Data-ism This month, I was hoping to get the final verdict on whether or not the school was going to purchase the special AT & T computer graphics card requested by Bill Featherston, of 2-D. I’ve heard both “Yes, we need one”, and “No, it’s a bad invest- ment”, however all the ballots may not be in yet! The original reason for choosing this system was to give 2-D students a greater colour range and finer resolution for their computer graphics than is currently avail- able with our Amigas and Atari ST’s. The set-up would be like a dedicated graphics work-station, using an IBM computer, within which the card would operate. This isn’t one of the brand new IBM’s like the ones on T.V., with the cast of M.A.S.H. smiling and joking around it, but I’ve heard that it might be an IBM PC clone or something. I’ve also heard that the basic computer system, with the card, monitor, etc., wouldn’t cost more than about $2,000, but I believe what is really ’ being asked for here is something called the “TARGA Graphics System”, which would involve the IBM PC, the graphics card, plus special hardware which would bring the price up to the fifty thousand dollar mark! (Someone who knows more can correct me if ’m wrong.) -Being basically cheap at heart, | wonder if there aren’t less expensive ways of giving 2-D what it wants. Is there anything for the AMIGA that is less costly, but would provide a good alternative? | might change my views after getting more info on the system; | don’t know. The next Computer Committee meeting is on the nineteenth of February, so we’ll see what happens then. On an up note, | have some reviews of new software, and a small magazine, which might be of some interest. CYBERPAINT: Irecently had a good look at a new animation program forthe . Atari ST’s, called CYBERPAINT. What I saw was fairly impressive. CYBERPAINT will accept picture files from a number of Atari programs, like Neochrome and Degas Elite, for use as backgrounds and foregrounds in animation sequences. Much of what I saw was done using “Page Flipping” animation, just like an animators’ flip book. Also, any image can be rotated on any of one to three axes while it is animated. CYBERPAINT has some built-in graphics tools of it’s own, so you can create or alter your frames of animation using different size brushes, filling with colour, etc. Dennis Vance also videotaped the program in use, as an instructional aid since there are a lot of things to learn. He says he plans to do a series of videos like this for his students, to augment his demonstrations. (“The Dennis Vance Home Video Library”?) THE DIRECTOR: This is an interesting, video/animation package for the Amiga. Unlike a lot of animation programs for computers like the Amiga the user must construct their sequences using a BASIC- like command language. (BASIC is an acronym for Beginners All-purpose Sym- bolic Instruction Code, a common program- ming language on micro-computers.) This allows you to get very explicit in your directions, but it means you must have some grasp of simple programming, or scripting, in a language other than English. Using the DIRECTOR, you can also do page- flipping, add text to your screen, and use BASIC-like drawing commands to colour areas or draw whatever you can program up. Another feature is the ability to playback previously digitized (digitally recorded) sounds while your animation is running (a human voice, for example). LIVE!: LIVE! is a video frame- grabber,which can capture single and multiple frames from a video source (like a camera or a VCR). It can capture up to twenty-eight frames at a time, at sixty frames per second. It will grab a colour image from a colour video camera, or with a black and white camera it will do what’s called “simple coloring”, approximating appropriate colours for shades of grey. Lastly, | came across a neat little magazine this month, called “Nexpress”. It is an independent publication dealing with “the aesthetic applications of electronic media.” The Fall ’87 issue, the one I read, is in the mag rack in the school library. Topics covered include: Programming as an art form; the abuse of information; and interac- tive electronics. It comes out of Toronto, is published four times a year, and has on-line telecommunications service for electronic mail, submissions, etc. E. John Love Planetofthe Arts vol.3no.5 March 1988 eDMIOW esiq-euuy Tall Short Story A few weekends ago | paid a visit to Edmonton. Now, at thirty below tempera- tures, one doesn’t want a hell of a lot of sightseeing to do. One tends to stay sedate and stuck in bed. Of course, having friends in Edmonton who don’t see you too often and who know you haven’t seen the city at all requires a lot of going outside. The temperature was so cold in the city that you could actually see the air freezing. The first highlight was seeing the North