Wow, fantastic! Free is a wonderful and unexpected thing :) Thanks
Stella, cheers, Emma
-----Original Message-----
From: stevid(a)xtra.co.nz [mailto:stevid@xtra.co.nz]
Sent: Thursday, 26 June 2003 10:14 a.m.
To: Aotearoa Digital Arts
Subject: Re: [Ada_list] Dull practicalities
Hi Emma.
haven't checked this with Sean, but i think the cost will be FREE. As I
say, I haven't passed this by the Professor, but we haven't talked about
a registration fee, which I don't think is idiocy, but an implicit
assumption... if there is a charge, it would be to help cover catering,
and wouldn't be much. Sean is on leave for three weeks, but should be
checking the list occasionally, so if I can say free till further
notice...?
Big question is, who thinks they will be attending in person? We're
trying to establish numbers (for food, mostly), so if those who are
pretty sure about attending would like to email me at
s.brennan(a)xtra.co.nz that would be grand, or if you want everyone to
know, whack it on the list. best Stella
>
> From: "Emma Bugden" <Emma.Bugden(a)wcc.govt.nz>
> Date: 2003/06/25 Wed PM 03:50:59 GMT+12:00
> To: <ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz>
> Subject: [Ada_list] Dull practicalities
>
> Hey there, I think I must have missed something somewhere, but can't
> find anything on the website - how much does the symposium cost to
> attend? Am just trying to do the dull logistics to make sure I can
> come along...
>
> Thanks! Cheers, Emma
>
> Emma Bugden
> Curator Prospect 2004
> City Gallery Wellington
> Civic Square
> 101 Wakefield Street
> PO Box 2199
> Wellington
> tel. 64 4 801 3955
> fax. 64 4 801 3096
> www.city-gallery.org.nz
>
>
> The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
> and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended
> recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not
> disclose, copy or make use of its contents. If received in error you
> are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately.
> Your assistance is appreciated.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ada_list mailing list
> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>
>
Hi Emma.
haven't checked this with Sean, but i think the cost will be FREE. As I say, I haven't passed this by the Professor, but we haven't talked about a registration fee, which I don't think is idiocy, but an implicit assumption... if there is a charge, it would be to help cover catering, and wouldn't be much. Sean is on leave for three weeks, but should be checking the list occasionally, so if I can say free till further notice...?
Big question is, who thinks they will be attending in person? We're trying to establish numbers (for food, mostly), so if those who are pretty sure about attending would like to email me at s.brennan(a)xtra.co.nz that would be grand, or if you want everyone to know, whack it on the list.
best
Stella
>
> From: "Emma Bugden" <Emma.Bugden(a)wcc.govt.nz>
> Date: 2003/06/25 Wed PM 03:50:59 GMT+12:00
> To: <ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz>
> Subject: [Ada_list] Dull practicalities
>
> Hey there, I think I must have missed something somewhere, but can't
> find anything on the website - how much does the symposium cost to
> attend?
> Am just trying to do the dull logistics to make sure I can come along...
>
> Thanks! Cheers, Emma
>
> Emma Bugden
> Curator Prospect 2004
> City Gallery Wellington
> Civic Square
> 101 Wakefield Street
> PO Box 2199
> Wellington
> tel. 64 4 801 3955
> fax. 64 4 801 3096
> www.city-gallery.org.nz
>
>
> The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
> and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended
> recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not
> disclose, copy or make use of its contents. If received in error you are
> asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your
> assistance is appreciated.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ada_list mailing list
> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>
>
Hey there, I think I must have missed something somewhere, but can't
find anything on the website - how much does the symposium cost to
attend?
Am just trying to do the dull logistics to make sure I can come along...
Thanks! Cheers, Emma
Emma Bugden
Curator Prospect 2004
City Gallery Wellington
Civic Square
101 Wakefield Street
PO Box 2199
Wellington
tel. 64 4 801 3955
fax. 64 4 801 3096
www.city-gallery.org.nz
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not
disclose, copy or make use of its contents. If received in error you are
asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your
assistance is appreciated.
