reinvention

from bramilo.weblogs.com

I’ve been messing around with webcams for the last week or two. I installed a Logitech Quickcam Pro Parallel Port Version first on the Aptiva and that worked well. I wanted that Logitech to work on the Thinkpad for my trip to the Philippines but it didn’t as the resolution on the LCD wasn’t good enough (need at least thousands of colors); it may work though with an external monitor but I yet have to try that.

Anyway, got a Kensington VGA webcam through my friend David at Harvey Norman (cheap at $90) then installed that on the Aptiva. I had lots of problems with Spotlife — which is one reason I’ve delved into webcams anyway as its a personal webcam/webcast portal. Seems the Logitech installation left some residue on the system so Spotlife wouldn’t cope with the Kensington. This bug bugged me for days. Yesterday I reinstalled Windows Me cleanly (ie I didn’t reinstall over the existing folder to avoid any corruptions) and the Kensington worked — sort of.

I had trouble with the modem last night (to early this morning) so I didn’t get to try the Kensington out too much. Today, after all that trouble the KTX is working and the webcam stuff was working but when I tried the live webcast, spotlife had trouble and crashed. I need to reboot the machine to try it again. I might try tonight. for New Year’s eve so the folks in Manila can see us (maybe).

from blogger:reinvention

Wasted a day sorting out modem problems. At the end of it all, the fucking thing worked by itself. I think my system (Me) is corrupt as I’ve installed w2k and linux mandrake on the same disk and had to defrag a few times. I think this has scrambled my system somewhat so it is unstable at the moment. I’d rather go back to 98 if I can find the disc but if not, I think I’ll wipe the whole disk and reinstall Me afresh, then stop fiddling with it for a while.
posted by bong @ 2:36 PM

from bramilo.weblogs.com

I finally read a lot of Rob Kitchin’s Cyberspace, the textbook for the Curtin Course. Two chapters to go with my reading, and it is very good so far. It discusses many if not all of the issues I have been grappling with since getting into this cyber area of work, particularly in terms of identity and community issues.

The book covers a lot of ground, not only about the Internet but also Virtual Reality. While I am not very interested in the latter, it is useful still to know of issues on VR as Kitchin believes there will be more VR online in future and that VR and other Internet technologies will converge at a later stage.

The Internet stuff is vey useful on the other hand and will provide me with signposts and frameworks for much of the work — especialy the conceptual work — that I will be doing.

More later.

from bramilo.weblogs.com

When talk leads to the relationship between the Net and community arts (or community cultural development, or community development), issues about the accessibility of the net are inevitably raised.

The statistic about a third of Australian households being connected to the web is often interpreted as proof that the Net is not a universally accessible thing for most Australian communities so online arts projects cater only for the connected few. On the other hand, I have heard it argued that other venues for expression – the theatre for example – are not universally accessible to communities anyway and much work needs to be done to make inclusive theatre and “community” arts. Also, another way of looking at the statistic that a third of Australian Households are connected is: there are potentially millions of people from different walks of life, religions, races, socio-economic classes, etc. that can be targets for online community building.

The debate about the “digital divide” raises questions about what community means in relation to pursuing community cultural development that involves new technologies. Does it mean technologising communities or groupings that have been the target of “traditional” community arts, or does it mean building and facilitating communities and community arts among online communities?

I think both approaches – that is, empowering bricks-and-mortar communities with new technologies, and forming online communities among the digitally connected – should be explored and pursued.

from bramilo.weblogs.com

Is Linux the way to go?

Judging from my initial forays into running CGIs (with the QANTM postcard project), as well as my more general aims of fostering the democratisation of new technologies through redundant technology and open source approaches to technologisation, I’m inclined to learn Linux as a platform for my own work and for techno-advocacy.

The postcard project posed some questions for me about platforms, applications, and about balancing short-term versus mid- and long-term possibilities for development (along the lines of my Fellowship goals). See “Mailing lists, postcards, Perl, Linux and other nightmares” for some of my reflections).

Linux is not a particularly easy platform to learn. I tried setting up Red Hat on my old Pentium 100 about six months ago as part of my CIDA project. I had a hard time installing it on that machine. I eventually had a desktop environment up and running but I had to wipe it off the machine when I needed more space for other applications and data about the CIDA project. Since then, I’ve secured another PC with more hard disk space (and RAM, etc.) as well as the latest Red Hat and Mandrake distributions (verison 7 for both) and I intend to install, run, and learn Linux on this other PC.

I also tried installing Linux on some old Macs (IIci, 6200, 520c) but never got it right, partly because Linux has not been ported to the 6200 for instance and the IIci and 520c didn’t haveenough system resources (RAM, HD space) to carry Linux. I do have a 7200 that I can install and run Linux on but its running the CIDA Palace and Hotline servers at the moment -–I may run these servers on the 6200 instead and play with Linux on the 7200 later on.

