1) According to the text "Remediation" the author uses the phrase (in relation to Hollywood's use of computer graphics)
"remediation operates in both directions" - what is meant by this?
He explains this as the user of traditional media, like film n television, being able to “ seek to appropriate and refashion digital graphics, just as digital graphics artists can refashion film and television.”
2) What does Michael Benedikt, author of "Cyberspace the First Steps" introduction argue had happened to modern city by the late 60s, having become more than 'a collection of buildings and streets'?
He argued that the modern city is an “immense node communication.” Not only do the structures and parks become more improved, but everywhere you turn contains some form of communication liaison or device, which also involves some sort of media.
3) In his short story "Skinner's Room" William Gibson describes how Skinner watches a tiny portable 'pop-up' TV set. What can skinner no longer remember? (remediation in relation to television as an idea is neatly summed up in this sentence!)
He can't remember the differences between commercial and programming.
4) Author of the famous pamphlet "Culture Jamming" Mark Dery paraphrases Umberto Eco and his phrase "semiological guerrilla warfare". What does this mean?
He talks about how the person who receives the information has the freedom to interpret it any way they choose, but some “communication guerillas” affect how people interpret a message by giving a pre-determined interpretation of their own.
5) From Mark Dery's pamphlet, briefly describe "Subvertising"
Subvertising is basically a form of graffiti advertising. Some street artist have a message that they want the public to know, or they want to alter a message of a billboard, poster, etc. Subvertising is the illegal practice of public advertising used by the street artists to project a specific message.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
SketchUp
My scene is an interpretation of the future city that can be used in a movie set in the future. This city is a metropolitan city such as San Francisco or New York. The role this scene would play in the movie would be to show what everyday life in the future may be like based on what the past perceptions are of a future world mixed with what people are striving to look for in a future today. This is an interpretation of the mixture between the fast-developing technology and the global strife for conservation, safety, and balance between digital and analog.
The scene takes place in a small park in the middle the city. Technology has fast-forwarded into a time where flying cars exist, but with popular hobbies such as skateboarding and cycling, the flying cars allow the street to be safe enough for those mobile hobbyists. In the park, there are also plenty of people enjoying the afternoon with dogs and company. Even with technology such as flying cars, people still strive for an analog life to balance out a world that is not completely run by technological development. The green grass, plants, and the plaza's water fountain infere that this is also a much greener future thanks to today's efforts in building a greener environment.
The scene takes place in a small park in the middle the city. Technology has fast-forwarded into a time where flying cars exist, but with popular hobbies such as skateboarding and cycling, the flying cars allow the street to be safe enough for those mobile hobbyists. In the park, there are also plenty of people enjoying the afternoon with dogs and company. Even with technology such as flying cars, people still strive for an analog life to balance out a world that is not completely run by technological development. The green grass, plants, and the plaza's water fountain infere that this is also a much greener future thanks to today's efforts in building a greener environment.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Week 2 Questions
1) Why was the period at the turn of the 20th century so important?
New innovations were being invented everyday. It was said there was more changes within their 30 years than any before.
2) What aspects of the Dada art movement are important from the point of view of the rise of the computers and digital visual media? (for example Marcel Duchamp's "readymades"?)
Dadaism symbolized starting from scratch or starting a new culture all over again. It was art that symbolized a simple form to contrast the new innovations.
Marcel Duchamp showed a new radical artform that symbolized that the world was already full of objects and he did not need to add to it, he could just pick one. There was an abundance of new things. He was just sampling the world around him.
3) Name one aspect that links "The Man with a Movie Camera" with digital media according to Lev Manovich (ReadingsB)
It is possible to turn effects into meaningful artistic language. (ie. Camera jiggering and cinematography effects of cutting and pasting stills.) The film showed new innovations, assembly lines, and a representation of the new culture that was technology based.
4) What was 'constructivism'?
It meant to construct your own world or the world as you see it.
5) Read pages VI (6) to XXII (22) of "The Language of New Media" in ReadingsB:What does Lev Manovich suggest are the 'three levels' of "The Man with a Movie Camera"?
The three levels were the man who was shooting the film, the audience watching the film, and the film itself.
6) Who first developed the idea of "Cybernetics"?
Norman Weiner
7) In "Computer Lib" Ted Nelson describes Hypertext as "Non ___________" writing (fill in the blank)
Non-sequential writing
8) (Lecture) why were transistors, even though 100 times smaller than vacuum tubes considered impractical for building computers in the 1960s?
It was too expensive to reproduce.
9) What was the name of the first commercial available computer (kit)?
Altair
10) Write a paragraph: In your own words: What are things going to look like in 20 years from now in the average living room in terms of digital visual media? What types of digital media will your kids be using around 2030?
20 years from now, I can see children having mobile smart phones and new innovations of our day, such as tablets, as young as toddlers. In the average living room, televisions will be replaced with some sort of touch screen mechanism with a more universal function. Just as some celebrities have a touch screen universal remote to control their home's lighting and television, I see that becoming more accessible to the common living room. With innovations such as 3D-TV, although expensive today, will become easy to access for the common family and will be easier to enjoy without the cost and appearance of the glasses it comes with today. Digital visual media will enhance interactive games such as the Wii or Xbox Kinect and allow that to transfer into other functions besides just gaming. I believe the future will be more interactive and that the average living room will look a lot more like the Metreon than a cozy, country home.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Week 1: Questions - Giant Brains
1) How was unique about Charles Babbage Analytical Engine, compared to his original Difference Engine?