Hi,
I was just hoping to get some feedback from some of you regarding a
proposal i'm working on for the next Creative NZ funding round.
Basically a very similar venture to radioqualia.net (Adam + Honor) and
Window (Michelle).
Initially because of the requirement for web projects to be grounded to
actual / physical events, I am proposing a webstreaming and promotion
base for an electronic music festival during the first week of Nov in
AK (which has received partial funding for print promotion via Creative
Communities).
The web project will hopefully continue to promote local sonic artists
by way of an exhibition programme, event broadcasts and other
hosting/streaming services well after the festival.
I need help with artist liaison issues regarding licensing / contracts
for webcasting / broadcasting.
I am also preparing a form for interested parties to pledge their
interest in contributing electronic sound / music to the project. If
anyone has any suggestions for the type of criteria I should be
requiring them to specify, your input will be appreciated. eg. details
of works, copyrights, proposals for events / exhibition programme...
Thanks
kitt
Big Brother: "War is Peace" -- Big Business: "Suspicion is Trust"
Hi Stella,
this all sounds like it will produce some challenging and stimulating
discussion.
I'd like to add something in here about histories, I guess I'm thinking
about the very different histories in New Zealand art/ media practice
that have lead to and are feeding into ADA and what they might be. I
don't really think it is a question, but something else to put in the
mix, maybe I'm wary of falling into the 'newness' trap?
I'm a little confused about locations though... Is the symposium at the
university and then spark at the polytec... i guess these are two
different ...locations?...I don't know hamilton at all...
.
su
=============================###
Susan Ballard
Lecturer in Art Theory
School of Art
Faculty of Art & Technology
Otago Polytechnic
Private Bag 1910
Dunedin
New Zealand
ph. +64.3.479.3741
Hi All,
an update on how things are going for the Symposium. We've got a
conference room on the top floor of the management school, with all mod
cons - data projector, dish washer, panoramic views...
One of the main aims for the symposium is for people to meet each other
and get talking, so the plan is to have some questions that we address,
either together or in breakaway interest groups - we can see what works
best on the day. I'm imagining no more than three groups working
concurently, all in the same room (so people can circulate if they want
to). There will be laptops available to document discussions. The aim
for the end of the day is to develop a document, a manifesto, a five
point plan for the development of the Digital Arts in New Zealand.
the questions we've got are pretty much the ones we put to the list
initially:
the first is a humdinger survey question - courtesy of Danny:
who are we - what individuals and institutions are involved?
Is it useful to articulate adiscrete space in NZ for new media art?
if so, who should we do the articulating to?
What will define the discrete space? given that a sizable
community doesn't yet exist who might define it ourselves. Or will we
assert, "we are new media art and you should let us decide"?
The second is a resourcing question:
what resources, training and critical climate do we need do we need to
build the digital arts in Aotearoa?
What evidence will we be able to provide that there is a need to
support new media
art?
Will that evidence convince the agencies and audiences we are seeking
support from, is it intelligible to them in their terms?
how can we put this into effect?
This is linked to discussion about how to promotion and communication
to a wider audience.
And finally - what are the relative importance of local and global
activities? what lessons we can learn from overseas?
are these the right questions? they're a bit broad at the moment, but
is there something we've forgotten, are we barking up the wrong tree?
in terms of techo stuff, Andreas who is the department tech is on leave
at the moment, so the details remain to be refined, but we'll have a
video stream and will archive the documents we come up with on the
website - where we can tweak them, and where those who will be sleeping
at the time can respond over their breakfasts.
best
stella
I had to write a strategic plan the other day for the Dept at UoW.
