The one word that I think of most after watching the Bootlab session is HOMEBREW. Because there is no public radio in Berlin, Bootlab works with getting people to create their own transmitters so people can find out about current events (and projects that bootlab is working on). At the beginning, it's said that they also try to provide IP access to people. Freifunkhein set up their own network so that people could access the internet. BUT the homebrew comes in that people would have to set-up everything (router, firmware, etc.) to become part of the mesh network. I think about the US a lot in this context, and though there is a large homebrew network (for many devices), but the average american will go to best buy if they cannot turn on their computer (and didn't push the power on button) - etc. Relying on people is nice for support, but laziness is different, and the Berlin project people have to learn to do these things on their own.
Now, i'd like to meet between these two places because there is a huge homebrew community online, and help is available (of course this was different for Berlin in 2004 - not even having access to broadband) once you get online.
Comminutree is a neat project not just because it provides a practical environment for users (solar panels, etc.) but rather the metaphor for community in the online world and how that CAN exist in the real world. I sometimes feel we are losing grip with reality, and at least with something like the Communitree, people are near each other.
The things bootlab talks about is real grassroots new media stuff that, at least I, have learned about in various new media classes. Things from bottom up approachs, community, networking, self-actualized technology. Their purposes are really great in the decentralization process.
(ALSO RAPH YOU SAID IN THE LECTURE YOU WOULD POST LINKS TO PROJECTS...?)
The Bootlab lecture went very well I thought it was very nice to hear from the different members and what each of them is working on specifically. More over I felt that seeing an organized group of people actually legitimately working off one another and playing and collaborating was really great. Its what I wish the New Media department here would be more like. Here it seems everyone is exclusive, to their projects, because were afraid of other people stealing them, and it seems that there are on occasion people who do steal other peoples projects. Personally I have a select few people that I talk to about my projects and spin ideas off of them, just because they I know will help me rather than just taking what I say and go off and do it themselves.
I found that the projects the people from Bootlab are doing are very socially and network oriented and at the same time reconnect, they seem to be brining the digital world more into the environmental, making wifi parks and making a huge free wifi network. It will be interesting to see where they go and what they do with the projects they have. Building a free radio for the public and making affordable international calling, all of these are undermining the larger corporations and the super structures that are already in place, and I think that when Bootlab reaches their ideal size it will be interesting to see how they are capable to really transform the world and what kind of an effect they have on the places they work.
The lecture brought a new source of hope that people are able to collaborate, and it was refreshing to see it in action in this case. It is good to see people who care and it is good to see people taking action and creating something that hasn’t been created before for the greater good of everyone. It’s about how they influence people and how that influence is a positive one the general public of Berlin.
Exactly what this is "homebrew", although Homebrew really is the name of a computer club started out in California. Their concepts and principals are the same as bootlab. Bootlab/Homebrew really is a group that has ambition and drive to do things that really test and question the convergence of people and technology.
Freely giving information (instructions) on how to create something is what divides company/corporation from a bootlab or homebrew club.
Comminutree is an interesting project- and Matt I like how you pointed out the metaphor for community. Where one can exist in a virtual or real environment- how they an both exist together is another interesting concept. I am not quite sure if we are truly losing touch with reality because of these mediums that are being created. If so, then we as human beings lost grip with reality from the very beginning starting with oral tradition. The point at which we start to recreate reality and invest in that recreation- it is that point that we can say we have lost touch with reality.
I only wish I had remembered to ask them how they would define new media, because Raphael had mentioned that they do not believe in new media. I really wanted to ask them why?
Steve, I really like your question about if we're losing contact with reality because of all the media we have, and the ability to reach people and not actually have to be near them. That's kinda what I'm understanding from what you're saying. I totally agree because I feel a disconnect from people, but yet I can be connected with them at the same time. I'm on a site called Stickam right now, video chatting with some friends from Florida and North Carolina. We're connected, but we're not really interacting. I feel like we're losing touch with a sense that we used to possess. The feeling of having another person around. We all get too caught up in our own little world of what we can do online, and how we can look awesome online, but we don't get out there and actually spend time with these people. Maybe it's just me, but that's what I've been feeling about all of this.
But on to Bootlab. I like what they're doing. Creating a net community, and bringing the world of communication back to the people, and not the networks and companies that control it. I also like the ideas of using solar power, because our dependency on other forms of energy, such as fossil fuels, is getting out of hand.
