
The Highline
Now this I could appreciate, and I can say I'll definitely be going back when it's weather-appropriate. I love that they've turned something old like that into something pleasant that everyone can appreciate. And no, it's not the same thing as taking garbage and making "art" out of it. That's just dumb.
The Galleries
Yes, I'm being insulting and lumping all the stuff we saw together. I'd never been to any galleries before, and now that I have I never have to again. I didn't see anything I considered to be art. It was mostly just awe at the fact that people do think that's art. But I'm both a cynic and (apparently when it comes to art) a real asshole. I'll define "art" as being anything that anyone else considers beautiful. I'm not saying all that stuff wasn't art, I'm just saying I didn't see any art. That's all. I saw some very nice candles (candles are really hard to make, and getting the colors that bright is tough too) and I saw a cool laser-pointer-operate gimmick I'm sure could be put to better use. But that's about it.
I don't really have much to say on this (surprise, surprise) because I don't think it's at all a new idea. I mean, pie charts and graphs and diagrams have existed pretty much since the printing press, and I'm sure there were doodles to explain data before that even. I just think, as with most things, technology has allowed us to become inappropriately obsessed with things, and we spend all our time trying to represent it instead of acting and being constructive.
Glass Tower
My best friend LOVES this building. I think it's tacky. Then again, my favorite architect is Gaudi, so that's kind of the pot calling the kettle black.
The Highline
Now this I could appreciate, and I can say I'll definitely be going back when it's weather-appropriate. I love that they've turned something old like that into something pleasant that everyone can appreciate. And no, it's not the same thing as taking garbage and making "art" out of it. That's just dumb.
The Galleries
Yes, I'm being insulting and lumping all the stuff we saw together. I'd never been to any galleries before, and now that I have I never have to again. I didn't see anything I considered to be art. It was mostly just awe at the fact that people do think that's art. But I'm both a cynic and (apparently when it comes to art) a real asshole. I'll define "art" as being anything that anyone else considers beautiful. I'm not saying all that stuff wasn't art, I'm just saying I didn't see any art. That's all. I saw some very nice candles (candles are really hard to make, and getting the colors that bright is tough too) and I saw a cool laser-pointer-operate gimmick I'm sure could be put to better use. But that's about it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Some Interesting Things I've Stockpiled
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2243176
I'm allergic to bees, and therefore they're about the only thing that really scares me. But this was just hysterical.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFP0q4qzGw4
For Cynthia--you may or may not have seen this, but it's my favorite viral video ever.
YouTube - David Sedaris on Letterman
I love David Sedaris. A lot. This was the first time I ever heard anything from him and it was years ago. Since then I've actually heard quite a lot about... the product in question. I don't know, I just like him. =)
tallyhall.com/media.php
youtube.com/tallyhall
These are some really good friends of mine, and I feel like I've probably mentioned this before. The internet show, though, is one of the things that actually got them started. On their official site is the Tally Hall Internet Show (THIS), and I recommend episode 2. You can also head over to their youtube page and check out all of their stuff from when they were in college as Atlantic Records has finally deemed fit to put them back up.
Better Than Ezra - Absolutely Still
I tend to hate music videos. I think they made sense when the market was closed and labels relied on markets like MTV to sell records, but nowadays they tend to be stupid, cliched, or just plain bad. This, however, is the only one I've liked in a long itme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mji82PQTYeo&feature=PlayList&p=1C899B263451A4E6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=47
This was the first viral video I ever saw and it still makes me laugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hRgzRSazIs
This was the second one. Again, still hysterical. Also socially relevant, because it's funny how angsty people get about their web browser. Yes, I use Safari. I like Safari. I will use Firefox if I have to, but only as a last resort (ie. anything to not use IE). Just weird like that.
I'm allergic to bees, and therefore they're about the only thing that really scares me. But this was just hysterical.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFP0q4qzGw4
For Cynthia--you may or may not have seen this, but it's my favorite viral video ever.
YouTube - David Sedaris on Letterman
I love David Sedaris. A lot. This was the first time I ever heard anything from him and it was years ago. Since then I've actually heard quite a lot about... the product in question. I don't know, I just like him. =)
tallyhall.com/media.php
youtube.com/tallyhall
These are some really good friends of mine, and I feel like I've probably mentioned this before. The internet show, though, is one of the things that actually got them started. On their official site is the Tally Hall Internet Show (THIS), and I recommend episode 2. You can also head over to their youtube page and check out all of their stuff from when they were in college as Atlantic Records has finally deemed fit to put them back up.
Better Than Ezra - Absolutely Still
I tend to hate music videos. I think they made sense when the market was closed and labels relied on markets like MTV to sell records, but nowadays they tend to be stupid, cliched, or just plain bad. This, however, is the only one I've liked in a long itme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mji82PQTYeo&feature=PlayList&p=1C899B263451A4E6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=47
This was the first viral video I ever saw and it still makes me laugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hRgzRSazIs
This was the second one. Again, still hysterical. Also socially relevant, because it's funny how angsty people get about their web browser. Yes, I use Safari. I like Safari. I will use Firefox if I have to, but only as a last resort (ie. anything to not use IE). Just weird like that.
