Lecture 11 "digital games - But are they art?"

A. How does Adams define art? Do you agree with his definition?

• aesthetically interesting
• conclude narriative element
• the content of work of art should make audience feel something
• as a form of communication
• not forumlaic, it should be original, but there is an exception, such as appropriation taking other art and representing in a new way to create new meanings (post-modern idea)

b. According to Adams, what is needed for videogames to be considered as art?

it should be aesthetic and interesting
it should have a unity
be the game, screan shot is needed,
2-3 issues (advantages : team work , skills,
critize +ve or -ve and own opinion

Discussion

a) According to the film, what are some pros and cons of playing videogames for individuals and societies?

• PROS
• Education-let game players get in touch with reality
  

b) According to the film, is there any evidence that digital games can encourage aggressive values and antisocial actions in the real world? Do you agree?

c) Should governments have the right to ban certain games? Why or Why not?



Should games be more like fantasy or less like real-worold war?

it would be good if the videogames less violences.
to create a sense of excitment, in my opinion, it is not necessary to make the game so violent.
the war-like videogames are so violent that encourage game players to get in touch with weapons and harm people who they hates. as a result, a lot of crimes occured at school campus in United States.
it would be better if videogames can turn back to simple. videogames institutions should create some games that is fantasy or educational, for example, a "sim city" is a very educational videogame that requires games players a sense of creativity, knowledge to common sense and managment. Some tycoon-act games is also exciting. i think this kind of games should be promoted.

http://filmsdefrance.com/FDF_Mouchette_rev.html

8 Constructing Identity Online

Question:

1. What is identity?
"Chan Tsz Yan" this name is for my oridinary use.
Such as school and work

"Tsz Yan" is my name that my parents and relatives call me.

Usually, Friends of mine and schoolmates call me "Natalie Chan"

sometimes, i use "Nat" or "Nat Nat" as my name on the internet, such as emails and MSN
so that there won't be too many people can guess who i am.

therefore, i have five names.

2. What are some benefits of expressing one's identity online?

3. what are some risks?

In general, if you use your real name on the internet, people can search your name easily. i have a funny experience that happened few years ago. I curiously typef someon'e real name on the searching engine, i found his/her name on his/her school website. but, it was a notatification which something bad. =.='' it was a funny experience anyway........

in my opinion, i will disguise my name on the internet, which is much more safe.


adapted from Ray CHan's blog
1. What is identity?two identities.puikwanchan: for school emails and the school affairsRay Chan: for friends and classmates on MSN,email and YouTube.shinleafmm: for blog and forum account.

An examples of an online digital artwork that explores identity:

Mouchette:

this website is published based on a film, Bresson in 1967

this

7 digital art and Networked Art

Discussion topic: What are some challenges digital art presents to the art world (ie galleries, exhibition goers, art critics and scholars)?

Board range of works....

once the artworks being edited by computers, they are transformed into a digital artwork.
besides, some artwork created by computer or software, could be regarded as digital art.
since the range of genre of art increases, there are several challenges of digital art presentation.

digital art is much difficult to exhibit. it is because some digital artwork is a software. when it comes to exhibiting a digital artwork, it takes more time on arranging the space, and even it does need some technical aid, such as computers, projectors, sometimes internet is requirded......

digital artwork sometimes require an interaction to the audiences.


easy to duplicate, since digital art is a software, if duplication is needed, it is simple and
Often interdisciplinary....



digital artwork often involves collaboration between an artist and a team of programmers, engineers, scientists and designers.
therefore such works may break dowm the barries between different disciplines (art, science, technology and design).

consequences: people may not feel confident to interpret such works creates new and exciting possibilities.


what is the difference between digital art and net art?

net art is "Internet art (often referred to as net art) is art which uses the internet as its primary medium or platform."
"internet art", Answers.com, ( viewed on 14 oct 2009)
net art is diversified...........



the first movement can be divided into several parts: the first theme, the second theme,
all the movment is based on a theme material. it repeats all the time and it has a variation, such as key changes, yet it is not excessive. The advantage of its combinatin was its simplicity.