Saskatchewan River, frozen so solid that, if it was possible to remove the ice, one would have a trench. At thirty below this gully did not look too inviting. The next stop was a visit to the Legisla- tive Building, which is impressive, but again, at thirty below you just beg to go inside someplace where there’s an overheated boiler room. I’m sure that due to the extremes in temperature between winter and summer, Edmonton has a knack for breeding unbe- lieveably creative minds. Wild creativity might also be due to the flatness of the land which induces a sense of hey, there is no limit to anything. It is this kind of thinking that no doubt spawned the WEST EDMON- TON MALL. This place is no ordinary mall. | mean mall kids here would need a dolby sound stereo blasting Motorhead at full volume to feel any significance. Name a desire and this place can provide. There are submarines, dolphins, shark pits, golf courses, European villages, roller coaster rides (which have managed to kill several people so far), a swimming lake with an artificial wave Small pot: Melt marg. low heat as sauce, much crushed garlic. Set aside. machine and water slides (complete with a patio scene, sun deck and hot spa). This being a mall, all these Adventure Sites are surrounded by a massive amount of stores. One of my favorite spots was the kiosk where you could have your picture taken with a Live Rare Animal. These darling large creatures are totally safe, having been declawed and pumped with a daily dosage of sedatives, just enough for the lady of the booth to comment, “They’re as cuddly as stuffed toys.” Fellini could not have thought of this one if he were given two more life-times, but two Armenian brothers, formally carpet salesmen, did. They supposedly have other extravaganzas planned for us in the near future. Maybe even one in Vancouver (perhaps an artificial mountain complete with goats and imported Carpathian farmers with a few Himalayan Sherpa people). What I really like is the fact that | could say | went swimming in thirty below weather. | mean that makes the Polar Bear Club look like a Four H club. There I was, lounging on the vinyl beach with a pina colada, complete with a paper umbrella, in my hand. Mean- while, there were people staring down at me from the upper reaches of the mall, wearing parkas. I felt like an ocelot at the kiosk I spoke of. | highly recommend the whole experi- ence to all artists. | think Edmonton should be a required course on our curriculum. Where else could one get such a well- rounded education in Surrealism? Where one could actually experience it. Jerry Stochansky . ~4> Data-ism ‘This month, ! was hoping to got the final verdict on whether or not the school was going to purchase the special AT & T ‘computer graphics card requested by Bill Featherston, of 2-D. I've heard both “Yes, ‘The original reason for choosing this. system was to give 2-D students a greater colour range and finer resolution for their computer graphics than is currently a able with our Amigas and Atari ST's. The ‘set-up would be like a dedicated graphics work-station, using an IBM computer, within which the eard would operate. This isn't one of the brand new IBM's lke the ones on T.V., with the cast of M.A.SH. smiling and Joking ‘around it, but I've heard that it might be an IBM PC clone or something. 've also heard that the basic computer system, with th ‘card, monitor, etc,, wouldn't cost more than ‘about $2,000, but i believe what is really * being asked for here is something called the “TARGA Graphics System”, which would Involve the IBIM PC, the graphics card, plus special hardware which would bring the price up to the fifty thousand dollar mark! (Someone who knows more can correct mi it1'm wrong.) Being b ‘of giving 2-D what It wants, Is th anything for the AMIGA that is less costly, but would provide a good alternative? | might change my views after getting more Info on the system; I don’t know. The next, Computer Committee meating is on the nineteenth of February, so we'll see what happens then. ‘On an up note, | have some reviews of new software, anda small magazine, which might be of some interost. CYBERPAINT: Irecontly had a good ook at a new animation program for the Atarl ST's, called CYBERPAINT. What | saw was falrly impressive. CYBERPAINT will accept picture files from a number of Atari programs, like Neochrome and Degas Ellte, for use as backgrounds and foregrounds in, animation sequences. Much of what | saw was done using “Page Flipping” animation, Just ike an animators’ flip book. Also, any image ean be rotated on any of ono to threo ‘axes while itis animated. CYBERPAINT has ‘some builtin graphics tools of it's own, so you ean ereate or alter your frames of animation using different size brushes, filing with colour, ete. Dennis Vance also videotaped tho program in use, as an instructional