Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
On 26/07/12 marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.org wrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That’s exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) — a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman’s singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ Just ordered a copy.. commenting on the snippet on brainpickings.org: I haven't experienced a project beginning with the beauty of a crystal. There might be small areas where my thinking is crystal but mostly it will be dark from the beginning (as opposed to after months of coding). There will be very little certainty about how things should work. But then I never work with pages of careful documents - nor have written code for an employer. I came across the most irritating programming related cartoon I've ever been unfortunate enough to rest my eyes upon: http://www.readwriteweb.com/hack/2012/07/cartoon-last-place-in-the-hacker-olympics.php It seems such a square-peg round-hole way of thinking about programming. I've had to learn not to compare myself to other programmers to regularly. It's too discouraging. Anyway, sometimes when working on implementing a new feature in a program it's almost like having to pull up a weed which has rooted itself down tightly into cracks between rocks/bricks/stonework. The weed being the way of doing things which must be removed for the new feature to be implemented. The new feature requiring a more solid re-implementation of the weak techniques of the weed. During the weeding out of shoddy code and re-implementing it's replacement, I am easily distracted. A line of code gets written once an hour if I'm lucky. Working in the dark away from crystalized ideas. Never sure if it will work out or not. Progress is slow. But suddenly one day it all suddenly almost unexpectedly fits together almost too easily. james ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
Perhaps I'm missing something, but dawn of computer revolution in 1997 made me double take. The beginning of the computer evolution in 1997! Come on, the conditions which gave rise to a computer revolution go way way back - its not possible to use specific dates that mark the beginning, the world doesn't work like that, there are many strands and trajectories of technological and human histories, the formative years of the telegraph to name but one, that made it inevitable that the current conditions of this technological age would take place. But then I haven't read the book;) Tom On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:35 PM, marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.orgwrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That’s exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) — a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman’s singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- TOM KEENE | THE ANTHILL SOCIAL Artist. Interactive Designer. Programmer. 07930 573 944 47 Hardel walk, Tulse Hill, SW2 2QG t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk www.theanthillsocial.co.uk ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
Perhaps they mean 1967? But that remains much later than any dawn, into the second generation of electronic computing. Realistically you would have to say the dawn was closer to 1947 - but that depends on how you define a computer. It could be considered to have dawned far earlier. This author could benefit from some texts by Zielinski, Parrikki or Huhtamo, on media archeology, in their Christmas stocking this year? best Simon On 29 Jul 2012, at 11:55, Tom Keene wrote: Perhaps I'm missing something, but dawn of computer revolution in 1997 made me double take. The beginning of the computer evolution in 1997! Come on, the conditions which gave rise to a computer revolution go way way back - its not possible to use specific dates that mark the beginning, the world doesn't work like that, there are many strands and trajectories of technological and human histories, the formative years of the telegraph to name but one, that made it inevitable that the current conditions of this technological age would take place. But then I haven't read the book;) Tom On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:35 PM, marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.org wrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That’s exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) — a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman’s singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- TOM KEENE | THE ANTHILL SOCIAL Artist. Interactive Designer. Programmer. 07930 573 944 47 Hardel walk, Tulse Hill, SW2 2QG t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk www.theanthillsocial.co.uk ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk s.bi...@ed.ac.uk Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ MSc by Research in Interdisciplinary Creative Practices http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?id=656cw_xml=details.php ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
let's not forget ada lovelace charles babbage ... On 29/07/12 1:04 PM, Simon Biggs wrote: Perhaps they mean 1967? But that remains much later than any dawn, into the second generation of electronic computing. Realistically you would have to say the dawn was closer to 1947 - but that depends on how you define a computer. It could be considered to have dawned far earlier. This author could benefit from some texts by Zielinski, Parrikki or Huhtamo, on media archeology, in their Christmas stocking this year? best Simon On 29 Jul 2012, at 11:55, Tom Keene wrote: Perhaps I'm missing something, but dawn of computer revolution in 1997 made me double take. The beginning of the computer evolution in 1997! Come on, the conditions which gave rise to a computer revolution go way way back - its not possible to use specific dates that mark the beginning, the world doesn't work like that, there are many strands and trajectories of technological and human histories, the formative years of the telegraph to name but one, that made it inevitable that the current conditions of this technological age would take place. But then I haven't read the book;) Tom On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:35 PM, marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.org mailto:marc.garr...