Allegro Moderato
(add footnotes. "String Quartets, op.20 Haydn)"wikipedia viewed in 14Oct 2009)
Minuetto. Allegretto
Affettuoso e sustenuto
Finale. Presto


FIRST ImPRESSION...
i think some melodies are arranged to draw attention to the listener to feel the warm sunlight .


the third movement is a slow movement.(citation : Answers. com) i think it aims to indicate a warm and relaxing feeling to listener. however, i am not appreciate this movement since............

texture

the texture of the piece is harmphonic. there are several melodic lines in the whole pieces.
Fugue is occured in the piece.
citation:
"Sonata Form", Northern State University, viewed on 12 OCT 2009

Youtube

"Bus Uncle" who is nicknamed by the public, he is a man who quarraled with a stranger on the bus. a passenger nearby, who recorded during the quarrel, uploaded the video to YOUTUBE afterwardsnot only was it famous in hk, but also in the globe.It became the most viewed video in May.2006, it inspired a interesting debate and discussions on the internet.

Review on last lecture

a) Is there any problem with simply using the productts that these two companies create for us?

Microsoft

• hardly managed to stay secure of viruses
• Less secure. it is because most of the viruses designed for windows-processor

Apple

• Mac OS ( a operating system developed by Mac Inc.) it has limitation of use, since it only can be used on Mac Book
• many computer games are available for Windows-based computer, only a few computer games are available for Mac Book.
• although Mac OS has higher secuity, yet the virus still exists.

b) why do some people choose to use open-source software such as Linux?

• Linux can be installed in any numbers of computers
• it is no charge for getting lunix software
• Security program is stable
• Easy to control every aspect of the operating system, such as modifying the source code and editing "look and feel" of desktop
• it requires less RAM to run a Linux system

c) Who own the right to modify your digital tools? Does it matter at all? why or why not???

it does a matter to argue who has a right to modify one's digital tools. it is because the digital tools are one's property. no one can modify without permissions. however, some systems do not have a great use. i think people can slightly modify the operating systems, but they should be respect to the owners ( the company who developed the software), system can be slightly modified by individuals but they should not release to the public.


http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_Linux

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish software engineer.
he Graduated in University of Helsiniki.
He initated Linus Kernel in 1991, which is a free and open software.
he initally initated a program to replace Minix, which initated by Andrew Tannebaum.

one of the features of Linux Kernel is that
- it is free and available to general public.
- people can modify, freely able to change for use on a different machine or platform
-allows users to create content through incremental individual effort ot through collaboration, such as FireFox

lecture 4 who owns your digital tools and does it matter?

What is operating system?
Operating system is an matter between hardware and user which has a function of management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computers.besides, operating system is responsible for handling the details of the operation of the hardware and arranging a priority for networks and applications.


What is software? It is a general term to describe the computer programs in computer system.
What is free software? It can be duplicate copies from other’s computer without committing copyright law. It is easy to edit, such as changing the code. Users do not have to ask or pay for permission. Last but not least, proprietary software ofter spy on user’s activities on computer and restrict them from sharing things with others.

What is the difference between proprietary operating systems like Windows and open source operating systems such as Linux or Ubuntu?

Propietary operating systems requires users to pay for the permission. It also limit the ability of software applications to run on other systems and also limit the market for any application software. All in all, it has a lot of restrictions. an open source, such as Linux in which users can download it from the internet for free of charge. Last but not least, several proprietary operating system often spy on user’s activities on computers. The system can restrict the users from downloading illegal stuff and duplicate stuffs. In contrast, open source system does not have this kind of restrictions.

What is hacker? There are two meanings of hackers. The first meaning of hacker is a person who accesses a computer system in inappropriate way and duplicates stuffs from the computer system.


What is open source software? According to WIKIPEDIA, open source software is a computer software which the source code reserved for copyright holders under the software license. The content is freely edited by users.