For now, I’ll concentrate on Linux on a Wintel machine because the latest distributions are for the PC platform (Linux development is more advanced for the PCs platform than Macs), there is more literature and supporting documentation on Linux for PCs, and I have a PC that is capable of running it confortably (an IBM Aptiva, Pentium II 400Mhz, with 128M RAM, 10G hard disk).

I will have to learn to install and run client as well as server application on Linux. The server stuff is more important, I think, as this will prepare me for developing scripts and applications that will lead to the “24/7 CAP” as well as some QANTM projects. It will also be useful for my residency with Octa4.

In the long run, knowing Linux and hopefully bein ggood at it may present good income-generation possibilities as there are not enough Linux types in Darwin and these types, I heard, are in demand. Not that I want to make my living being a Linux geek, but you never know.

from bramilo.weblogs.com

24/7CAP: The 24 Hours/7 Days Community Arts Portal

24/7CAP will be an “Always-On User-Generated Online Community Arts Events” web portal where communities and community artists can initiate, host, and develop online arts events mediated by scripts and other web applications. The Portal will be developed as part of my residency with Octa 4 and in cooperation with the National CCD web site being developed by CAN-SA.

The basic features of the Portal will include:

A “home page” where users log-in, participate in events, or organise their own events mainly through menu-driven navigation and event-organisation mechanisms.

Events can include chatting, online galleries, online music collaboration, interactive imaging, newspoetry, streaming audio and video, and other multimedia forms.

Events can be organised directly on the portal through the use of templates or pro-forma event organising modules where users can :

* select a form (e.g. text, streaming video, imaging, etc.),
* input content and/or mechanisms for interactive and dynamic content creation from other users online (as in dramatic dialogue through IRC),
* set membership/participation protocols and joining mechanisms,
* set up event time/date/venue (or address), and
* arrange promotion and marketing strategies.

User-generation will be negotiated by scripts and/or applications running on the portal server(s), with a minimum of third party intervention – as each event will be allocated space and resources as determined by templates (at least initially – even templates can be generated by users at a later stage), there will be little need for sys admins or webmasters to put together pages and other facilities. The scripts will set up the event and coordinate all other events to produce a schedule of events and the necessary navigation/negotiation mechanisms.

There are portals and/or web sites that already provide spaces and facilities for arts events or for community-building. These sites include:

Free web site space where users or members can put whatever they like, including text, image, streaming media, hyperlinks. Sites like these include: Geocities, Tripod, and Angelfire.

There are also groupware applications such as egroups and Teamwave.

Rocketnetwork for music production collaboration through virtual studios and purpose-made sequencing software (that allow you to produce tracks suitable for interfacing with the virtual studios).

Weblogs such as blogger.com, several Manila sites, and groksoup.com allow “instant web publishing.”

Free webcam, webcast, and streaming stites such as Spotlife and lycos.video.com

Many of these sites use CGIs (written in Perl or some other language) as well as prorietary technologies.

While the proposed Community Arts Portal (CAP) can tap into these existing spaces and facilities through links to these sites, this would not create a consistent structure or interface and unique identity for the CAP. So even if it will take a lot more work, it serves my own developmental process as well as the long-term identity and differentiation needs of the CAP to build an integral and unique portal.

Building sch a portal will need a lot of scripting and programming and some aspects of emulative engineering – particularly in terms of looking at existing facilities, determining useful elements of these sites which are also feasible in programming/development terms, then making applications for the CAP based on a combination of emulation and capacity levels. The CAP will thus start out very simply then become more sophisticated and complex as needs, demands, and capabilities increase.

An immediate demand on myself would be to learn at leats one scripting language, peobably Perl, and understand CGIs enough to write and run them on a server application (that I need to learn as well). I have started on this, with much beginner’s difficulties (see Mailing lists, postcards, Perl, Linux, and other nightmares).

from blogger:reinvention

Christmas Day, 2:30 AM Just finished downloading the VideoCamWorks package for the Kensington (12M file). Bing wanted milk too. We were supposed to have noche buena, traditional midnight meal, but Diday was too tired and Bing was very asleep, and I wasn’t hungry. So I had noche buena with the bloody computer.
posted by bong @ 2:05 AM

from bramilo.weblogs.com

I met with Liz Pearse and Trevor Van Weeren on 27 November 2000 to discuss QANTM’s and my own possible involvement with supporting the preparation of a performance piece to be devised by a Darwin-based performance group “barefoot theatre” coordinated by Liz and directed by Kin Leong — with input from other Oceania young people’s theatre groups — for a conference in Norway in July 2001.