Among other things, I proposed within five years to start a research/incubator; to move towards establishing a purpose-built media arts gallery; and to bring or develop an international festival and symposium within five years
I don't know how accurate these are - maybe we need other things than these or in addition, and the future is always different from what you expect or plan - but the scale of ambition seems to me to be about right.
regards
s
Hi....
I wouldn't say 'deeply involved', I edited most of the pieces, but the
real work was all done in Latvia by Rasa and Raitis at re-lab (RIXC).
There are some great articles in it from all over the world, describing
projects and theories completed and in progress, around issues like the
digital commons, augmented reality technologies, the
World-Information.org project, hybrid space, radio spectrum ecology, and
heaps more (Adam's proprietary codec discussion was a highlight for me).
The book was launched in Riga last month at the 6th International Art and
Communication Festival, where R A D I O Q U A L I A gave a great
presentation about Wireless networks, and ran the stream - do you know if
this is going to be archived Adam?
RIXC/re-lab have a new website which should have more information on the
book sometime soon (http://rixc.lv/), and in the meantime has a whole lot
of information about all of their other projects - they're an amazingly
active and interesting group.
There is no website for the book itself yet, and I'm not sure how they are
distributing it, but I will find out and let you know.
So there you go Adam, you finally outted me, I promise to try to be less
of a lurker in future!
and while I'm here... I enjoyed Julainne's statistically informed account
of the DAC meeting, and I'm wondering if there will be a stream of the ADA
Symposium, and if it will be archived for those of us who'll be tucked up
in bed during the New Zealand daytime?
groetjes from amsterdam!
zita
adam said:
> hi,
>
> Recently ( a few weeks ago) Latvian new media artist group/incubator
're-lab' (http://re-lab.net) put together a reader called 'Media
Architecture'
> as part of their 'acoustic.space' series of publications.
>
> Zita Joyce was deeply involved in this book and it looks quite amazing
with articles from Eric Kluitenberg, Lev Manovich, Matthew Fuller, Brian
Holmes, Konrad Becker, Geert Lovink, Andreas Broeckmann (to name a few of
> the 30 or so contributers).
>
> I am not sure if there is a site related to the book itself, perhaps
Zita
> can point to one?
>
>
> Anyways, I have included below a short article I wrote for it about
codecs.
>
> Hope y'all are well :-)
>
> adam
>
>
>
>
> Free as in 'media'
>
hi,
Recently ( a few weeks ago) Latvian new media artist group/incubator
're-lab' (http://re-lab.net) put together a reader called 'Media Architecture'
as part of their 'acoustic.space' series of publications.
Zita Joyce was deeply involved in this book and it looks quite amazing
with articles from Eric Kluitenberg, Lev Manovich, Matthew Fuller, Brian
Holmes, Konrad Becker, Geert Lovink, Andreas Broeckmann (to name a few of
the 30 or so contributers).
I am not sure if there is a site related to the book itself, perhaps Zita
can point to one?
Anyways, I have included below a short article I wrote for it about
codecs.
Hope y'all are well :-)
adam
Free as in 'media'
adam hyde
r a d i o q u a l i a
February 2003
What is Live Streaming?
Streaming media is the term used to describe the real-time delivery of
moving images, moving text, and sound over the internet. Streaming
software allows internet audiences to listen to or watch types of media,
which have up until now been considered too large and bulky for
consumption over the internet.
Streaming media techniques work in the following way: as you listen or
watch one portion of content, the next portion is downloading at the same
time. The ability to simultaneously load and play distinguishes streaming
from other types of internet media. Streaming allows for live
transmission over the internet, which enables a transformation of the
internet into a broadcasting medium.
Content can also be saved and archived, allowing internet users to
experience recordings of live events online after they happen.
To stream files live over the internet, the files first have to be encoded
into an appropriate streaming format. This is done with the various
encoding tools (softwares). In simple terms, an audio signal, for example
a
microphone plugged into a computer, is converted by the encoding software
into a continuous data 'stream' over the internet. This conversion
involves compressing the data, which will reduce its quality and file
size, and converting the data into the technology providers (usually)
proprietaryy streaming format. Codecs are the algorithms that encode and
decode (or compress and decompress) the audio or visual signals for
delivery over the internet, and are the core technology of streaming
media.
