50. Time Frames

1993 - "Time Frames" a chapter from the book Understanding Comics was published

Time Frames uses comic book story-telling to write about comics and how they work. It discusses the purpose of time frames in creating the illusion of motion.

49. The End of Books

1992 - "The End of Books" by Robert Coover was published

The web has provided outlets for writers to reach audiences world wide and collaborations which are useful in the writing process. Books, however, are still very important to human life and will not die out due to the development of the web.

48. You Say You Want a Revolution?

1991 - "You Say You Want a Revolution?: Hypertext and the Laws of Media by Stuart Moulthrop was published

The Web has brought us to where we are today in communications and media. Additionally, MP3 sharing, IMs, Quake tournaments, and multiplayer games made possible by Internet connectivity have allowed for direct communication in real-time. I don't think any kind of revolution in relation to hypertext environments is neccessary. It is what it is and things will only progress forward from this point in the World Wide Web.

47. Seeing and Writing

1991 - "Seeing and Writing" by J. David Bolter was published

I agree with Bolter's idea that much of what we experience in the virtual spaces we view which are provided by computers is influenced by life apart from the computer. It is the ideas of the past,the ideas of writing on paper pages, spreadsheets, and the inclusion of photos/diagrams to illustrate particular points that have been integrated in computer programming to provide users with tools that are easy to understand and recognizable.

46. The Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat

1991 - The Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat by Chip Morningstar and F. Randall Farmer was published

Although the virtual world created in Habitat was far more primitive than its predecessors such as Ultima Online and EverQuest by Song, it was more appropriate for its uses. The program although in a 2-D environment, was able to effectively fix the problems posed by Ultima Online and EverQuest which were too advanced and insufficient in that they caused users to experience downtime and lagging.

45. Cardboard Computers

1991 - Pelle Ehn and Morten Kyung wrote Cardboard Computers: Mocking-It-Up or Hands-On the Future

I think that Ehn and Morten's approach of involving users in the process of software development is critical to the success of new digital tools. If the tools are too difficult for users to even understand, what purpose could they serve? User participation in product development was a great idea on the part of Ehn and Kyung and continues to be used as an effective method in producing tools that are user friendly.

The Museum of the Moving Image

During our class trip to The Museum of the Moving Image, my favortie part of our guided tour had to have been the display in the strobe light room. I was also really interested in the zoetrope and the optical illusions they presented.

Web Comics Documentary "Comic Confidential"

Although I am really not into comic books or superheros it was interesting to see the evolution of something that has had such a profound impact on pop culture. I also found it funny that there used to be so many crazy restrictions on comic books and what was acceptable for print.

Eric Rosenthal's lecture

Eric Rosenthal's lecture was very informative. I look forward to seeing his new camera as soon as the patent is approved and it is developed for public use. I would have never known how inefficient the cameras of today are in capturing information as our eye does in reality.

The Passing by Bill Viola

Watching The Passing by Bill Viola was avery grounding experience. The beautiful images presented by Viola reminded of something that I often forget, which is that in the end nothing even matters. We come alone and we leave alone.

SCRATCH the DVD

The film SCRATCH by Doug Pray was really interesting because it showed how much DJing has changed and how much it has stayed the same.

44. The Fantasy Beyond Control

1990 - "The Fantasy Beyond" Control by Lynn Hershman was published

Lynn Hershman is a pioneer who took interactivity to a whole new level and paved the way for even further manifestations within this realm of video participation in a preconfigured environment. People like to fantasize and experience things that they would normally not be able to experience or take part in experiences which may be gratifying or fun. Hershman's developments have given people an outlet through which they can explore territories in a safe, inviting environment.

43. The Work of Culture in the Age of Cybernetic Systems

1988 - "The Work of Culture in the Age of Cybernetic Systems" by Bill Nichols was published


In his essay "The Work of Culture in the Age of Cybernetic Systems," Bill Nichols allows the public to take a look at his thoughts regarding the practice of new media to borrow previous conclusions and ideas developed in other areas of culture. In new media advancements related to user interactivity there is definitely a great trend towards developing more and more complex software that is unbiased, free from stereotypes, allowing for greater freedom. Such models are underway and will only lead to greater human desire to partake in such interactive environments.

42. Siren Shapes

1988 - "Siren Shapes: Exploratory and Constructive Hypertexts" was written by Michael Joyce


In "Siren Shapes: Exploratory and Constructive Hypertexts," Joyce presents his hopes for the future of the World Wide Web allowing for the advancement of educational learning. I believe that constructive hypertexts would definitely add to the educational experience by allowing students to truly interact with their work and provide them with the ability to add to the World Wide Web experience. I do also believe, however, that such constructive environments will most likely not be able to work in today's society. Maybe down the road further technological advancements will grant access to constructive hypertexts for educational development, but I don't think that will happen for a while.

41. Plans and Situated Actions

1987 - "Plans and Situated Actions" by Lucy A. Suchman was published

The essay, "Plans and Situated Actions" by Lucy A. Suchman is an insightful and I think, correct critique based on the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence. Althoug I do believe Artificial Intelligence is an important tool especially in military, it should not be the only tool utilized in strategy development as all factors will not be taken into account regarding the exact circumstances of a particular situation. Therefore, I think AI should be used as a just that, a tool, not a primary resource. Human to human interaction should come first because no matter what a program is not equivalent to a human brain.