I proposed to help by settin gup collaborative “aesthetic spaces” for the artists which will include an egroup (which I set up on 27 November with Liz) and other facilities. Liz will discuss possibilities with Kin and get back to me.

QANTM will support the project by setting up and maintaining a web site for them.

Below is the email and accompanying project description from Liz Pearse.

=========================

From: Liz.Pearse@nt.gov.au
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 14:13:42 +0930
To: tvanweeren@qantmnt.com
Subject: Young IDEAs

Dear Trevor, attached is information about the Young IDEAS project. It would be great if QANTM through Bong’s project were able to house a “space” for youth across the Pacific Australia region, to have a voice in the project.

If this is something QANTM and Bong are supportive a letter of support , for funding applications would be really appreciated.

Liz

(See attached file: Brief app.doc)

—————————–

Young IDEAS 2001< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Project Summary/description

“An arena for young ideas to be shared and expressed, through sharing short performances, through discussions and improvisations, lead and instructed by a theatre artist, who will search for an aesthetic, a theatrical form to the content brought up by the group.”

The Young IDEAS 2001 Project has the specific brief to organise the participation of Australia/Oceania youth in the international Young IDEAS Project as part of the 4th World Congress for Drama/Theatre and Education (IDEA) Bergen, Norway July 2-8 July.

Internationally Young IDEAS will involve 45 young people from the five IDEA international jurisdictions, in a series of workshops and discussions over the period of the Congress and culminate in a performance piece to be presented as part of the closing ceremony. Each youth theatre group participating are to develop a performance piece based on the theme of the Congress “Playing Betwixt and Between”.

Drama Territory Inc, the Northern Territory Drama in Education Association, has taken on the co-ordination of Australia/Oceania Young IDEAS 2001, with the endorsement of Drama Australia Inc and New Zealand Drama in Education Associations.

Pre-project work by Liz Pearse, Drama Australia Young IDEAS Special Project Officer (a volunteer position) has resulted in:

§ identification of the youth theatre company to develop a performance piece for Young IDEAS in Bergen, Norway

§ identification of project personnel

§ timeline and budget development

§ identification of funding sources and application development

The Northern Territory grown barefoot theatre has been invited as the Australia/Oceania youth theatre company to participate in Young IDEAS internationally.

Project Personnel:

Project Co-ordinator and Tour Manager: Liz Pearse

Company: barefoot theatre

Director: Kin Leong

Choreographer: Lewis Lampton

Performers: 5 young people as yet to be fully identified because of the number to be involved

Guest tutors: as yet to be identified, areas of expertise to include animation and video/image production,

Objectives:

§ To develop and present an original innovative performance work through barefoot theatre, to youth from other countries through participation in the Young IDEAS Congress, Bergen, Norway July 2-8 2001

§ To expand and develop the artistic abilities of the youth participating

§ To promote the artistic talents and cultural knowledge of young Australians

§ To provide a creative and effective vehicle for the voice of Australian youth, representative of the youth voice of the Australia/Oceania region, to a local and international audience

barefoot theatre began in 1996 out of a project called Children of Two Worlds directed and facilitated by Betchay Mondragon and founded by the Australia for the Arts Foundation. It emerged from the group of young artists aged from 15 to 22 in response to a need in Darwin, Northern Territory, for a contemporary, totally youth controlled arts troupe.

barefoot theatre is a project-based company coming together for specific projects and drawing on the youth base of the Northern Territory.

barefoot theatre aims to:

Enable young artists to produce their own work

Facilitate a safe working environment

Encourage all participants to feel free in their creativity

To create a creative environment kept clear of inappropriate censorship

Acknowledge the wisdom and potential of all young people in theatre

A brief background to barefoot theatre:

§ 1996 Children of Two Worlds – a self-devised piece from an ensemble cast exploring the experiences of children born into a cultural mix

§ 1997 Speak to Me… – the debut for barefoot theatre. A self-devised piece exploring the use language through movement, politics, love and chaos. Partly funded by the Office of Youth Affairs (NT)

§ 1998 Insensed! – an improvised exploration of the five senses. Funded by Australia Council for the Arts

§ 1999 Roadtoll by Nimal Jayawardhana (one of the founding members) – a theatre piece on grief and loss centered around a car accident

§ 1999 Follow the White Rabbit - five short films with Sanderson High School students drawing inspiration from Alice in Wonderland. Funded by the NT Department of Arts and Museums,

Liz Pearse, an arts educator and practitioner of 20 years, Liz has extensive experience in working with youth through the performing arts. She has facilitated a number of youth focussed projects including Bullets with Dragonfly Wings (1998), a Year 10 Darwin High School production that raised and explored issues to do with bullying, harassment and youth suicide; and Shepherdson College Arts Project, Galiwin’ku Elcho Island (1998) which culminated in the performance Roniyi nhanu, ga guyani yalalnumirriw, Look to your past to think for your future. Having directed the Arafura Games 1999 Opening Ceremony, a bi-annual Asia Pacific sporting event hosted by the Northern Territory Government, she went on to co-ordinate the 1999 NT Youth Festival Opening Spectacular. Tour co-ordination experience includes organising the Arts in Bali Study Tours 1998/99, two incountry professional development programs for NT arts educators. Currently Liz is the Arafura Games 2001 Opening Ceremony Director and co-ordinating Young IDEAS 2001 Project in a volunteer capacity.