What's the problem?
Problem 1 : Content Encryption
Most audio and video content on the web is encoded by proprietary codecs.
This means that almost all content encoded for artistic, cultural or
independent media purposes is encrypted. Encrypted in the sense that the
content has been converted to a closed file format which can only be
'decrypted' by media players that have the requisite licensed algorithms
(codecs). Hence the owners of these algorithms (Thompson and Fraunhofer,
Microsoft, Real Networks etc) own the key to the content. It is not a
public key, its a closed proprietary key. You, the content producer,
cannot unlock your encrypted file (content) unless you do so with the
appropriate media player software. These player softwares are usually
created by the software house that owns the codec, or by a
third party who licence the key (codec) to unlock (decode) and play your
file.
This may seem ok now, you probably haven't had any problems from this
apart from the fact people may need to download a new player to experience
your online streaming file. However, is it enough to trust that all will
always be ok? Consider, for example, if you have encoded (encrypted) some
video content with a closed codec (lets take RealNetworks audio and video
codecs for this example). For now you might have the key (algorithm) to
'unlock' the content and replay it in a player software (in this case the
RealPlayer). However we can easily imagine a situation in 'X' years time
where Real has crashed and burned and are no longer a technology provider.
Where is your content now? Your content could well be in a encrypted file
format with no licensed keys to open it. The codec may have gone down with
the company and you may be left begging users to download the older
players that you have found in some arcane archive somewhere on the net
(ever tried looking for an old RealPlayer?), and who is to say the legal
remains of (in this case) RealNetworks won't stop you from doing even
that? Distributing the software or its components (dlls / plugins etc) is
illegal unless you have express permission from RealNetworks (in this
example). The right to control deployment may persist long after the
companys death.
There is an interesting parallel to this with MAMEs (Multi-Arcade Machine
Emulators). Arcade games from of all sorts, going right back to PONG, are
available on the internet for download. However, you require a software
known as a MAME to interpret the file formats of these games. There are
many of these emulators available but almost no more games (known as ROMS)
can be retrieved easily from the net unless you know exactly where to go.
This is different from a few years ago when you could easily get almost
any ROM you wanted. However these sites have been systematically closed
down by games companies protecting their interests. Many of the games
companies that created the original ROMS have ceased to exist, but the
ROMS
are now owned by other companies - and these new owners protect their
interests by closing MAME ROM sites.
Could this happen with codecs?
It has already. Progressive Networks (now known as Real Networks) released
an early video codec which they termed 'fractal video compression'. Many
people used this codec as there were few choices available at the time for
encoding video for streaming. However, the codec is no longer supplied
with
the RealPlayer.
Problem 2 : Player Wars
Half the battle for free media on the internet is for the codec, the other
half is for the players. The most commonly distributed players -
RealPlayer, Windows Media Player, and the QuickTime player support their
own suite of codecs.
That means we have almost as many players as we have codec suites. How
many people have RealPlayer, QuickTime Player, and WindowsMedia Player
installed as well as perhaps XMMS and Winamp? Why can't you choose the
player to play the content without the codec choosing it for you?
This is because proprietary codec developers want to force you to use
their
player, server, and encoder software. The strongly aligned codec-player
relationship exists because the marketing strategy of many of these
companies relies on capturing an audience through their player interfaces.
RealOne player, for example, tries to massage you into subscribing to
their content channels - making you part of their 'revenue stream' (pun
intended). Without being able to force you to use their player, the
opportunity to get you to subscribe to their channels is severely reduced.
This is also why getting open codecs into these players is tricky
(although it is possible) - because the propriety codecs make companies
money. Hence media players made by the 'big three' do not support open
codecs because the more open codec content there is, and the easier it is
to access, the less need you have for these 'codec-aligned' players, the
less money the big players make.