40. Mythinformation

1986- Langdon Winner published his essay called "Mythinformation"

In the essay "Mythinformation," Winner provides his thoughts on computer technology and the cultural ramifications that have occured and will continue to occur should computer networking travel further down the same path without change. I agree with his support of the ideas that information brings knowledge and further, that knowledge equals power. The Internet is filled with vast amounts of information, however, most of this information is highly biased and opinionated. Therefore, how could such a system facilitate democracy? Additionally, knowledge based on hard evidence can lead to greater awareness of the world and a greater ability to develop sound opinions and judgements of the world, but knowledge does not equal power. Knowledge, when aquired through the internet can be deceptive because so many sources being utilized by network users lack credibility and present falsehoods which are often misconceived as truths. Overall, I think Winner made some very interesting points in his essay and it is very important for us to think about the good and the bad brought about by internet technology and try to advance the WWW possibly by developing monitoring systems that evaluate web content and rate it.

NMR 21. From Computer Lib / Dream Machines

1974 - Computer Lib / Dream Machines by Theodor H. Nelson was published

1987 - new version of the book was released by Stewart Brand in which he applauds Nelson's genius

Computer Lib / Dream Machines is regarded as the most important book in the history of new media. The book was basically about personal computers and was released prior to the first personal computers. It didnt predict the coming of personal computers but discussed the true purposes computers would serve. Nelson attributes the importance of future media developments and advancements to the computer due to their ability to allow for design. He proposed that computers would allow for media experiences in design that would then be placed in an open publishing network. In his essay, Nelson emphasizes the importance of understanding computers. This day in age, understanding computers is almost essential in communication and the creation of new media.

NMR 20. The Technology and the Society

1972 - Raymond Williams wrote his book entitled "Television: Technology and Cultural Form"

1980s - decided that the involved parties who needed to be represented in Internet technology decision making were few

1990s - US government started its involvement in privatizing the Internet ultimately creating monopolization

Raymond Williams was absolutely right when he wrote about the immense technological impact upon society that has grown drmatically since the first TVs came around in the 1930s. TVs and the information they provide are everywhere. I can't believe that the majority of Americans spend 1/3 of their lives in front of the TV. It is scary to think that the TV has such a strong influence upon our society and our lives.

NMR 19. Requiem for the Media

1972 - "Requiem for the Media" was originally published

In his essay, Jean Baudrillard argues against Enzenberger's proposition for everyone involved to produce. Instead, Baudrillard is concerned with the structure of communication in our society which is represented by a transmitter which produces a message which is then sent to a receiver. There is no need for reciprocity. Reciprocity is in no way essential for this process to occur. In fact, reciporcity may prove to be completely irrelevent and unsubstantial. In my opinion, Baudrillard is correct. I think reciprocity in the media is fine, however, not crucial to the process of "trasmitter-message-receiver." We don't have to all be producers to join in on the experience of interactivity through media channels.

NMR 18. Constituents of a Theory of the Media

1970 - "Constituents of a Theory of the Media" was written by Hans Magnus Enzenberger

1990s- Wired magazine takes words from Enzenberger's essay

In his essay Enzenberger displays his desire for a socialist system within the media. Such a system would call for: a decentralized system, each reciever to have a transmitter, mobiliaztion of the masses, collective production, feedback and interaction among all of those involved, social control by self-organization, and a political learning process. Enzenberger discusses how electronic media is pervading all aspects of our society including social communication as well as economics. He discussed all of the developments that have come about because of electronic media and only sees greater possibilities for the future of new media. This article was written 37 years ago and apparently Enzenberger's predictions have proven true. Our society has advanced and continues to advance further and further in technology.

NMR 17. From Software - Information Technology: Its New Meaning for Art

In the NMR, pgs. 247-258 in the chapter entitled "From Software - Information Technology: Its New Meaning for Art"

1970 -Software was an exhibition at the Jewish Museum. The exhibit was organized by Jack Burnham and invited visitiors to participate by using the computers

The Software exhibition proved to be a technological disaster in many respects, however, it also showed great progress in computing and made many aware of the future possibilities of computer technology. The exhibit was focused on displaying to the public information processing systems and the devices neccessary to operate such systems. Software allowed artists to draw audiences in and have a hands-on experience with the programs they had created. In my opinion, although there were several technical promblems and failures created by Software, interactive displays seemed to have been effective in providing audience members with experiences they had never had before.

NMR "A Research Center for Augmenting Human Intellect"

1968 - at Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco live interactive demonstrations of computing were made. Work of the ARC (Augmentation Research Center) was displayed at the conference.

"A Research Center for Augmenting Human Intellect" by Engelbart and English discusses the purpose and inner-workings of the facility.

-> experimental lab that works with interactive, multi-console computer display system

-> purpose is to develop a system that can augment intellectual capacity

-> utlized User Systems which included individual file space, work stations (tv displays, typewriters keyboards, mouse, and chord handsets), structured files for organization in heirarchal order, the sudying of files was done within user systems, files were modified/changed, files sent to output devices, files compiled and debugged, calculations done, and on-line conferencing utilized

-> service-sytem software as well as service-system hardware were studied and developed at the lab

NMR "Cybernated Art"

-> video art has always leaned towards cybernetics in an attempt to be interactive and also to create an "always-already history"

-> Paik was first artist to use tvs in art, creating interactive installations

-> Paik coins the term the "information superhighway"

-> Paik's work has cybernetic/Buddhist context

1966 - Nam June Paik's "Cybernated Atr" was published.

-> art for cybernated life is more important than cybernated art
->shock and catharsis are necessary in dealing with frustrations related to cybernated life
-> cybernetics is the science of pure realations
->1948 Norbert Weiner says "The signal, where the meddage is sent, plays equally important role as the signal, where message is not sent"
->cybernetics exploits the boundaries of existing sciences
-> German invention in 1920s of grid placed between cathode and anode which are in a vacuum tube which displays weak pole to win over strong which led to the idea and development of cybernetics

NMR "Four Selections by Experiments in Art and Technology"

1960s - EAT (Experiments in Art & Technology) plays crucial role in creating new possibilities for advancement in the worlds of art and technology

-> originally, research scientist Kluver was working at Bell Telephone Labs and it was his research that made possible the self-destructing art sculpture called "Homage to New York," which was exhibited at the MOMA

1965 - scientist Kluver met Wiggin, planner of a Stolkholm Festival of Art and Technology, and worked to bring together art/engineer performances for the festival

1961 - "The Garden Party" by Billy Kluver written right after "Homage to New York self-destructed in a half hour at the MOMA. His essay gave a minute by minute description of the performance during which the machine underwent several disasters, which can be seen as an accurate representation of the unpredictable nature of NYC.