What is copyleft? It is a new form of licensing that involves using copyright law to remove restrictions on distributing copies and modified versions of a work for others.

digital photography vs. analog photography

comment on Question 1

when it comes to talking about the resolution, analog photography is better.
the size of digital images are not always flexiable, it depends on the size which photographer had selected before capturing images. however,

when it comes to talking about variation, digital photography has more advantages.
For instance, artists can easily add something or erase something on the pictures, images can be combined by using computers. photographers can edit something which makes the images fasinating and something could not happen in the world.

when it comes to talking about environmentally friendly, digital photography is better.
Traditional camera, which uses a roll of film to record the images, once it is captured, images cannot be removed. however, digital camera can easily erase the images by using computers or digital camera itself.

digital images are well preserved than photos. color fades when exposed to light for a long time.
as long as the images are saved well, the quality of images would not decline.


2. what use is digital technology to photographers?

photographers can edit their photos .

1. Information revolution

a) Accordding to the short video, how have these technologies improved the way that knowledge is stored, created and shared?

In the past, information is stored by words and papers, which occupied lots of space.
Nowdays, information can be easily searched from the internet. There are lots of searching engine on the internet, for instnace, Google, Yahoo, Wikipedia, encyclopedia brittannica,etc.

- Information on the internet is more up-to-date
- Saving papers
- Easy to search

b) Is the picture that this video paints too optimistic? Does it leave anything out?

Most of the information on the internet can not 100% guaranteed since some information may be fabricated.
Freedom of speech on the internet can be enhanced, since anyone can give their opinion and they do not need to shoulder any responsibility.

1. What is a brief history of the encyclopedia?
Encyclopedia Britannica is an educational tool with high reputation. It was published in the late 18th century. There were three Scots founded the Encyclopedia Britannica, Colin Macfarquhar, William Smellie and Andrew Bell. The articles emphasized utility, science and art. The 2nd edition had added history, biographies and an appendix. The 3rd to 6th edition had been amended with multi-volume supplements. The 9th edition of Britannica was regarded as a landmark; it often called “the Scholar’s Edition”. It was published in late 1880s, having 24 volumes and one index volume. The Scots mastered advanced scientific and mathematical topics and historical interpretation of the Bible. Success of he 9th edition Britannica led to publication of the first American edition. Under a sponsorship of The Times of London, the 10th edition was published with 11-volume supplement to the 9th edition in 1903. New elements were added, such as hand-written letters, telegrams, limited-time offers and so on. In 1960, Encyclopedia Britannica co-operated with the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions for a study. After five years of joint commitment, a board of distinguished scholars accepted the brainchild of Dr. Mortimer Adler, who proposed the creation of three encyclopedias rolled into one. Nowadays, people can use the digital versions of Britannica on the internet. In the 1980s, Microsoft co-operated with Britannica Inc. to collaborate on a CD-ROM encyclopedia. An online version of Britannica was launched in 1994.

2. What are some key features of that encyclopedia ?

a) according to Wikipedia.
-Free web-based
- it's community-edited. indviduals can freely edit information from the website
- Some articles are combinations of several articles.
- Runs on the mediawiki engine
- With semantic annotations

b) according to Encyclopedia Brittannica
- limit a input-Editors are often scholars, they have organized the topics before publishing.
- Index- to give readers assistance in obtaining information under headings
- Alphabetical system of arrangement

3. Which encyclopedia was most useful for this research?

Encyclopedia Britannica, it is because the articles are written by experts and scholars, which are more guaranteed than those articles are written by public.

4. Can you trust this encyclopedia 100%? why or why not?
In my opinion, anything on the internet cannot be 100% trusted. Even the encyclopedia Britannica, though all the articles are written by experts and scholars, however, some information may not up-to-date.
In terms of Wikipedia, it is not 100% trustable, because of its community-edited policy. Anyone can freely edit and upload information from the website. In addition, some articles are combination of several articles; those cannot show a detail or trustable reference or annotation to their articles.