Re: Have you ever dreamed in code?
Lewis LaCook wrote:
> 1.) What programming languages do you use?
C/C++, some assembler - looking more into Cg and GLSL at the moment.
> 2.) Why did you choose the language(s) that you use,
> and how did you learn it/them?
For real-time graphics there really isn't much of an option for speed. C and C++ are arguably the best languages currently available for this. They give the lowest abstraction to hardware while remaining mid/high level.
> 3.) Were you university-trained in programming or
> self-taught? What advantages and disadvantages do you
> see in this method of learning?
I originally taught myself C while at University - then did an MSc. in graphics programming that formalised it. I'd say having good tutors on hand is a great help.
> 4.) How concerned are you with a language's political
> implications, i.e. with whether the language is open
> source or not? Why?
I'm not that concerned about the source of C/C++ as it's so established and mature. Having source code to a library/compiler is more important to me as those are the things that are more likely to have bugs.
> 5.) Does your choice of programming lamguage effect
> the way you approach a problem you wish to solve with
> that language?
Yes - for large projects i'll need to design properly i'll be thinking with C++. For quick tests i'll be using the C subset, and if I need to be optimsising something or writing vector code - then assembler is the choice.
> 6.) Did you come to New Media Art from Computer
> Science or from the Arts? Discuss the transition.
I came to coding from Interactive Art - in turn from a more traditional Fine Art base. A couple of friends at Uni were graphics coders - and while we were learning Flash, HTML and Director as part of IA, I felt the languages and environments that they run in were too restricted. I realised that for real-time 3D the only real choice was C/C++.
I started learning C++ with the thought that as it contains all of C within then i'd learn C aswell in the process. Following this during my MSc. we were taught strict C, and from this I have come to believe that this is a better way to get into these languages. C++ contains a lot of extra aspects that make it a much larger language. C's compactness helps one to learn essentials without having to learn OOD aswell.
Once I had that under my belt I worked in the video games industry where I brought my C++ to a professional level, and working with PS2 I had to be in touch with hardware issues, hence a further understanding of assembler and vector unit micro-code. (Working in industry proved a great way to improve and learn btw).
There is still huge amounts to learn and do. Even though I feel i've made some transition, Computer Graphics is such a huge field - it's not over yet.
> 7.) What does programming add or subtract from an art
> object? Is the artist-programmer giving up control of
> the object by coding it, or introducing more control?
I depends upon the work that you do with it. I work with computers because they have the possibility to add complex interactivity. That is something no other medium can do. Conceptually that is interesting to me.
I think that the artist-programmer, by coding something, has the potential to be creating something autonomous. Whether they are giving up or introducing more control is down to the piece itself.
> 8.) Does each programming language imply an ontology?
I'm not sure that each programming language implies an ontology - programming languages per se are perhaps more like a large ontology - with each language being an aspect within that.
> 9.) Have you ever dreamed in code?
I dreamed I was in a function once - though more like I was inside the source code passing through steps in the debugger. I was working long hours =)
> 10.) Can one code art objects that produce catharsis
> in the user?
Of course.
>
> ***************************************************************************
>
> Lewis LaCook -->http://www.lewislacook.com/
>
> XanaxPop:Mobile Poem Blog-> http://www.lewislacook.com/xanaxpop/
>
> Collective Writing Projects--> The Wiki-->
> http://www.lewislacook.com/wiki/ Appendix M
> ->http://www.lewislacook.com/AppendixM/
> 1.) What programming languages do you use?
C/C++, some assembler - looking more into Cg and GLSL at the moment.
> 2.) Why did you choose the language(s) that you use,
> and how did you learn it/them?
For real-time graphics there really isn't much of an option for speed. C and C++ are arguably the best languages currently available for this. They give the lowest abstraction to hardware while remaining mid/high level.
> 3.) Were you university-trained in programming or
> self-taught? What advantages and disadvantages do you
> see in this method of learning?
I originally taught myself C while at University - then did an MSc. in graphics programming that formalised it. I'd say having good tutors on hand is a great help.
> 4.) How concerned are you with a language's political
> implications, i.e. with whether the language is open
> source or not? Why?
I'm not that concerned about the source of C/C++ as it's so established and mature. Having source code to a library/compiler is more important to me as those are the things that are more likely to have bugs.
> 5.) Does your choice of programming lamguage effect
> the way you approach a problem you wish to solve with
> that language?
Yes - for large projects i'll need to design properly i'll be thinking with C++. For quick tests i'll be using the C subset, and if I need to be optimsising something or writing vector code - then assembler is the choice.
> 6.) Did you come to New Media Art from Computer
> Science or from the Arts? Discuss the transition.
I came to coding from Interactive Art - in turn from a more traditional Fine Art base. A couple of friends at Uni were graphics coders - and while we were learning Flash, HTML and Director as part of IA, I felt the languages and environments that they run in were too restricted. I realised that for real-time 3D the only real choice was C/C++.
I started learning C++ with the thought that as it contains all of C within then i'd learn C aswell in the process. Following this during my MSc. we were taught strict C, and from this I have come to believe that this is a better way to get into these languages. C++ contains a lot of extra aspects that make it a much larger language. C's compactness helps one to learn essentials without having to learn OOD aswell.
Once I had that under my belt I worked in the video games industry where I brought my C++ to a professional level, and working with PS2 I had to be in touch with hardware issues, hence a further understanding of assembler and vector unit micro-code. (Working in industry proved a great way to improve and learn btw).
There is still huge amounts to learn and do. Even though I feel i've made some transition, Computer Graphics is such a huge field - it's not over yet.
> 7.) What does programming add or subtract from an art
> object? Is the artist-programmer giving up control of
> the object by coding it, or introducing more control?
I depends upon the work that you do with it. I work with computers because they have the possibility to add complex interactivity. That is something no other medium can do. Conceptually that is interesting to me.
I think that the artist-programmer, by coding something, has the potential to be creating something autonomous. Whether they are giving up or introducing more control is down to the piece itself.
> 8.) Does each programming language imply an ontology?
I'm not sure that each programming language implies an ontology - programming languages per se are perhaps more like a large ontology - with each language being an aspect within that.
> 9.) Have you ever dreamed in code?
I dreamed I was in a function once - though more like I was inside the source code passing through steps in the debugger. I was working long hours =)
> 10.) Can one code art objects that produce catharsis
> in the user?
Of course.
>
> ***************************************************************************
>
> Lewis LaCook -->http://www.lewislacook.com/
>
> XanaxPop:Mobile Poem Blog-> http://www.lewislacook.com/xanaxpop/
>
> Collective Writing Projects--> The Wiki-->
> http://www.lewislacook.com/wiki/ Appendix M
> ->http://www.lewislacook.com/AppendixM/