1966 - E.A.T. is founded by Billy Klover, R. Rauschenberg, R. Whitman, and F. Waldhauer
- the 69th Regiment Armory in NYC was home to the E.A.T.

1967 - E.A.T. is announced to the press

1972 - "The Pavilion," a book by Billy Kluver, was published. In 1970.

-> It was Kluver who led the EAT to create the Pepsi Pavilion at Expo '70, Osaka, Japan. The Pavilion was a gallery of machines, a gallery of high-tech installation art. Invited visitors in to view how technology can create new possibilities for human life. The Pavilion involved contemporary artists in non-art situations.

1975 - "Experiments in Art and Technology" written by N. Loewen, NYU researcher

NMR "Two Selections by Marchall McLuhan"

1960s - the idea that the media overwhelms the importance of their content surfaces

1962 - McLuhan wrote the 350-pg. book "The Gutenberg Galaxy" which described how typographic technology caused shifts in thought leading to "new/electric" forms of media. The world is shifting into electronic/technologic modes of communication, changing media, thus changing society as a whole which is an area in need of study.

1964 -"Understanding Media" was written which includes the importance of tv, radio, weapons, and clothing in the study of the media
-> McLuhan believes that everything we create stems from our experiences of life which leads to the developments of new ideas which are then put into action as new inventions/ideas.

1967 - Jean Baudrillard criticized McLuhan's ideas that attribute artistic merit to advertisements, but then later drew upon McLuhan's ideas in his own writings

1967 - McLuhan wrote "The Medium is Message"

-> McLuhan thought that popular media did, in fact, need to be studied

-> McLuhan thought it was important to move forward in our thinking rather than put new ideas into the same categories as old ideas.

William Burroughs

William Burroughs incorporated the cut-up technique in his work. This technique called for one to take a literary work, cut it up and randomly recombine words to create new works...like a collage. I think the utilization of this practice has paved the way for future developments such as the recent programing created by Ken Perlin which allow for entire stories to be created and recreated using certain characters and scenarios. The random recombination allows for great possibilities in the world of soap operas, gaming, and film previsualization.

Dan Blank's SHADOWPLAY

I really liked Dan Blank's SHADOWPLAY. I think he is very talented and the story in combination with all of the visual effects was very unique. At first I wasn't really sure of what was going on with the shadows, but as the story progressed, I understood the story he was trying to tell. It is amazing to think that layering in software programs can provide such interesting visuals in the final production.

Dan Kanemoto's WHALE SONG

I really enjoy viewing Dan Kanemoto's work. He is such a great artist and.very original. I really liked Whale Song because he reported real news in an innovative and humorous way. I can see why MTV picked up this animated film and featured it on their network.

Ken Perlin's Lecture

I really like Ken's idea for interactive narratives. I think this tool will definitely be beneficial in creating story plots in the future, allowing for the pre-visualization of movies, and for interactive games. Also interesting was Ken's idea for "Kinetic Poetry." His idea for creating this program definitly draws upon the ideas presented in The Oulipo.

NMR "The Oulipo" - My Opinion

I think that the idea of using the computer to take into account all possible circumstances in creating an accurate novel is great. The computer doesn't miss any of the possibilities, therefore, the ultimate circumstance is accurate. This idea discussed in "The Oulipo" was definitely taken into account in creating the recent computer software which allows for one to feed a computer with all different songs and over the course of a few days, the computer will create an entirely new, original work by jumbling and recombining different chords, keys, words, etc..

Timeline: "The Oulipo"

1961 - "A Hundred Thousand Billion Poems" by Raymond Queneau was written which is a set of ten sonnets. The idea is that any line from a sonnet can be combined with any line from the other 9 because they all have the same rhyme scheme, allowing for the creation of a hundred thousand billion poems.

1973 - "Yours for the Telling" written by Raymond Queneau which is basically showing how writers can utilize technology to create their works... this is hypertext technology.

1973 - "For a Potential Analysis of Combinatory Literature" by Claude Berg was published.

1981 - "Computer and Writer: The Centre Pompidou Experiment" by Paul Fournel was published.

NMR "A File Structure for the complex, the changing, and the indeterminate" - My Opinion

Ted Nelson's essay "A File Structure for the complex, the changing, and the indeterminate," describes the type of filing systems that were in need to allow for several different funtions to be carried out without the loss of information while working on documents. I think Nelson's ideas for "the file" were very innovative at the time and you can see the implementation of such ideas within particular tools of computer programs today.

Timeline: "A File Structure for the complex, the changing, and the indeterminate"

1965 - Ted Nelson wrote the article "A File Structure for the complex, the changing, and the indeterminate"

1967 - Nelson bumps into his friend Andries van Dam at the 1967 Spring Joint Computer Conference and after this
Nelson begins traveling to Boston to work with van Dam and others at Brown University to create one of
the first hypertext systems. It was called Camondy's system a.k.a. Hypertext Editing System.

1980s - some attribute the idea of Human-Computer Interaction to this time, however, Nelson wrote about this
idea decades before this time.

1987 - at the Hypertext '87 conference van Dam announces that the HES system was sold by IBM, without him knowing,
to the Apollo mission in Houston.

