IFTTT

I think IFTTT is useful to a point–it’s great for cross-posting things/quickly hauling a specific subset of information from one place to another without any desire to apply any transformations to it. In terms of accessibility I think it trumps a straight API, but I think APIs provide a wider variety of options for how to use the data inputted. The Jer Thorp article debunking the perceived difficulty of creating/using an API was inspirational to me, I’ve been interested in using APIs in the past but have been too intimidated to actually go through with using them. I’d love to work with and potentially even create APIs this semester and beyond.

Jim Campbell’s Formula for Computer Art acts as a provocation. Interactive media art tends to follow Campbell’s formula–interesting sensor data is taken and then mysteriously mapped to an aesthetically pleasing output. Campbell wants to see artists break away from the formula and attempt new and innovative things.

One of the things I love about being in Pittsburgh is how accessible the arts are in comparison to my hometown (this feeling is mostly fueled by the awesome free bus fare/museum pass combination Carnegie Mellon provides). This recipe pulls RSS feed entries from OMG!PGH and emails the content to me. My email goes to my phone so I can add the things that interest me to my calendar, so I won’t forget to attend! Eventually, I’d like to get around to setting up an RSS feed that pulls events from the various museums/galleries in the area, but for right now I feel like this is a good selection of events that would interest me.