Technological advancement does in fact coincide with artistic development. Even in the world of graphic design, technology plays a huge part in what limitations we have in terms of medium. If it weren’t for technological advancement, we wouldn’t have tools such as HTML, Adobe Creative Suite, etc. Some say that advanced tech such as artificial intelligence serves as a threat to art and design, while others see it as to tool. Websites can be subjective and objective; the process of coding serves as an architectural base that although can be customized, must follow a strict set of rules. However, a website can be almost anything, the subjectivity of what defines a website makes the designer an author. To write a digital story of some sort, is what web designers have the freedom to do.
Technology is how society copes with reality; the invention of processes that make things easier, quicker, more entertaining, etc. using a spectrum of resources. Hi-tech vs. Low-tech, easy vs. hard. What constitutes what is high vs. low? Is it complexity? Or is it function? Tools that some may consider primitive, might be used more often than tools that are more complex. For example: the wheel vs. InDesign. I think it’s safe to say that more people use wheels than Adobe InDesign. However, there seems to still be a negative connotation to low-tech, compared to the flashy image of hi-tech. Do humans have an innate desire to constantly advance and improve? This would explain the attraction to “advanced” technology.
Print and digital symbiotic relationship, a time period where handmade web would flourish. Back in the 90’s when the digital world was yet to take over all forms of print, there was an equilibrium between the two. Web hadn’t had the chance to become diluted into corporate templates as they are in modern times. Handmade - evokes connection to the physical body. “Hands” are made to work. The evolution of the hand was to make labor more efficient, ie: opposable thumbs. The emergence of digital technology and automation makes the use of the physical hand less common. Handmade qualities have become rare and sought after when products are now mass produced. This does not exclude web.
The commoditization of computers has turned digital technology to a very specific culture. Corporations use this commoditization as a motive for creating proprietary ecosystems, creating products that must be used with each other, discouraging the intertwining of brands. This sort of ecosystem yields the highest profit, therefore has become the most popular method of computer distribution. Is this monetization damaging to the potential of what a computer can be? What boundaries are tech companies not daring to cross that limit the ability and culture of computers?
“Design Pattern” is a term used throughout art, architecture, and computation. The world of design is extremely complex, as it spans throughout all aspects of our lives. One might say there is a huge difference between art and design. However, what dictates the line between the two? Some people would call technology art, “state of the art” is what corporations tend to reference when describing their technological designs. With design and art being so closely tied together, art is everywhere as well. Despite what the general public deems art to be, it can be argued that it takes place in all aspects of our lives as well.
Random comments:
-First computers were people, arithmetic labor ; reminds me of Hidden Figures, where the first NASA computer supervisors were a team of African American women
-The use of illustration and text makes this reading a lot more palatable, human nuances make the reading lively
-The idea of synchronous communication has revolutionized communication overall. -I remember as a kid, when I got my first iPod Touch and was able to text my friends from anywhere, I thought it was the most amazing thing ever. -Digital communication is changing the way we all interact severely. -This site reminds me of phishing scams and definitely gives me anxiety. The animations are cool though.
The idea of dissembling a tool that is made for design, to create design itself, is something that sparks my interest. I tend to gravitate towards things that question themselves - breaking away from the constraints that have been set up by trend/tradition. Emilio Gomariz;s AI Pro does this in a concise manner. Not only is the interface of Illustrator being used to create a new type of display, Gomariz also implements keyboard shortcuts and gestures into the animation itself. It’s interesting how they manage to create something, without actually adding something to the canvas. Using the software’s programmed commands as a medium/direction for the composition pays respect to the nature of computer based art.
The reading paints a stark picture of the early 1970s when the Club of Rome's analysis warned of an impending global collapse due to exponential growth. The proposed solutions, such as reducing birth rates and emphasizing agriculture over industry, represented a conservative approach that aimed to maintain the status quo. However, this approach was met with opposition from environmental activists who sought to challenge the existing system and imagine a completely new one. The counterculture movements of the 1970s, exemplified by back-to-the-land communes and alternative lifestyle choices, emerged as a response to the pressing crises of the era. They symbolized the desire to live self-sufficiently and independently, free from consumerism and the environmental concerns raised by the Club of Rome's analysis.
The concept that everything has some sort of catch - every interaction having to be transactional, is something that a lot of adults have become accustomed to. Frank speaks about the library as if it feels wrong to just “sit there”. This is something that I didn’t know affected me as much as it does. I have a similar “good room” in my personal life. It’s also a public space meant for studying/brainstorm, but it’s also a museum. Visitors are allowed to come in and use the space without having to pay any fee, subscription, or purchase a product. This reading makes me think about the concept of public space. Since when did public spaces become so commodified? Especially to the point where it feels wrong to use the space without paying for it? What effect does this have on the general public? I can see the relation between this physical public space vs. digital public space. There is this notion that a truly “beneficial” digital space must be paid for, and anything that is not a paid service, is deemed as lower quality. I see this with digital services, softwares, and other products. I’m reminded of a software like Blender, that is extremely advanced and powerful, but is free to the public. Especially in comparison to Adobe Creative Suite, which is quite expensive and an industry standard. I also think about the recent commodification of Figma, which was a widely used software for UX/UI. However, it’s been taken over by Adobe, and requires a similar subscription. It seems as if all aspects of out culture, end up being commodified at a certain point, especially if the product is seen as succesfull. I wonder what would happen if this were to come to an end. How would be approach spaces, or even each other, without subconsciously worrying about transactions?