NMR "The Construction of Change" by Roy Ascott

This article by Roy Ascott was written in 1964 and has proven to be true. We are now in 2007 and art, today, reflects the changes and technological advancements our society has made. Artists are "interacting" with artificial intelligence to produce works of digital new media such as those presented in the Eyebeam, Postmasters, Sara Tecchia, and Bitforms, the galleries our class visited in Chelsea. With changes in science come the possibilities and capabilities allowing for new forms of art to emerge.

Timeline: "The Construction of Change"

1961 - Allan Kaprow's "Happenings" creating a buzz in ny
- Roy Ascott of the UK was remaking art and art education.
Drew a connection between cybernetics and art

1964 - Ascott releases his article called "The Construction of Change"

1980s - Ascott becomes a pioneer of "telematic art"

NMR "Sketchpad" by Ivan Sutherland - My Opinion

I think that Sketchpad was definitely a huge breakthrough in computer technology. It layed the foundation for basically all computer graphics and drawing programs that we now have. Sketchpad is the invention that has now made possible the new classroom/presentation boards which allow you to actually draw and work on the actual computer monitor which is a huge display. This development is very important in teaching computer software programs to students because it allows teachers to physically show students the processes required to complete tasks on particular programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, After Effects, Flash, etc..

Timeline for "Sketchpad" by Ivan E. Sutherland

1963 - "Sketchpad" was published

early 1960s - this system allowed people to draw on their computer display using the created constraints. Constrained objects/shapes, however, can be manipulated through use of the Sketchpad program.

60 Frames Ent. launches to finance and syndicate professionally-produced online content, offering unique advertising opps to top national brands

"60 Frames Ent. launches to finance and syndicate professionally-produced online content, offering unique advertising opps to top national brands," discusses the goal of thisnew company 60 Frames Entertainment. Internet is everywhere and with this trend it is wise for business venturers to realize the possibilities for financial gain and success through the Internet. I definitely think that utilizing the Internet as a way to provide professionally produced content to the public will prove to be a very profitable venture for investors, creators, and clients.

"With Tools on the Web, Amateurs Reshape Mapmaking" by Miguel Helft

The use of maps on the web has become such a great tool to so many around the globe. People like to visually pin-point where things are and be able to get a better sense of what things are like without physically being there. I think that it is very important in educational development and discovery and that the creation and use of interactive maps will only continue to grow.

"Fictional Characters Get Virtual Lives, Too" by Bill Carter

The article, "Fictional Characters Get Virtual Lives, Too," really shows what a huge sensation SecondLife has become. CBS is using an entire CSI:NY episode to show their main character trapped in a virtual world and further giving viewers the chance to go online and play in a SecondLife game related to that episode. Sounds to me like SecondLife is sweeping the nation. Apparently computer gaming is a popular American pastime and major corporations like CBS are doing their best to incorporate the use of technology to attract and capture new viewers.

Sara Tecchia Gallery

In the Sara Tecchia Gallery David Fried's "Far From Equilibrium" exhibit I really liked the "Self Organizing Still Life" which is a display composed of sound-activated spheres which move and arrange themselves according to the acoustics in the surrounding environment. I was also very impressed with Fried's innovative use of earth materials to create a work that combined elements of both science and art. For an artist who works by way of trial and error, it is very interesteing to see such an amazing "by chance" creations.

Postmasters - Chelsea gallery

At Postmasters I really appreciated Eddo Stern's kinetic shadow sculptures. You know that there was so much time and such careful attention payed to detail in the layering and creation of each one of the sculptures which each told their own story. I also really liked viewing his 3D computer animation video of the young Asian woman with a crown and necklace made up of what looked like little pop culture buttons. I was able to see a technologically advanced use of Ken Perlin's original facial animation work.

Eyebeam - Chelsea gallery

At Eyebeam gallery my favorite installation was Caspar Stracke's "urban particle supercollider." I loved how the animations floated between each of the three large monitors set up on the floor. The animations, which include images of urban culture from NYC, Mexico, Berlin and Shanghai, changed in color as they traveled from screen to screen, right to left. I also liked how the display took into account the period of time the objects had to travel as they were moving from screen to screen.

Bitforms - Chelsea gallery

I thought that Daniel Rozin's exhibit, "Fabrication," at theBitforms gallery was very interesting. I loved all three of the displays in the gallery. I especially liked the "Weave Mirror" which took on the form of whoever was standing in front of it using camera technology.

Second Life Articles

"A House That's Just Unreal" by Seth Kugel

I think that this kind of interactive virtual community is interesting, however, I could not ever see myself using it. I feel like it would be great for children minus the sexual content. Interesting concept...should just be toned down for use by kids who I think would be the target market for such a virtual community.


"Watching a Cyber Audience Watch a Real Orchestra Perform in a Virtual World" by Anne Midgette

This whole idea is kind of strange to me. I know that I would never want to watch a live concert that involved all computer animations playing music... I guess I just don't get it, but this idea is one that I don't think will make it very far. Again, maybe children would like something like this, but I know that I would never watch a computer animated concert.


"Show Series to Originate on MySpace" by Michael Cieply

I think this idea of having a regular tv series and broadcast on MySpace TV is a great idea. Many people seem to now be turning to their computers for movies, short videos, podcasts, and music so why not make available to these users regular network series shows? I think that it could be a successful business venture as the Internet has become a great source for media content.


HBO living a virtual 'Life" by Steven Zeitchik

I am curious to see this particular Second Life movie that will air on HBO. With a network like HBO behind it, this movie is sure to cause a stir among viewers who have not yet seen such a movie. I think it will be interesting to see what kind of response audiences and critics have to the film.


Frankfurt Motor Show: Peugot Offers Spins in Second Life by Nick Kurczeweski

I think this is a great idea in the world of concept cars. I feel like a lot of guys would really get into this application Second Life to what would have only been a fantasy in the past. I definitely think that car fanatics would really appreciate this virtual world that would allow them to have a hands-on experience with their favorite cars of the future.