Kin Leong, one of the founding members and Artistic Director of barefoot theatre, will be directing the work to be presented by the young people. He has either performed in or facilitated all of barefoot’s productions. Kin is currently undergoing a series of placements, secondments and mentorships funded by the Australia Council for the Arts Young and Emerging Artists Scheme. He will be working alongside other theatre practitioners, here in Darwin with Betchay Mondragon, Artistic Director of Kilos Kultura, in Melbourne with Tony Le Nyugen - Vietnamese Youth Media Unit at Footsgray Community Arts Company, Oniatta bin Effendi dramalah! Theatre Company in Singapore and Jane Tonkin Darwin Fringe Festival. Kin won the Young Australian of the Year Medibank Private Arts Award in 1999.

Lewis Lampton, Aboriginal dancer, choreographer and educator, recently performed in the Awakening segment, directed by Stephen Page, in the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony. Having trained at the National Aboriginal Islander Dance Acadamy. Lewis danced with Bangarra Dance Theatre in Ochres (1995) before moving to the Northern Territory as an Aboriginal Islander Education Worker in Territory schools. He has played a vital role in promoting dance in youth sectors. In 1999 he took up the role of choreographer for the 1999 Arafura Games Opening Ceremony, He is currently touring with Bangarra Dance Theatre in their work Skin and will be returning to Darwin to choreograph for the Arafura Games 2001 Opening Ceremony and Young IDEAS.

The Young IDEAS performance piece:

The work will be developed through a group-devised process, which will allow for the artistic talents and cultural knowledge of each member to be shared and utilised under the direction of Kin and Lewis. Guest artists/tutors will be included in the process to allow for possible link up with youth within the region and for new technologies to be employed as part of the work. The work will be reflective of the experiences and ideas of the youth participating.

“Playing Betwixt and Between” is the overall theme provided for the Project. A specific outline for the work has been provided by the Young IDEAs International committee and will guide the essence of the work to be developed. The theme at the heart of the work drawn from The Human Rights Declaration, Articles 18 and 25 (part1) deal with issues of identity, place in community and valuing others’ beliefs.

The project will be implemented over the period April to July 2001, with a performance season in Darwin prior to departing for Bergen.

Project Timetable:

2001

April 15 Confirm participating youth, availability to commit and travel

Confirm budget and travel itinerary

Commence Internet link up with youth across Australia and the Pacific

Production and Rehearsal schedules complete

Fundraising/sponsorship campaign

28/29 Weekend workshop to

§ develop group relationships

§ identify talents and knowledge

§ initial ideas and interests brainstorming

May 7wks Development of performance ideas and style

Rehearsal process

Draw in “youth voices” from across the Australia/Pacific regions

Production requirements implemented

Marketing campaign

June 4 –10 Finalisation of performance work – Dress/Technical rehearsals

11-22 Public/school performance season

28 Travel to Bergen

30 Commence work with Kjetil Skøien theatre artist at Young IDEA, Bergen

July 2-8 IDEA Congress, Bergen Norway

10 Return Darwin

Debrief of project participants and leaders

Promote youth achievements – media, youth organisations NT and national

August Project report complete

Documentation complete

Report to funding bodies

from bramilo.weblogs.com

I am working on a few things with Corrugated Iron Youth Arts:

* Helping maintain their network and the Hub in particular for their members’ access;
* Promoting the Yahoo Club (or some other similar venue) that I set up a while ago as an online meeting place for their members;
* Running workshops from time to time (GIF Animation, etc.); and
* Possible collaboration on setting up a community access space.

from bramilo.weblogs.com

Part of my Felowship involves working with the Community Arts Network of South Australia (CAN-SA) in building the National CCD Web Site.

I met with Julia Tymukas, Executive Officer of CAN-SA, in November (in Adelaide, while I was there for the Adelaide Festival Artists Committee meeting) to discuss what’s possible. I proposed that I concentrate on my idea for a community-driven community arts site (a non-stop community arts portal), which I will work on particularly with Octa4. Julia was opkay with this.

I will also wrok with their team on other aspects of the site, depending on further consultation with Julia and the team.