Problem 3 : Microsoft, Real, and Apple make money from your content.
WindowsMedia Player, QuickTime player, and the RealPlayer have advertising
embedded in their interfaces. This advertising generates revenue for
Microsoft et al. Because your content opens one of these players, more
eyes get to see the embedded advertising which translates to $$$ for these
companies.
Problem 4 : What control do you have?
The question arises as to what control you have over the software you are
using to stream. For example, the codecs determine the player, and the
player is licensed to the end user. Do you know what the player licences
permit and restrict? No?
Well here's an example from the Licence of the RealPlayer:
Paragraph 2(c) says :
"You may only use the Software for your private, non-commercial use. You
may not use the Software in any way to provide, or as part of, any
commercial service or application. Copies of content files, including, but
not limited to songs and other audio recordings, which are downloaded or
copied using the Software, and which are protected by the copyright laws
or related laws of any jurisdiction, are for your own personal use only
and may not be distributed to third parties or performed outside your
normal circle of family and social acquaintances."
Any content displayed through the player is for your own personal use
only and may not be distributed to third parties or performed outside your
normal circle of family and social acquaintances. So, for example, if you
work at a Public Library and you want to make some public archives
available for free then this is not permitted under the general licence of
the RealPlayer.
What is the solution?
Open Source and Streaming
Its strange that this debate does not often enter the rosy world of the
'Open Source' idealists. Strangely Eric Raymond, president and co-founder
of the Open Source Initiative, has a speech about The Cathedral and the
Bazaar linked from his site in RealAudio format. On the same site he
points out that "Unisys is shaking down websites that use GIFs for a $5000
license fee" and links to the well known http://burnallgifs.org/". In
other words, Eric Raymond is very aware of the issues surrounding
propriety media formats but seems a bit blind to the issue when it comes
to streaming. This blind spot isn't uncommon.
Why is this medium (online audio / video) not debated more often in the
area of 'Open Source'?
It seems the potential consequences of closed and /or proprietary codecs
have only dawned on a few, most importantly those at "http://xiph.org/"
where the development of the royalty free Ogg Vorbis audio codec takes
place and "http://www.theora.org/" where the same people are trying to
develop the VP3 open video codec.
So what can we do about this?
Well, if you are a programmer and have some time on your hands, then you
can contribute to the many projects aimed at countering the major
technology providers in this field. One action could be to contribute to
the sophisticated Icecast open streaming server project, or the various
Xiph.org projects.
If you are a content producer, you can take control of the interface
making
sure revenue streams are not built on the back of _your_ content. If you
stream content then consider linking to a player without embedded
advertising or embed your stream in a webpage. This has the obvious
secondary advantage of ensuring you control the aesthetic context that
your work is displayed in, making sure your content is not surrounded and
associated with ugly advertising.
However for most of us the biggest thing we can do is understand the
issues, support those 'fighting the good fight' and prepare to convert our
archives from proprietary codecs to 'fully open' (from the description of
Ogg Vorbis ("http://www.xiph.org/ogg/index.html") codecs. Its getting
easier to do this, many players (not just those on Linux platforms but
also popular players like Winamp) support Ogg Vorbis already and the list
of supporting softwares for these free codecs is growing. And lastly, Get
your free codecs now.
In response to Tessa Laird's request for feedback on
"MelbourneDAC 2003 streamimg worlds", 5th International Digital Arts and
Culture Conference,RMIT University School of Applied Communication Melbourne
Australia.
All conference papers are publicly available via
http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/dac/papers/
Alternatively my hardcopy of main papers will be available at Elam School of
Fine Arts library from Semester 2 2003 along with DacCD containing all
papers.
Adrian Miles, Anna Farago and Antoanetta Ivanovna were responsible for a
well organized program , proceedings information, online access, good food,
day-out events, and excellent Experimedia exhibition, artists' talks and
panel session at State Library of Victoria.