I don't really have much to say about all of this. I found it interesting, and quite refreshing, but I just don't have much to say for the most part about it all.
I personally do not put enough thought into what others perceive to be, or not to be. I feel that New Media is trying to be pushed further into an intellectual realm than it is capable of currently. I'm not quite sure why the collaborators of New Media decide to act and speak so cryptically of this field, when we could all come to some consensus and do some good.
Bootlab seems to be an interesting way to give power back to the people. I agree with Kory, you really need to stop pushing the major conglomerates onto people, and allow them to experience their technologies by themselves, or with friends, without guidelines.
"I felt that seeing an organized group of people actually legitimately working off one another and playing and collaborating was really great. Its what I wish the New Media department here would be more like."
Amen, Brian! This is what I love to see, as well: a group of competent, dedicated people working together on projects and helping and aiding one another. I love seeing examples of this because for so long I have had experiences (as I'm sure others of you have) with people being reluctant to help each other for fear of "not being allowed" or plagiarism...or just simply because they don't want to. I have also had experiences with group members who were not really committed to the work. Seeing all of these individuals and hearing what each one did gave me some hope that there are still opportunities out there to collaborate with other artists on projects in harmony. I also love how community-oriented they were acting, doing the PBS radio and the wireless. All in all these people were basically my heroes, still managing to think about how they could be environmentally-friendly while attempting all of these things, such as using renewable (solar) energy as a power source.
I thought the boot lab session was very informative because like a few people have already vaguely stated, hearing from such a different group of people who have such different ideas yet who are in the same genre so to speak only added to my interest.
One of my favorite ideas was the one of personal radio transmitters. I seemed to like it so much because it had the most potential to lead to other things. It got me thinking on my own idea based on this idea: if there is public radio there, then wouldn't it be cool if all the ipods came with some sort of radio transmitter which shared the songs/playlists of other ipods near your vicinity...for completly free. Itunes already has this option built into it, and since I'm hooked up to the campus internet I can get access to other peoples playlists in my vicinity...so why not just make this idea wireless through ipods?
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The one word that I think of most after watching the Bootlab session is HOMEBREW. Because there is no public radio in Berlin, Bootlab works with getting people to create their own transmitters so people can find out about current events (and projects that bootlab is working on). At the beginning, it's said that they also try to provide IP access to people. Freifunkhein set up their own network so that people could access the internet. BUT the homebrew comes in that people would have to set-up everything (router, firmware, etc.) to become part of the mesh network. I think about the US a lot in this context, and though there is a large homebrew network (for many devices), but the average american will go to best buy if they cannot turn on their computer (and didn't push the power on button) - etc. Relying on people is nice for support, but laziness is different, and the Berlin project people have to learn to do these things on their own.
Now, i'd like to meet between these two places because there is a huge homebrew community online, and help is available (of course this was different for Berlin in 2004 - not even having access to broadband) once you get online.
Comminutree is a neat project not just because it provides a practical environment for users (solar panels, etc.) but rather the metaphor for community in the online world and how that CAN exist in the real world. I sometimes feel we are losing grip with reality, and at least with something like the Communitree, people are near each other.
The things bootlab talks about is real grassroots new media stuff that, at least I, have learned about in various new media classes. Things from bottom up approachs, community, networking, self-actualized technology. Their purposes are really great in the decentralization process.
(ALSO RAPH YOU SAID IN THE LECTURE YOU WOULD POST LINKS TO PROJECTS...?)
The Bootlab lecture went very well I thought it was very nice to hear from the different members and what each of them is working on specifically. More over I felt that seeing an organized group of people actually legitimately working off one another and playing and collaborating was really great. Its what I wish the New Media department here would be more like. Here it seems everyone is exclusive, to their projects, because were afraid of other people stealing them, and it seems that there are on occasion people who do steal other peoples projects. Personally I have a select few people that I talk to about my projects and spin ideas off of them, just because they I know will help me rather than just taking what I say and go off and do it themselves.
