[dorkbotphiladelphia-announce] a growing dork community?

[Chris Vecchio, PhD]

A few things...

First of all, I checked the membership records for
this list today and we currently have 47 members!
This makes me think there is a real possibility
for making Philadelphia an active chapter.

As I've said before, if anyone wants to take on the tasks of organizing,
publicizing, and scheduling meetings or events of any form or format,
please take the ball and run with it!

Second...I went to the first Philadelphia "Make" magazine meeting last week.
Ten or more people from a variety of art and technology backgrounds
showed up - not bad for a cold February night (rescheduled twice).
I'd say this is more evidence of some real interest out there.

And finally, since we are (growing but) still as yet unborn,
I will cross-post the announcement for this month's
New York City dork meeting.
I've been attending the NY meetings pretty regularly and I've been
really inspired by the quality and variety of the work presented there.

It happens this Wednesday at Location One in SOHO.
I will be there on Wednesday so if you can make it too,
please introduce yourself.

- Chris
www.chrisvecchio.com

NYCdork meet info:

> The nine million and twenty ninth dorkbot-nyc meeting will take place
> on Wednesday, March 1st at 7pm at Location One in SoHo.
>
> Please bring snacks to share!
>
> Featuring the lovely and talented:
>
> k.cain and b.crabtree: almost certified
> almost certified (grade A noise for non-discerning consumers) is a
> mechanical sound installation and informative publication. a
> distributed network of precarious egg-tapping robots. each unit,
> individually amplified, features a select unconventional egg.
> calculated sequences emerge, conducted by beautifully rendered
> software on a resurrected mainframe (a sweet mac LC3). "we seek and
> impart knowledge, addressing alarming practices and trends in the egg
> industry. by promoting social consciousness we can live better
> through decentralization."
> http://nnnnnnnn.org/ac
>
> Chris Korda: Whorld open-source live video software
> Whorld is a free, open-source Windows program that offers a unique
> approach to creating live digital art. Whorld generates real-time
> animation, but unlike most visualizers, it's designed for performing,
> and includes MIDI support and other features more commonly found in
> clip-based VJ programs. Whorld animates sacred geometry, and distorts
> it according to parameters that can be adjusted manually, or
> automated via programmable oscillators. The result is a mesmerizing,
> psychedelic composition of continuously transforming shapes. I'll
> explain and demonstrate Whorld's parameters, effects and
> capabilities, from basic patch editing to advanced stuff like
> auto-crossfading between patches and patch hybridization. You'll
> learn how to make art out of geometry and oscillators, without
> consuming anything except a bit of electricity. Can tools encourage
> shared vision and community instead of detachment and alienation?
> Could Whorld rekindle popular interest in aesthetics, and contribute
> to a much-needed reconciliation between art and science? We'll see.
> http://whorld.org
>
> The Botmatrix: Heddatron
> For the past year and a half The Botmatrix collaborated with The Les
> Freres Corbusier theater company on their latest play Heddatron: An
> adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic play Hedda Gabler complete with
> 5 robots.   We will discuss our experiences collaborating, designing
> and building 5 robots for the three week theatrical run. Time
> permitting we will also discuss some of our other projects/events
> such as the annual Robot Parade!  Expect lots of bot goodness.
> <http://htron.botmatrix.com>http://htron.botmatrix.com
>
>
> --
> ........................................................................
> .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity..........
> ......................... http://dorkbot.org ...........................
> ........................................................................
>