Tuesday 7 September 2010
Monday 30 August 2010
Monday 23 August 2010
Tuesday 27 April 2010
Sunday 25 April 2010
Digital Book: Pending in the intermediate Lake
This is a new version, both will be available for sale in the next few months. Using a new painting for the cover here but hoping to do some screen print jobbies to wrap around it all.
Monday 12 April 2010
Open Source: MAKEZINE
I found out via youtube (researching the Arduino) about MAKEZINE.COM
One of the many exciting projects they share was this 3D puzzle: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/12/make_projects_-_easy_3d_models_with.html
Its excellent, for example it is a great way to practice using 3D software and rapid prototyping. Even suitable for a lazer cutter. The tutorial talks about OpensSCAD (from makezine.com):
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the excitement surrounding Clifford Wolf's new freeware OpenSCAD program. OpenSCAD uses a cool keep-it-super-simple approach to 3D modeling, eliminating the resource-hungry what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) editing environment favored by most 3D modeling packages, and replacing it with a text-based scripting environment in which models are programmed, instead of sculpted. Basically, you write a script describing your model's shape and then compile it to produce the actual model, which is then rendered onscreen and can be exported to STL format for 3D printing or other purposes.
OpenSCAD has two powerful features to facilitate this programming processes. The first is support for so-called "constructive solid geometry" (CSG) modeling, in which complex forms are built up as intersections, unions, and differences of simple primary shapes like boxes, cylinders, cones, and ellipsoids. If you've ever used the ray-tracing program POV-Ray before, this idea will be familiar to you.
The second, less-well-publicized (but perhaps equally powerful) feature of OpenSCAD is "DXF extrusion," in which OpenSCAD will import a 2D drawing in AutoCAD's popular drawing exchange format (DXF) and "extrude" it into the third dimension. OpenSCAD has support for linear extrusion, in which the resulting part has straight vertical sides, and also rotating extrusion, which results in a part with helical sides. Since a large number of models for rapid prototyping are simple extruded profiles, I expect this feature to see a lot of use.
In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to use OpenSCAD to produce a simple 3D model by extruding a part profile produced in normal drawing software. I use Adobe Illustrator CS3 because I have access to it and am familiar with its interface, but the popular freeware drawing program InkScape will read and write DXF files natively, and there's no reason why it couldn't serve just as well if you prefer it. There are a number of other free and low-cost programs that will export DXF files. OpenSCAD's developer mentions QCAD, which is available from its developer RibbonSoft for €24.
Its basically amazing, and brilliant for any one who goes to University of the Arts who is even remotely interested in rapid prototyping. These images are all from the tutorial. It clearly describes exactly how to use the software.
Saturday 10 April 2010
Good will on the internet
An extraordinary event occurred, I am very interested in getting the manuscript for Edvard Greig's, March of the Drawfs. Jonnyeightagain of youtube posted a video performance of himself playing Edvard Grieg's- March of the Dwafs (Zug der Zwerge). I enjoyed his performance and commented, asking how and where I can aquire a manuscript of this music. Someone called MusicMakerV, after reading my comment decided to give me the music (an act of kindness).
Thursday 8 April 2010
PENDING IN THE INTERMEDIATE LAKE Treasure Hunt book by Jennifer Crouch (Version2)
You have SEVEN DAYS to download this breath taking a PDF for none of your currency units. It is a treasure hunt I've set up. Enjoy.
PENDING IN THE INTERMEDIATE LAKE Treasure Hunt book by Jennifer Crouch (Version2)
PENDING IN THE INTERMEDIATE LAKE Treasure Hunt book by Jennifer Crouch (Version2)
Tuesday 6 April 2010
The wonderful Dr Michio Kaku on Artificial Intelligence, Moore's Law and Quantum Computers
WATCH THIS! Here is some informs from WIKIPEDIA about Moore's Law:
Moore's law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware, in which the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.[1] [see image nearby]
The capabilities of many digital electronic devices are strongly linked to Moore's law: processing speed, memory capacity, sensors and even the number and size of pixels in digital cameras.[2] All of these are improving at (roughly) exponential rates as well.[3] This has dramatically increased the usefulness of digital electronics in nearly every segment of the world economy.[4][5] Moore's law precisely describes a driving force of technological and social change in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The trend has continued for more than half a century and is not expected to stop until 2015 or later.[6]
The law is named after Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore, who described the trend in his 1965 paper.[7][8][9] The paper noted that number of components in integrated circuits had doubled every year from the invention of the integrated circuit in 1958 until 1965 and predicted that the trend would continue "for at least ten years".[10] His prediction has proved to be uncannily accurate, in part because the law is now used in the semiconductor industry to guide long-term planning and to set targets for research and development.[11]
Mooers' Law
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mooers' Law is an empirical observation of behaviour made by American computer scientist Calvin Mooers in 1959. The observation is made in relation to information retrieval and the interpretation of the observation is used commonly throughout the information profession both within and outside its original context.
An information retrieval system will tend not to be used whenever it is more painful and troublesome for a customer to have information than for him not to have it.
[edit]
Original interpretation
Mooers' Law, as detailed by Mooers himself, focuses on the idea that people may not want information, as it obliges them to study the information and come to an understanding about it. In this context, people will avoid an information system because it gives them information, and the "painful and troublesome" comes from possessing the information.
CLICK HERE FOR MICHIO KAKU'S WEBBE: http://mkaku.org/
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Different view on gaming
I suppose this almost ties in with the protein folding online game FOLDIT as a form of real life problem solving.
I don't really know what to make of this, I don't really play online games but I know people who love them and I know game designers. Anyway, its interesting! Interesting when you apply her thinking principles to online social networking. Think about what people hide about themselves in online social environments, choosing what to show in an attempt to show their best. "Their best" may be subjective but the intention is to improve, even when 'to alure' or 'to portray' false images of grandeur are involved. Self improvement is a good thing but of course, we all know that people can (and often are) deluded by convincing self projections.
But this is about a GAME where people have a common goal. It all seems a little sketchy, but I like idealists and optimism and I think their role in the world is very important in provoking positive change. All the things this lady says are considerable concerning collaboration and improvement although the practicalities and applications of her research seem a bit unrealistic but they have immense value and potential in theory and learning about people in the digital environment and its potential to solve problems.
But this is about a GAME where people have a common goal. It all seems a little sketchy, but I like idealists and optimism and I think their role in the world is very important in provoking positive change. All the things this lady says are considerable concerning collaboration and improvement although the practicalities and applications of her research seem a bit unrealistic but they have immense value and potential in theory and learning about people in the digital environment and its potential to solve problems.
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anunexpectedgrid @MusicMakerV That is incredible! I will send you an email. Thankyou so much!