I found that the projects the people from Bootlab are doing are very socially and network oriented and at the same time reconnect, they seem to be brining the digital world more into the environmental, making wifi parks and making a huge free wifi network. It will be interesting to see where they go and what they do with the projects they have. Building a free radio for the public and making affordable international calling, all of these are undermining the larger corporations and the super structures that are already in place, and I think that when Bootlab reaches their ideal size it will be interesting to see how they are capable to really transform the world and what kind of an effect they have on the places they work.
The lecture brought a new source of hope that people are able to collaborate, and it was refreshing to see it in action in this case. It is good to see people who care and it is good to see people taking action and creating something that hasn’t been created before for the greater good of everyone. It’s about how they influence people and how that influence is a positive one the general public of Berlin.
Exactly what this is "homebrew", although Homebrew really is the name of a computer club started out in California. Their concepts and principals are the same as bootlab. Bootlab/Homebrew really is a group that has ambition and drive to do things that really test and question the convergence of people and technology.
Freely giving information (instructions) on how to create something is what divides company/corporation from a bootlab or homebrew club.
Comminutree is an interesting project- and Matt I like how you pointed out the metaphor for community. Where one can exist in a virtual or real environment- how they an both exist together is another interesting concept.
I am not quite sure if we are truly losing touch with reality because of these mediums that are being created. If so, then we as human beings lost grip with reality from the very beginning starting with oral tradition. The point at which we start to recreate reality and invest in that recreation- it is that point that we can say we have lost touch with reality.
I only wish I had remembered to ask them how they would define new media, because Raphael had mentioned that they do not believe in new media. I really wanted to ask them why?
Steve, I really like your question about if we're losing contact with reality because of all the media we have, and the ability to reach people and not actually have to be near them. That's kinda what I'm understanding from what you're saying. I totally agree because I feel a disconnect from people, but yet I can be connected with them at the same time. I'm on a site called Stickam right now, video chatting with some friends from Florida and North Carolina. We're connected, but we're not really interacting. I feel like we're losing touch with a sense that we used to possess. The feeling of having another person around. We all get too caught up in our own little world of what we can do online, and how we can look awesome online, but we don't get out there and actually spend time with these people. Maybe it's just me, but that's what I've been feeling about all of this.
But on to Bootlab. I like what they're doing. Creating a net community, and bringing the world of communication back to the people, and not the networks and companies that control it. I also like the ideas of using solar power, because our dependency on other forms of energy, such as fossil fuels, is getting out of hand.
I don't really have much to say about all of this. I found it interesting, and quite refreshing, but I just don't have much to say for the most part about it all.
I personally do not put enough thought into what others perceive to be, or not to be. I feel that New Media is trying to be pushed further into an intellectual realm than it is capable of currently. I'm not quite sure why the collaborators of New Media decide to act and speak so cryptically of this field, when we could all come to some consensus and do some good.
Bootlab seems to be an interesting way to give power back to the people. I agree with Kory, you really need to stop pushing the major conglomerates onto people, and allow them to experience their technologies by themselves, or with friends, without guidelines.
"I felt that seeing an organized group of people actually legitimately working off one another and playing and collaborating was really great. Its what I wish the New Media department here would be more like."
Amen, Brian! This is what I love to see, as well: a group of competent, dedicated people working together on projects and helping and aiding one another. I love seeing examples of this because for so long I have had experiences (as I'm sure others of you have) with people being reluctant to help each other for fear of "not being allowed" or plagiarism...or just simply because they don't want to. I have also had experiences with group members who were not really committed to the work. Seeing all of these individuals and hearing what each one did gave me some hope that there are still opportunities out there to collaborate with other artists on projects in harmony. I also love how community-oriented they were acting, doing the PBS radio and the wireless. All in all these people were basically my heroes, still managing to think about how they could be environmentally-friendly while attempting all of these things, such as using renewable (solar) energy as a power source.
I thought the boot lab session was very informative because like a few people have already vaguely stated, hearing from such a different group of people who have such different ideas yet who are in the same genre so to speak only added to my interest.
One of my favorite ideas was the one of personal radio transmitters. I seemed to like it so much because it had the most potential to lead to other things. It got me thinking on my own idea based on this idea: if there is public radio there, then wouldn't it be cool if all the ipods came with some sort of radio transmitter which shared the songs/playlists of other ipods near your vicinity...for completly free. Itunes already has this option built into it, and since I'm hooked up to the campus internet I can get access to other peoples playlists in my vicinity...so why not just make this idea wireless through ipods?
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