For 11/19
Microcosms
I liked it. I mean, it was seriously creepy and I had some nightmares, and I don't ever think I'll be able to purge the image of the slug sex from my mind. But I liked it. I was a big PBS girl growing up (mostly because we simply didn't have cable until I was 13) and I watched every nature show there ever was during those 13 years. I also have a passion for the macro lens. It's how I shoot my photos--I like to get really close to things, see details. With people, I like to get a little closer than most people are comfortable with. It's fun. And this was kind of like that. Except with slug sex.
William Boroughs
I was going to say something sarcastic about how he should stop doing crack because it's clearly affecting his faculties... but it appears that actually happened so maybe it would be best to just say I think he's out of his mind and move on.
John Cage
We were actually talking about John Cage in one of my ISes the other day--the professor was at a piece where he sat in a class room, just occasionally dropping things and making gutteral noises. Apparently it became a piece revolving around audience involvement but until they realized that's what he wanted (about 13 minutes in) it was so boring he wanted to run out. I think that maybe had I been there and had that experience, I would not think he's completely lost his mind... but unfortunately, I do. What is with us elevating the "work" of crazy people to such a level? Have we lost so much of our own collective minds? Seriously, dude. This is ridiculous. That piano stuff was crap. I've heard some pretty horrible music doing what I do, but that was ridiculous.
I liked it. I mean, it was seriously creepy and I had some nightmares, and I don't ever think I'll be able to purge the image of the slug sex from my mind. But I liked it. I was a big PBS girl growing up (mostly because we simply didn't have cable until I was 13) and I watched every nature show there ever was during those 13 years. I also have a passion for the macro lens. It's how I shoot my photos--I like to get really close to things, see details. With people, I like to get a little closer than most people are comfortable with. It's fun. And this was kind of like that. Except with slug sex.
William Boroughs
I was going to say something sarcastic about how he should stop doing crack because it's clearly affecting his faculties... but it appears that actually happened so maybe it would be best to just say I think he's out of his mind and move on.
John Cage
We were actually talking about John Cage in one of my ISes the other day--the professor was at a piece where he sat in a class room, just occasionally dropping things and making gutteral noises. Apparently it became a piece revolving around audience involvement but until they realized that's what he wanted (about 13 minutes in) it was so boring he wanted to run out. I think that maybe had I been there and had that experience, I would not think he's completely lost his mind... but unfortunately, I do. What is with us elevating the "work" of crazy people to such a level? Have we lost so much of our own collective minds? Seriously, dude. This is ridiculous. That piano stuff was crap. I've heard some pretty horrible music doing what I do, but that was ridiculous.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
NMR For Classes 8 & 9
Chapter 10 - The Construction of Change by Roy Ascott
Chapter 11 - A File Structure for the Complex, the Changing, and the Indeterminate by Theodor H. Nelson
Chapter 12 - Six Selections by Oulipo
Basically, McLuhan is a nutcase. A brilliant, brilliant man, but a nutcase. Why do brilliant people feel the need to write in such a way so that it takes an average person a lot of serious work to figure out what they're saying? A lot of McLuhan's ideas and concepts can be restated in a way so the average high school student could understand them, but they're so convoluted that I don't want to read it because it makes my brain hurt.
- 1960's - Cybernetics & art continue to retain focus - the distinction between participation & interaction
- Art of the Electric Age focuses on the interaction and relationship between the work & viewer.
- 1980's - Telematic art: communications & collaboration between people far apart
- Relationship between art, science, & behavior, a flexible structure to bend science & art
Chapter 11 - A File Structure for the Complex, the Changing, and the Indeterminate by Theodor H. Nelson
- Nelson coined the term "hypertext" & offered a complex, reconfigurable structure for info
- Thought about the web years before it came to be commonplace
Chapter 12 - Six Selections by Oulipo
- Developed a system with the potential to create computer-mediated textuality
- Enhances the readers ability to create literature
- Renegotiates the relationship between the work, the creator, & the viewer
- Yours for the Telling
- Like Choose Your Own Ending books we used to read in elementary school
- Allows the reader to take an active role
- Computer and Writer by Paul Fournel
- Outlines the different relationships between creator, computer, art, & viewer
- Talks about math & literature
- Prose and Anticombinatorics by Italo Calvino
- Examples of how computers help create literature
- Chooses compatible possibilities
- "The medium is the message"- McLuhan.
- 1962 - Typographic technology causes a change in western thought
- Printing press - Gutenberg - people can be hypnotized one sense at a time by a new technology
- 1964 - "The Medium is the Message
- This essay makes me want to claw my eyes out.
- Talks about the idea that the media itself overshadows the content it puts out.
- Hate.
- 1965 - Influential artist were gathered from various groups in Europe and New York
- 1966 - E.A.T was founded, Experiments in Art and Technology
- 1970's - Advancements of technology and art together
- The Pepsi Expo Pavillion is created as a collaboration between artist and engineers.
Basically, McLuhan is a nutcase. A brilliant, brilliant man, but a nutcase. Why do brilliant people feel the need to write in such a way so that it takes an average person a lot of serious work to figure out what they're saying? A lot of McLuhan's ideas and concepts can be restated in a way so the average high school student could understand them, but they're so convoluted that I don't want to read it because it makes my brain hurt.
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