How Real Money Works in Second Life by Grace Wong

I think that including the ideas of money and an economic structure is crucial to creating a true "second life." After reading this article which described the currency in Second Life and the importance of money in this virtual world, I am actually warming up to the idea of Second Life. I guess its cool because it allows people to live out their fantasy life, even though it is really all fake. I can see how it could be fun.


Gaming -- SECOND LIFE

Second Life is definitely a great way for companies, musicians, artists, etc. to get noticed and advertise. Apparently many people are already logging into Second Life so it is a smart move for businesses/artists to promote themselves through the programming. Exposure to the public will only increase customer awareness, thus increasing their likelihood of identifying and buying the products created by such brands.


Musician finds second act -- and Second Life by Todd Leopold

I think this is an inspiring story. With the music business dwindling due to piracy, musicians have to find new outlets and ways of reaching their target audiences. Engaging in Second Life could prove to be a great way of maximizing exposure and engaging the interactive audiences interacting with the game.

Dan Kanemoto's LETTER FROM THE WESTERN FRONT

I really enjoyed this piece created by Dan Kanemoto. I cant believe its possible to take paintings and use them in a computer software program such as After Effects to create a movie with movement/speed/animation/lighting effects/etc.. I loved the use of water textures, and fire/lightning bolts, and sound to create movement/tremors.

John Cage "Chess Pieces" documentary - My opinion

I thought the John Cage "Chess Pieces" documentary showed a very interesting way of incoporating music with art. I would have never thought such a work could have the possibility for transposition and actual playing of the music. Everything about "Chess Pieces" was so carefully done with such great attention to the smallest details.

History of the Internet - My opinion

I thought that the documentary on The History of the Internet was very informative and relevant to all of the coursework we have done so far. I think it is great to see how in such a short period of time, computer technology has grown and developed. I never knew that it all started with this idea of transferring information to other systems by way of pods/packets which then had to be opened for viewing. With the development of the Internet, the World Wide Web, pods/packets were no longer needed to access infomation...now it could all be seen and accessed by all.

NMR "Augmenting Human Intellect" by Douglas Englebart

Augmenting human intellect means "increasing the capability of a man to approach a complex problem situation, to gain comprehension to cuit his particular needs, and to derive solutions to problems." This allows for faster and better comprehension, coming to understand a situation that was previously too complex to be understood, a quicker arrival to better/more effective solutions. There is laid forth a conceptual framework for such a computer system that would aid human intellectual capacity. Such systems would need to provide quick results for both long-range and basic research, produce effective changes in working/thinking, evaluate pre-existing knowledge and assimilate relevant info, and develop methods for accurate/productive research. In today's world, there is a sense of urgency, a rush to get things done quickly but without skipping over important information. Computers, therefore, can effectively perform several tasks/operations to aid humans in their intellectual capacity.

Timeline for Augmenting Human Intellect

1962 - "Augmenting Human Intellect: A Conceptual Framework" is written and released by Douglas Engelbart

Throughout the 1900s, Engelbart invented the computer mouse, the window, the word processor, and helped in the establishment of the Internet. Also invented the idea of the hyperlink at the same time that Ted Nelson was invtenting the idea.

1988 - Engelbart writes "A History of Personal Workstations" which tells his entire career story which ultimately led him to his idea of the computer augmenting human intellect

NMR "The Cut Up Method of Brion Gysin" by William Burroughs

Brion Gysin was a painter and writer in the 1950s & 60s. He conducted experiment where he cut up newspaper articles and rearranged them at random to create a new, coherent prose. This cut-up method is similar to collage and camera/film editing. This idea of "cut and paste" would then be applied to several things including game and military strategy, the processing of scientific data, and computer use.

Timeline for "The Cut-Up Method of Brion Gysin"

1961 - Burroughs writes this article about "cut and paste" editing which was an idea taken from the surrealists who themselves borrowed the idea from 100s of years before.

This article by Burroughs invoked John von Neumann, a computer engineer, who traced uses of "cut and paste"

-idea is that an author can borrow ideas and information from other sources in the creation/formulation of their own personal text

1971 - this article was published in a book
- important tool in creating drafts
- more recent uses include the creation of metrical, rhymed sonnets

NMR 06. "Happenings" In the New York Scene

In Kaprow's Happenings, it becomes understood that the audience is no longer passive. Now, the audience is involved in this new participatory art. Therefore, the role of the artist in the creation of the work is lessened because the audience has an influence upon the work throughout the time of creation/performance. This idea presented by Kaprow in Happenings is the same idea that would be applied to human interaction with computers. Computers are functioning machines, however, without direct interaction with human command, it cannot work. Therefore, the computer and man are dependent upon one another in carrying out certain tasks/functions.

Timeline for ""Happenings" in the New York Scene"

1950s and 1960s - Allan Kaprow and others use the term "Happening" to describe many performances and events that involve interaction with an audience

-Kaprow wants to decrease the function of the observer and even getting rid of the audience all together which would leave only the artist as the primary force in performance

1965 - at Carnegie Hall Yoko Ono performed her "Cut Piece" in which she invited the audience to come up and take scissors to cut a piece of clothing off of her body as she sat there on the stage floor

-Myrog Krueger's "responsive environments" was released which was a work of new media technology

-Dick Higgins coins the term Fluxus to describe this "intermedia" work which was seen by some as threatening as is threatened art forms such as opera while others welcomed this change.