The Analytical Engine did more than sequences of square like the Difference Engine. It used punched cards as a means of programming and was dreamt to be able to do numerous functions for the user.
2) What role did Ada Lovelace play in the development of the Analytical Engine?
She saw the machine at Babbage’s house and enrolled herself and his interpreter to the world. She was considered the first computer programmer.
3) How was the ENIAC computer reprogrammed?
It was manually reprogrammed by humans rewiring the whole computer through wiring diagrams.
4) Name an innovation that helped make programming faster post ENIAC (see ep. 2)
UNIVAC
5) What is it about binary counting that makes it so well suited to computers?
Binary counting made it simple because it only used 2 numbers which turned into on and off switches.
6) In what ways did UNIVAC influence the portrayal of computers in popular culture in the 1950s? Give an example. (see ep. 2)
They portrayed machines to be smarter than. After UNIVAC correctly predicted the Eisenhower election, newspapers and TV shows portrayed humans becoming inferior to computers. CBS even announced that UNIVAC was right and they were wrong.
7) Codebreaking required the automatic manipulation of symbols to unscramble messages during WWII. What was the name of the rudimentary computer at Bletchley Park in England that unscrambled Nazi codes.
Colossus
8) Alan Turing who understood the implications of such machines later went on to describe them as __________ machines.
Computing machines
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Write two paragraphs for each:
9) Describe when you first used computers and what types of tasks you performed on them.
My family first purchased our desktop computer in 1997 because my mother wanted to use it for school in place our typewriter. My mother was given a book full of ways to efficiently type and she made me use it so I could learn at a young age how to type faster. When we got internet, she made me a children’s account on AOL so that I could use the computer to do research for school and play games.
At a young age, I became the expert in the house when it came to using the computer. I not only used to research and play games, but I learned how download music and make that computer my personal storage system, radio, and resource for school. I learned about all the updates happening with the computer and learned how to use the new technologies that were coming out. To this day, my family turns to me when they come upon problems concerning their computers.
10) How restricted do you think computers are in terms of what they can do compared to how they are most often used?
I believe they are often used to serve personal and social purposes for the common owner, however, they also serve as a convenient way for most people to lead their day to day professional lives. They make it easier for people to carryout tasks for work as well as school. Computers have turned into the liaisons between people and companies through social networking, e-mail, instant messaging, and video chat.
With that being said, computers offer many functions that are continually progressing and I do not believe that they are restricted in what they can do, but that users are limiting themselves to the computers many purposes and functions. The only restriction or downfall that the computer has is that it is automating and eliminating jobs and limiting humans to digital interaction instead of personal, face-to-face interactions. People hide behind screens instead of forging relationships in person.
The Analytical Engine did more than sequences of square like the Difference Engine. It used punched cards as a means of programming and was dreamt to be able to do numerous functions for the user.
2) What role did Ada Lovelace play in the development of the Analytical Engine?
She saw the machine at Babbage’s house and enrolled herself and his interpreter to the world. She was considered the first computer programmer.
3) How was the ENIAC computer reprogrammed?
It was manually reprogrammed by humans rewiring the whole computer through wiring diagrams.
4) Name an innovation that helped make programming faster post ENIAC (see ep. 2)
UNIVAC
5) What is it about binary counting that makes it so well suited to computers?
Binary counting made it simple because it only used 2 numbers which turned into on and off switches.
6) In what ways did UNIVAC influence the portrayal of computers in popular culture in the 1950s? Give an example. (see ep. 2)
They portrayed machines to be smarter than. After UNIVAC correctly predicted the Eisenhower election, newspapers and TV shows portrayed humans becoming inferior to computers. CBS even announced that UNIVAC was right and they were wrong.
7) Codebreaking required the automatic manipulation of symbols to unscramble messages during WWII. What was the name of the rudimentary computer at Bletchley Park in England that unscrambled Nazi codes.
Colossus
8) Alan Turing who understood the implications of such machines later went on to describe them as __________ machines.
Computing machines
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Write two paragraphs for each:
9) Describe when you first used computers and what types of tasks you performed on them.
My family first purchased our desktop computer in 1997 because my mother wanted to use it for school in place our typewriter. My mother was given a book full of ways to efficiently type and she made me use it so I could learn at a young age how to type faster. When we got internet, she made me a children’s account on AOL so that I could use the computer to do research for school and play games.
At a young age, I became the expert in the house when it came to using the computer. I not only used to research and play games, but I learned how download music and make that computer my personal storage system, radio, and resource for school. I learned about all the updates happening with the computer and learned how to use the new technologies that were coming out. To this day, my family turns to me when they come upon problems concerning their computers.
10) How restricted do you think computers are in terms of what they can do compared to how they are most often used?
I believe they are often used to serve personal and social purposes for the common owner, however, they also serve as a convenient way for most people to lead their day to day professional lives. They make it easier for people to carryout tasks for work as well as school. Computers have turned into the liaisons between people and companies through social networking, e-mail, instant messaging, and video chat.
With that being said, computers offer many functions that are continually progressing and I do not believe that they are restricted in what they can do, but that users are limiting themselves to the computers many purposes and functions. The only restriction or downfall that the computer has is that it is automating and eliminating jobs and limiting humans to digital interaction instead of personal, face-to-face interactions. People hide behind screens instead of forging relationships in person.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)