Monday, January 5, 2009

Module 1: Telnet Option: blinkenlights

As I was browsing through other students blogs today, I came across a screen shot of something done with blinkenlights on Evelyn's page...I've been reading about this on the discussion board but thought it was, yet again, something that was beyond my understanding and therefore way beyond my reach: WRONG on all accounts!

I googled it (because Evelyn asked if anyone knew when blinken lights first began) and found this:

http://brepettis.com/blog/2008/09/29/blinkenlights/

which is an informative page about the latest blinkenlights project currently showing on a *building* (true) in Toronto. Each window of the building has been wired to be one pixel in the blinken program...totally fascinating!!!

Further down the page, it says that blinken lights first began in 2001 to mark the 20th anniversary of a group called chaos computer club in (I think) Berlin.

To top it all off, the founder of CCC died, so the group members decided to do something really special, and ended up having an exhibition in the Berlin Congress Building and in addition, remodelling the nearby (and apparently landmark) Teacher's Building...into a giant TETRIS screen!

Now *that* would have been AMAZING!!!!
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2009 at 6:55 PM

    Thanks for sharing the link to that blog Tess.
    By coincidence, a novel I just finished reading called "jPod" by Douglas Coupland has a scene where the characters of the novel are playing Tetris on a building using this method. The story is also set in Canada. Coupland is known for his extensive use of pop culture references. Now I know where the author got the idea from!
    I agree - it would be amazing to see.

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2009 at 10:34 PM

    Hey Tess, thanks for sharing that. I had never heard of blinkenlights before. It was a really interesting read.

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  3. Tessa GJanuary 7, 2009 at 11:39 AM

    Thanks for the comments Alex and Simon!

    Yes, it is a very creative use of space and must have been amazing to all who were watching at the installation!

    Douglas Coupland must definitely be quite informed about popular culture - the world is such an amazing place...full of creative minds. Love it!

    Thanks againg guys!

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  4. Peter FletcherJanuary 9, 2009 at 1:07 PM

    Who'da thought it. Love the way you've delved into a bit of history - then shared it.

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  5. Tessa GJanuary 9, 2009 at 3:29 PM

    Thanks for the encouragement Peter - I'm really enjoying my internet time now with the new perspectives I've learnt and am still learning in this course :)

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