NMR: "Man-Computer Symbiosis" summary (pgs. 73-82)

In 1960s J.C.R. Licklider was a very important promoter of science education, time-sharing systems, interactive computing, computer networks, and computing as a future form of new media. He was responsible for redirecting the Advanced Research Projects Agency funding to iniversities thus creating the "iron triangle" which is composed of industry, academia, and the military. Licklider strongly encouraged universities to link their computers together in computer networks to share important technological developments in computer software developed on college campuses. Licklider had a great vision for the future which was that we could more effectively communicate and carry out functions by way of the computer. In Man-Computer Symbiosis, computers have the capacity to carry out formulative thinking and find solutions to problems. Additionally, the computer would cooperate with humans in making decisions and controlling situations.

Timeline for Intoduction to "Man-Computer Symbiosis"

1960 - J.C.R. Licklider wrote his essay "Man-Computer Symbiosis"

1962 - Licklader leaves his post as VP at Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN) to head the Advanced Research Projects Agency (now the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)

1962 - Licklader addressed a memo to the "Members and Affiliates of the Intergalactic Computer Network"

1960s - Licklader encourages universities to link their computers together to share in the benefits from new software tools

1964 - Licklader left ARPA but the network he envisioned, the ARPAnet, took shape

1968 - With Robert Taylor, Licklader helped write the article "The Computer as Communication Device"...said that soon we would be able to communicate better through a machine than by face-to-face interaction

1969 - the 2nd ARPAnet was connected by Doug Engelbart at SRI wrich brought online the network that would become the Internet

NMR: "Men, Machines and the World About" summary (pgs. 65-72)

In his article "Men, Machines and the World About," Norbert Wiener discusses his new found field of science called "cybernetics," the study of mechanical and electronic systems designed to replace the control functions of human beings. In order to do so, cybernetics applies statistical mehcanics to communication technology. Central to his discussion in the article, however, is Wiener's discussion of the implications of microcomputer technology. Wiener proposes the idea that a new industrial revolution is taking place in which the energy of the machine is replacing the energy of the human/animal. Wiener says that the discrimination of the machine is taking the place of human judgement and discrimination. Although such a system would be economical being that it would save time by way of automation, such a system may be flawed and thus potentially harmful. Such a system may not be suited to make good judgements because the information provided may be too complicated, it may be influenced by ecological factors not accounted for by the judging system, and the judgement itself may be too complicated and disordered for human understanding. With this in mind, it can be concluded that humans should not incorporate the use of such a system unless every and all environmental/external factors can be accounted for or we will, by way of the machine, rip ourselves away from the ecological foundations that, in fact, sustain life. The dream of an entirely automated world can mean the end of human life.

Timeline fore "Men, Machines and the World About"

WWII - Norbert Wiener engages in research project funded by Vannevar Bush's academic/industrial/ military "iron triangle."

1947 - Wiener writes "A Scientist Rebels" which is an open letter that discusses the importance of scientists being engaged with the consequences of their work. In the case of war where the technology of weaponry is concerned, scientific data is a matter life or death.

1954 - Wiener releases his essay "Men, Machines, and the World About" which discusses the history and concepts of his new cybernetic science which sets out to create an overarching study of "communication and control in the animal and machine."

Post WWII - Wiener refuses military funding for his work

1987 - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility start awarding an annual Wiener Award to award others for their contributions to "socail responsibility in computing technology."

New Media Reader: "Computing Machinery and Intelligence"

In Alan Turing's 1950 article "Computing Machinery and Intelligence," Turing introduces a new idea that he calls the "Imitation Game." He describes two versions of the game. In one version, an interrogator talks through a teletype machine to a woman and a man. The man is supposed to try and convince the interrogator that he is a woman. The woman, on the other hand, is supposed to keep the interrogator from concluding that the man is a woman. She might do so by convincing the interrogator that she is a woman and that the man is lying. Later in his essay, Turing proposes the other version of the game in which the interrogator talks to a person and a computer. It is the computer's task to convince the interrogator that it is a person, while it is the person's job to prevent the computer from doing so. Ultimately, if the interrogator cannot determine which is a computer and which is a human, the computer wins. The point in the game which came to be known as the "Turing Test" is to demonstrate a machine's capability for intelligence. ..the computer's ability to imitate the functions of a human being. In his essay, Turing proposed that within the next fifty years it would be possible to program computers in such a way that they would be able to win the imitation game at least 30% of the time after a period of 5 minute questioning by an interrogator. This idea of Turing's is evident of his optimism for the possibility of artificial intelligence in the future.

Timeline for Intoduction to "Computing Machinery and Intelligence"

1943 - the British Colossus computers built with the help of Alan Turing, a Cambridge mathematician.

1950 - Turing releases his article "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" which describes what would later be called the "Turing Test" which raises the question "can a computer fool a person into believing that it too is human while communicating over a teletype setup?"

1950s (early) - billing systems being developed for use by businesses in computing, performing and keeping track of mathematical calculations. Turing's predictions for the computer, however, went beyond mathematical function.

1966 - The Association for Computing Machinery starts offering the annual Turing Award which is awarded to technical contributors with the field

1988 - Ivan Sutherland is given the Turing Award for his advancements in computer graphics which started with "Sketchpad."

1991 - Turing Test inspires the annual Loebner Prize competition

1997 - Douglas Engelbart given the Turing Award for being the inspiration behind interactive computer technology

New Media Reader: "As We May Think" Summary (pgs. 35-47)

In Vannevar Bush's 1945 article "As We May Think," he discusses inventions of the time in addition to providing his speculations on future technological innovations that will come about. Bush, however, voices his concern that the ending of WWII may hold back scientific advancements due to insufficient government funding. Bush talks about future developments in the world of photography that would allow photographers to simply wear a pair of special glasses through which they could look and capture images of their field of vision. This film could then be developed instantly using a dry technique, rather than chemically developing the film over time. Bush then came up with his idea for a mass storage device which would store thousands of books and pictures. Bush called this idea of his the "memex" and proposed that users of the memex would be able to take notes right there on the screen using a keyboard in conjunction with different buttons and levers. The notes taken by each user and the different research "trails" incorporated could then be saved and made available to other users of the memex. The article closes with other technological predictions made by Bush.

