[Chapter-delegates] A Call for Subjective Programming

[Fatima Lasay]

Dear friends and colleagues,

ISOC-PH prides itself in the diversity of methods, perspectives and 
discussions on topics of interest to its members and their communities.

This message is a call for everyone, within and outside the ISOC 
Chapters, who may be interested in  "Subjective Programming."

One of our active members, Trevor Batten, is a computer artist in the 
artist-programmer tradition of the 1960's. As a pioneer in this field, 
he has devoted a great deal of his life and work on computer programming 
and the idea that the computer is a linguistic machine and programming 
is a philosophical process.

He explains:

"Computer programing is usually seen in the context of the production of 
the creation of a tool for some practical task. We might call this 
"Objective Programming". This is not to be confused with Object 
Orientated Programming -which is a programming style and not concerned 
with the motives behind the programme."

"Subjective Programming" (in contrast to "Objective Programming") is a 
form of programming related to the actual process of programming - and 
is not concerned with the practical use of the programme. It is can also 
be seen the use of programming in the exploration of "subjective" 
thoughts, concepts and ideas. In this context "Subjective Programming" 
can be seen as an exploration of the concept and process of programming 
from an artisitc, cultural, philosphical or linguistic perspective. Here 
we use the term "linguistic" to refer to the concept of "language" in 
the broadest possible manner -involving any structured system of meaning 
-or system of (creating) meaningful structures. This includes 
mathematics, visual and auditory art, verbal and non-verbal languages 
and such physical or conceptual processes as natural or artificial life."

"In the early days of computer art, artists were forced to become 
programmers, simply because the required software was not availalable. 
In this tradition, the work of the scientist and the artist came very 
close: For example, Cell automata, fractal images and the relationship 
between computation and cognition could be of interest to both artists 
and scientists (and allowed these two, normally concidered opposite, 
modes of thought to merge within a single person). However, the rise of 
the commercial exploitation of the computer as a consumer toy (in the 
mid-80's) largely destroyed this early tradition. As a result, "Computer 
Art" was reduced to the use of pre-designed systems for the production 
and manipulation of sound and images. Somehow, both vendors and public 
seemed to forget that specifying the design of the production system and 
its rules is actually a fundamental part of the work of an individuial 
artist (often known as "style" or "genre", etc.)."

"Hopefully, the concept of "Subjective Programming" presents an 
oportunity to revitalize the "artist/programming" tradition -but also to 
expand it through the addition of any other programming, rule and 
pattern based related practices that do not easilly find a comfortable 
position within the dominant "Objective Programming" tradition."

If anyone is interested in discussing and/or developing a possible 
collaboration on the subject, please contact Trevor Batten thru 
trevor at tebatt.net and the website http://www.tebatt.net/

Please pass on this message to friends and colleagues who could be 
interested.

Best regards,
Fatima Lasay
President, ISOC Philippines