ald since there are a ot of things to learn. He says he plans to do a series of videos like this for his, judents, to augment his demonstrations. “The Dennis Vance Home Video Library"?) "THE DIRECTOR: This Is an interesting, video/animation package for the Amiga. Unlike a fot of animation programs for computers lke the Amiga the user must construct thelr sequences using a BASIC- like command language. (BASIC is an bolle Instruction Code, a common program- ‘ming language on micro-computers.) This allows you to got very explicit in your directions, but it means you must have ‘some grasp of simple programming, or scripting, n a language other than English. Using the DIRECTOR, you can also do pags flipping, add text to your screen, and use BASIC-Iike drawing commands fo colour ‘areas or draw whatever you can program Up. Another feature is the ability to playback previously digitized (digitally recorded) sounds while your animation is running (a hhuman voice, for example) LIVE!: LIVE! Isa video frame- ‘grabber,which can capture single and ‘multiple frames from a video source (lIke ‘camera or a VCR). It can capture up to twonty-olght frames at atime, at sixty frames per second. twill grab a colour image from. colour video camera, or with a black and ‘white camera it wil do what's called “simple coloring”, approximating appropriate colours for shades of grey. Lastly, lame across a neat little magazine this month, called *Nexpress”. It Ie an Independent publication dealing with “the aesthetle applications of electronic media.” The Falt'87 Issue, the one I read, is In the mag rack in the school library. Topics covered include: Programming as an art form; the abuse of information; and interac- tive electronics. It comes out of Toronto, is. published four times a year, and has on-line telecommunications service for electronic ‘mall, submissions, etc. E. John Love Planetofthe Arts vol.3no.5 March 1988 Tall Short Story {A few weokends ago | pald a visit to Edmonton. Now, at thirly below tempers tures, one doesn't want a hel of alot of sightseeing to do. One tends to stay sedate and stuck in bed. Of course, having friends In Edmonton who don't see you too often ‘and who know you haven't seen the city at all requires a lot of going outside. The ‘temperature was so cold in the city that you could actually see the alr freezing. ‘The first highlight was seeing the North ‘Saskatchewan River, frozen so solid that, If, it was possible to remove the ice, one would have a trench. At thirty below this gully did not look too Inviting. ‘Tho next stop was a visit to the Legisia- tive Bullding, which Is impressive, but again, at thiety below you just beg to go inside ‘someplace where there's an overheated boller room. {'m sure that due to the extremes in lieveably creative minds. Wild creativity right also be due to the flatness of the land which induces a sense of hey, there is no limit to anything. Its this kind of thinking that no doubt spawned the WEST EDMON- TON MALL. ‘This place le no ordinary mall. mean ‘mall kids here would need a dolby sound ‘stereo blasting Motorhead at full volume to {fool any significance. Name a desire and this place can provide. There are submarines, dolphins, shark pits, golf courses, European villages, roller coaster rides (which have managed to kill soveral people so far), a ‘swimming lake with an artificial wave ‘Smal pot: Met marg. low heat as sauce, much crushed gai. Set aside. machine and water slides (complete with a patio soene, sun deck and hot spa). This ‘being a mall, all these Adventure Sites are ‘surrounded by a massive amount of stores. ‘One of my favorite spots was the kiosk ‘where you could have your picture taken ‘Animal. These darling large declawed and pumped with a dally dosage of sedatives, just enough for the lady of the booth to comment, “They're as cuddly as Fellini could not have thought of this fone if he were given two more life-times, but, two Armenian brothers, formally carpet salesmen, did. They supposedly have other ‘extravaganzas planned for us in the near future, Maybe even one in Vancouver (perhaps an artificial mountain complete ‘with goats and imported Carpathian farmers. with a few Himalayan Sherpa people). ‘What I really like Is the fact that I could ‘say | went swimming In thirty below weather mean that makes the Polar Bear Club look like a Four H club. There! was, lounging on. the vinyl beach with a pina colada, completo with a paper umbrella, in my hand. Mean while, there were people staring down at mo {rom the upper reaches of the mall, wearing parkas. | fot like an ocelot at the kiosk | ‘spoke of. highly recommend the whole experl- ‘ence to all artists. | think Edmonton should be a required course on our curriculum. ‘Where else could one get such a well- rounded education in Surrealism? Where fone could actually experience it Jerry Stochansky