Timeline for Intoduction to As We May Think

1940- Bush convinces Franklin D Roosevelt to give funding and supportto create collaborative relationship between military and academic researchers

1945- "As We May Think" by Vannevar Bush published twice

Shortly after, Doug Engelbart, a radar technician read "As We May Think" which influenced the invention of the mouse, the word processor, the hyperlink, etc..

Thoughts on the Borges documentary

I thought the documentary on Borges was a great way for us to really see Borges's entire story. We see where he came from, how he was raised, his home life, his interests at an early age, the development of his intellect, etc.. We see how important his relationships are in his life and the influence they had upon his writings. We are also able to see a clear picture of the progression of his life...the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows. It is crazy to think that even with the degenerative disease glaucoma which also plagued his father, Borges continued on and earned many achievements during his lifetime. In particular, his Garden of Forking Paths truly laid the foundation upon which the concept of the Internet was built.

Thoughts on The Garden of Forking Paths

The Garden of Forking Paths seemed to me to be a very bizarre story. I kind of didn't really get what exactly was going on until we did the class exercise in which we came up with our own secret agent code name and killed someone who had the same name as the location that we wanted our army to blow up. This finally made things click for me. In The Garden of Forking Paths towards the end we see Borges illustrate all of the possible paths that the protaganist could have taken other than killing Allen. We see the correllation of the story to the thought process in creating the complex branching system we know today as the Internet. Both in The Garden of Forking Paths and on the Internet today there are routes, paths that fork away from eachother sometimes reconviening at later times or merging with other paths. Everything is all laid out. Everything is there within this realm, however, one simple choice in one's actions determines which paths will be made available to them in the future. Although a bit strange, I think The Garden of Forking Paths is a good way to illustrate the concept behind the World Wide Web today. The story engages the reader in a fictional tale that emphasizes key structural elements which opened minds up to the possibilities of Internet technology.

My opinion on Ken Perlin's work

Ken Perlin has made so many advancements in the world of computer programming that it is hard to keep track. I think that some of my favorite parts of his work include his use of noise function/turbulence to create textures and undulating surfaces. I am also really intrigued by his creation of real-time animated puppetry. Perlin allows artists the possibility to create computer characters that have a life of their own. The puppets/characters have a simple level of awareness that allows them to respond in real-time within the given parameters set by computer design artists.

My opinion on RYAN, Chris Landreth, & Ryan Larkin

RYAN was a great DVD that included great material regarding not only the biographical information on Ryan Larkin presented in a digitally animated medium which was a great bonus, but also included the actual short-films that Ryan Larkin throughout his artistic career. In RYAN, directed by Chris Landreth, we are able to see bits and pieces of some of Larkin's works including snippets from "Walking" and "Street Musique," but it was nice to be able to view the entire works which were included on the DVD. The DVD was also interesting because you are able to see the progression of digital animation from the 1960s up until today.

Chris Landreth is a computer animation genius. I have no idea how he is capable of creating the films that he creates, but it really is amazing. His work on RYAN and Bingo really showcase his artistic talent and both films do so in a very brief period of time.

Ryan Larkin is a true pioneer in the field of digital animation. He is largely responsible for 3-D animation being where it is today. I found all of his digitally animated films on the RYAN DVD to be captivating.

Ryan (summary)

Ryan, the short film directed by Chris Landreth is a film about the life of Ryan Larkin who is a critically acclaimed computer animator. In the film, Landreth's digitally animated version of Larkin is a highly unstable, emotional artist who is nearly always on the brink of collapse. Ryan sits down and speaks with different people who have been important to his life. Chris Landreth is the other primary character in the film who speaks to Ryan about his past accomplishments and his current state of being, which is not a good one due to his recent addiction to cocaine and current alcoholic tendencies. Ryan was abused by his father as a child and affected by his mother's alcoholism which ultimately brought her to her death. We learn that Ryan's first animated film to receive public praise was "Walking" which was released in 1969. In fact, Ryan received an Academy Award nomination for this short film. Just three years later, in 1972, Ryan released his last film, "Street Musique." It was at this time that he stopped creating. He felt as though there was no point in him making anything anymore because noone would ever buy his creations and therefore, he was never going to earn any money from his career. Disheartened and hopeless, Ryan turned to drugs and booze and ended up becoming a begger on the streets at the film's end.

Bingo (summary)

Bingo, the short film directed by Chris Landreth tells the tale of an average guy who finds himself sitting in the center of a scary circus ring. He is approached by different members of the circus such as the head clown; The Money Guy! who is a fat, blob-like bald man with dozens of arms, fingers, and paper money flabbing from his fingers; and what seems to be a cute little clown girl holding balloons that are constantly inflating and popping. All of these characters say "Hi Bingo the Clowno" to the average guy sitting in his chair. He keeps saying "No I'm not Bingo," but by the film's end he is brainwashed into believing that he is, indeed, Bingo the Clowno. Comically, at this turning point when the average guy stands up and starts dancing as he proclaims that he is Bingo, the lights come on and a voice heard over a loud-speaker says, "Thank you...next." It is as though this guy was an actor on an audtion and he finally gave the casting directors what they wanted.

Winged Migration

It is incredible to think that the camera crew used imprinting in order to condition the young birds into thinking the crew was their family, their parents. It is also crazy to think that an ultra-light robotic camera plane had to be created in order to film the flying sequences. I wondered, when viewing the film, how it was possible to get that kind of up-close footage throughout the migratory journies and when I found that out, I was really impressed. Great movie! I loved it.

Microcosmos

Through viewing the film I can appreciate not only nature, but the impplementation of technological advancements to allow us the possibility of viewing and experiencing things that we normally would not see.