@furtherfield.org wrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That's exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) --- a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman's singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org mailto:NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- TOM KEENE | THE ANTHILL SOCIAL Artist. Interactive Designer. Programmer. 07930 573 944 47 Hardel walk, Tulse Hill, SW2 2QG t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk mailto:t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk www.theanthillsocial.co.uk http://www.theanthillsocial.co.uk/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org mailto:NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk mailto:si...@littlepig.org.uk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk s.bi...@ed.ac.uk mailto:s.bi...@ed.ac.uk Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ MSc by Research in Interdisciplinary Creative Practices http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?id=656cw_xml=details.php ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- helen varley jamieson: creative catalyst he...@creative-catalyst.com http://www.creative-catalyst.com http://www.make-shift.net http://www.upstage.org.nz ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
or giving an abacus a good workout (I once filled out a grant application using one) - On Sun, 29 Jul 2012, Simon Biggs wrote: Perhaps they mean 1967? But that remains much later than any dawn, into the second generation of electronic computing. Realistically you would have to say the dawn was closer to 1947 - but that depends on how you define a computer. It could be considered to have dawned far earlier. This author could benefit from some texts by Zielinski, Parrikki or Huhtamo, on media archeology, in their Christmas stocking this year? best Simon On 29 Jul 2012, at 11:55, Tom Keene wrote: Perhaps I'm missing something, but dawn of computer revolution in 1997 made me double take. The beginning of the computer evolution in 1997! Come on, the conditions which gave rise to a computer revolution go way way back - its not possible to use specific dates that mark the beginning, the world doesn't work like that, there are many strands and trajectories of technological and human histories, the formative years of the telegraph to name but one, that made it inevitable that the current conditions of this technological age would take place. But then I haven't read the book;) Tom On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:35 PM, marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.org wrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That?s exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) ? a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman?s singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- TOM KEENE | THE ANTHILL SOCIAL Artist. Interactive Designer. Programmer. 07930 573 944 47 Hardel walk, Tulse Hill, SW2 2QG t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk www.theanthillsocial.co.uk ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk s.bi...@ed.ac.uk Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ MSc by Research in Interdisciplinary Creative Practices http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?id=656cw_xml=details.php == blog: http://nikuko.blogspot.com/ (main blog) email archive http://sondheim.rupamsunyata.org/ web http://www.alansondheim.org / cell 347-383-8552 music: http://www.espdisk.com/alansondheim/ current text http://www.alansondheim.org/rn.txt ==___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
Re: [NetBehaviour] Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch
On 29/07/12 Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk wrote: Perhaps they mean 1967? But that remains much later than any dawn, into the second generation of electronic computing. Realistically you would have to say the dawn was closer to 1947 - but that depends on how you define a computer. It could be considered to have dawned far earlier. This author could benefit from some texts by Zielinski, Parrikki or Huhtamo, on media archeology, in their Christmas stocking this year? perhaps 1947 was midnight, what came before it was yesterday, 1997 is dawn, and we're just getting out of bed for work on a monday morning ;-) best Simon On 29 Jul 2012, at 11:55, Tom Keene wrote: Perhaps I'm missing something, but dawn of computer revolution in 1997 made me double take. The beginning of the computer evolution in 1997! Come on, the conditions which gave rise to a computer revolution go way way back - its not possible to use specific dates that mark the beginning, the world doesn't work like that, there are many strands and trajectories of technological and human histories, the formative years of the telegraph to name but one, that made it inevitable that the current conditions of this technological age would take place. But then I haven't read the book;) Tom On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 10:35 PM, marc marc.garr...@furtherfield.org wrote: Close to the Machine: Code and the Mesmerism of Building a World from Scratch by Maria Popova The sociocultural relationship between humanity and technology has been the subject of equal parts dystopianism, utopianism, and layered reflection. But what of the actual, intimate, one-on-one relationship between human and machine, creator and created? That’s exactly what software engineer Ellen Ullman explores in Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents (public library) — a fascinating look at the riveting dawn of computer revolution in 1997, those formative years of learning to translate the inexorable messiness of being human into elegant and organized code, examined through Ullman’s singular lens of being a rare woman on this largely male-driven forefront. http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/26/close-to-the-machine-ellen-ullman/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- TOM KEENE | THE ANTHILL SOCIAL Artist. Interactive Designer. Programmer. 07930 573 944 47 Hardel walk, Tulse Hill, SW2 2QG t...@theanthillsocial.co.uk www.theanthillsocial.co.uk ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Simon Biggs si...@littlepig.org.uk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ @SimonBiggsUK skype: simonbiggsuk s.bi...@ed.ac.uk Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ http://www.elmcip.net/ http://www.movingtargets.co.uk/ MSc by Research in Interdisciplinary Creative Practices http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?id=656cw_xml=details.php -- http://jwm-art.net/ image/audio/text/code/ ___ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour@netbehaviour.org http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