Papers were circulated online prior to conference.
Presenters were asked to summarize their paper and speak directly to the
ideas and works within the 30min [ parallel sessions20 min] timeframe.
Delegates were to familiarize themselves with papers of choice.
Resulted in energetic atmosphere and sustained interest of delegates.
Delegates 144 approx
10 collaborative presentations [one of which evolved in online game
environment]
Approx presenter numbers:
24 Main papers Men 21 Women 8 represented
Parallel session presentations Men 32 Women 20 represented
Broad age range
Countries represented Aust NZ USA Denmark Sweden Norway Northern Ireland
Israel
There was a vibrant sense of collegiality amongst presenters and delegates.
11 of the main papers were from Australia proof of the dynamic digital
culture happening there. Strongly represented were highly rigorous and
entertaining research papers from the Scandinavian countries
Of the 24 main papers approx 12 related to games:
Games new socialities; games architecture, games feminism; games semiotics;
games networks; games criticism; games space; games performance; independent
games.
Other topics included Flash aesthetics; electronic music; user control;
interactive narratives; system dynamics/interactive video; installation art;
interactive film; hypertext; alchemy& space/time; new media politics.
Most cited theorist: Lev Manovich.
With my interests in digital video text and emerging theories on affect in
digital technology the sessions I chose tended toward fresh interpretations
of digital applications/tools and investigations into digital encoding.
[with this bias understood]
papers recommended - in no particular order-include:
Kristoffer Gansing: 'The Myth of Interactivity or the Interactive Myth?
Interactive Film as an Imaginary Genre'.
Lisbeth Klastrup: 'A Poetics of Virtual Worlds'.
Jim Bizzochi: '"Ceremony of Innocence" and the Subversion of Interface:
Cursor Transformation as a Narrative Device'.
Teri Hoskin: 'Pricklings: Appearance'.
Dan Fleming: 'Hypertext and Empire'.
Noah Wardrip-Fruin: 'From Instrumental Texts to textual Instruments'.
Troy Innocent:'Exploring the Nature of Electronic Space through Semiotic
Morphism'.
Anna Munster: 'Compression and the Intensification of Information in Flash
Animation'.
Ned Rossiter: Processual Media Theory'.
In order to preempt a games hegemony in digital arts and culture it seems
that other classes of heuristics are vitally necessary - evidence of which
showed up in the conference papers above.
An example:
it was Ned Rossiter's presentation that seized my imagination the most.
His use of an overhead projector, layers of A4 transparencies and different
coloured pens was like a reflective and reflexive play on the synoptic
layers of PowerPoint properly formatted and colour-coded displays used by
many of the presenters. Rossiter slowly and deliberately attempted
'diagrams' to do with relationships between 'code' 'object' and 'meaning'.
When he layered them together they resembled as I think he said a "Noodle
Nation" ! - and for some reason they also made me think of 'string theory'!!
The wit of his presentation's political critique of media practice resonated
with the seriousness of intent in his paper:
"A processual media theory can enhance existing approaches within the field
of new media studies, registering the movement between that which has
emerged as an empirical object, meaning, or code, and the various conditions
of possibility. Processual media theory inquires into that which is
otherwise rendered as invisible, yet is fundamental to the world as we sense
it." Rossiter. DAC Hardcopy p174
" Do virtual environments simply extend our senses and actions across space
and time or do they reconstitute them differently?" Rossiter p176
Kind regards
--
Julainne Sumich
Intermedia & The Time-based Arts [Head of Section]
Elam School of Fine Arts
http://www.intermedia.auckland.ac.nz/julainne
Coordinator
SINE arts Digital Research Hub
[Science Intermedia Network Environment]
http://www.sinearts.auckland.ac.nz
Faculty of Architecture, Property, Planning, and Fine Arts.
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
649 3737599 ext 88477