The New Media Reader - The Garden of Forking Paths Summary

In "The Garden of Forking Paths" there is no progression of time. Instead, it is a self-contained world dominated by pathways branching out from one another. There is no right or wrong way, just a world of possibilities that exist. The Garden is not an environment in which exploration brings individuals to a state of Enlightenment or discovery. In the Garden there is no forward movement. Instead, there exists a "labrynth" that encapsulates individuals within an informational space.

The New Media Reader Intro #2 Summary

In Lev Manovich's "New Media from Borges to HTML," Manovich discusses the history of the new media field. It wasn't until the laste 80s that the field really began to develop in mainstream culture. New institutions dedicated to new media were popping up across all Europe at that time. Japan and Europe were the centers of new media technology where festivals, installations, and advancements in the field were being made. Although the technology was developed in the U.S., it did not really become used here until the 1990s. Even then, it was slowly assimilated into the art world over time. This was due in part to the fact of the U.S. having very low federal funding for the development and technologic display of such digital new media creations. Also the U.S. was still caught up in the idea of artistic works being one-of-a-kind, tangible creations of single artists. In the mid-90s, universities in the western states began to introduce digital new media programs into their institutions.

Software design has had a great impact upon modern art. With the development of computer software, artists are able to utilize such technology in augmenting their artistic visions producing final works of art that would not have been made possible if it were not for computer software. Additionally, it is the computer programmers, the software developers. the graphic artists, web designers, cumputer game designers, DJs, etc., that are the true artists and innovators of our time.


When it comes to the question of "What is the new media?," Manovich provides 8 propositions:

The first distinguishes between new media and cyberculture. New media is centered on the new cultural phenomena enabled by computer technology, whereas cyberculture is primarily concerned with social networking within web communities.

The second proposition is that new media is a computer technology that is used as a means of distribution. It is hard to define new media in this way because it would have to be updated as more and more parts of culture come to use computer technology for distribution, most forms of media will come to use computer technology for distribution causing new media to take on a general rather than specific meaning, and it does not provide us with any information regarding how computer distribution can affect how media objects are perceived.

The third answer to the question is that new media is digital data that is controlled by "cultural" software. In other words, new media is broken down to mere digital data which can than be manipulated and changed to create different versions of that orginal data.

The fourth answer defines new media as a mix between existing cultural conventions and the conventions of software. New media takes old cultural data which are visual representations of human life and new data which is numerical data and then combines the two to produce new media manifestations such as image-maps, animated icons, etc..

The fifth definition proposes that new media is the aesthetics that accompanies the early stage of every new modern media and communication technology. According to this idea new media is every technolological advance in media and communication in history. Therefore, in the early stages, photography, film, telephones, and t.v., were all considered new media. When thinking about new media as a recurrence of aesthetic ideas over history rather than the computer-based technological advancements being achieved in recent times and today, it cannot be useful unless all aspects of history are studied alongside technologic innovation.

The sixth defines new media as a faster execution of algorithms preveiously executed manually or through other technologies. New media simply carries out the steps neccessary in accomplishing particular tasks that would take humans much longer to carry out without the use of new media. When thinking of this, however, one should not ignore that new media also provides real-time communication and real-time control, properties essential to the field.

The seventh defines new media as the encoding modernist avant-garde, meaning that new media software encodes 1920s avante-garde techniques. For example, collage in avante garde = cut and paste in new media. 1920s avante-garde, however, was about creating new ways of depicting reality and viewing the world. New media avante-garde, on the other hand is about developing and utilizing new methods of changing and manipulating pre-existing information. This is Manovich's concept of "meta media."

The final proposition is that new media is a parallel articulation of similar ideas in post-WWII art and modern computing. During the 1960s artists created pieces which they further developed in the 1980s with the use of interactive computer programming.

There are several other decades that are important in the development of digital new media discussed thoughout The New Media Reader in addition to the 1920s and 1960s.

The New Media Reader Intro #1 Summary

"Inventing the Medium" by Janet H. Murray we are able to discover the shifts in human thought in the 1900s that ultimately led to the creation of the computer. The computer, the digital medium, was made possible when technology and creativity joined forces to develop an invention that would completely change the world in which we live. Throughout the early 1900s, when only thoughts and visions of the new medium existed, engineers and humanists developed similar ideas of a new medium in which information could be collected, categorized, and made available to all as a readily accessible tool of knowledge. The shared ideas of engineers and humanists built upon one another over the years resulting in the creation of the computer. In the 1960s the computer become an object the was viewed as a powerful machine capable of countless possibilities.

As stated by Murray, there are 4 primary characteristics responsible for the fascinating and engaging nature of the computer. The first characteristic is the computer's "encyclopedic capacity," the system's ability to give us nearly all of the information we want in one singular place. The second characteristic, "spatial property," is so important because it allows us to conveniently and easily locate information within "cyberspace." We learn how to navigate the maps of computer systems and therefore, in doing so we come to expect things to exist in certain locations within this space created by computers. The third quality is the computer's "participatory" nature of the medium. It is an environment that actively engages users. The final characteristic discussed by Murray is the "procedural" characteristic of the computer which means the medium provides an environment that "responds coherently to our participation."

Throughout the 1970s there were skeptics who viewed computer technology as a negative invention that would only increase consumer alienation and isolation from the outside world. During the 80s, however, shifts in the minds of humanists were occurring as the possibilities of human connection through computer usage were realized as files and information could be passed from individual to individual. By the end of the 80s, the computer became a widely used tool in everyday life.

Soon after, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. Berners-Lee created documents called web pages which could be viewable by all on the Web. No longer was it necessary to send around files of information between individuals. Now, thanks to Berner-Lee, information was viewable and available to all, everywhere.

In 50 years alone the computer has come a very long way and who knows where it will take us in the future.