Os_anm by Slateford

Variablemedia is pleased to announce it's latest project, os_anm by
slateford. Started January 3rd 2003 os_anm will be hosted for three
months at www.variablemedia.org.

Os_anm is a lo-resolution pixel animation tool (programmed in Java). It
is partly inspired by the proto-digital media of teletext. The tool
combines drawing functions, playback and its own scripting language.
Slateford provide the tool, the visitors to variablemedia provide the
content. Animations created on os_anm are stored in an online database.
New animations can be created, existing ones viewed, added to, or
're-mixed'.

Os_anm is open source prototype software. Currently os_anm operates in
an online environment. Slateford have decided to use their residency at
variablemedia.org to develop a standalone version of the software.
Updates to os_anm will be posted to the site. The source code for each
update will be freely available, as will the final software when
complete. A development kit to help others develop their own variations
and additions to the core system will also be made available. Progress
in the project development will be reflected in changes to the Java
applet on the site. New functionality will be added to this to
demonstrate and test developments in the main software. Info on the
software development, along with source code downloads and the
developer's kit, can be found in the 'development' section of the
variablemedia project site.

Os_anm is currently suitable for: Mac OS X, Solaris, Linux, or Windows
98/NT/2000. Windows XP users will need to upgrade to the latest Service
Pack.

Slateford are Simon Yuill (Scotland) and Tryggve Askildsen (Norway).
They have never met. Their work is produced through online
collaboration. It derives from their common love of old-school coding
and an interest in exploring its aesthetics through contemporary
computer media. All slateford works are black and white. Slateford are
supported by Lipparosa. Lipparosa is a code repository for speculative
software and theoretical codeworks. It was set up by Simon Yuill in
November 2002.

" - we are making old-time code - we live in a grey world - we hope for
the future but enjoy today - sometimes we do not know why we do what we
do - it works for us - we hope it works for you - "
slateford, 2002.

Variablemedia was created by artists Michelle Deignan and Simon Goodwin
as an Internet space for artists to explore place, process and
temporality. The www.variablemedia.org site hosts a continuing series
of artists' "site specific" web projects. Artists occupy the site's
space for a period of between one and three months. This space is
available for them to change, update and add to during their project's
run.

New Media Scotland are currently hosting another slateford project
called 'greylines 00-06', a series of interactive code-doodles exploring
simple graphical ideas. The project is presented as part of New Media
Scotland's HOST commissions and launched on 15th December 2002.
________________________

Links:

http://www.variablemedia.org
http://www.variablemedia.info

'greylines 00-06' at New Media Scotland: http://host.mediascot.org
Lipparosa: http://www.lipparosa.org
slateford web-site: http://www.slateford.org

For further Information please contact: [email protected]