Design Philosophy

"We should move beyond the modest goal of getting a computer to perform as well as the best human being, and pursue tools that enable humans to perform a thousand times better than the most capable human" (Shneiderman, 1997)

The Meta-Matic will initially be a tool for creating alternative browser concepts. The Meta-Matic explores the feasibility of introducing structure and purpose to the creative process that is abstract and undefined; the artistic process. It does this by representing a design context: a unified conception and a clear framework or platform. Additionally the Meta-Matic is an attempt to over come creative bias that results from immersion in previous work and which limits imagination. It allows designers to "locate" and build upon generic strategies and patterns for interfacing information spaces.

Inspiration

There are several sources of inspiration for making the Meta-Matic.

Tinguely
The name and underlying concept comes from Swiss artist Jean Tinguely who designed machines that could themselves create works of art. Tinguely's Meta-Matic #9 produced abstract drawings by an automated mechanistic process using a motor-driven mechanical device with a pen attached and following a random sequence (Holtzman, 1993).

Genex
Another source of inspiration is Ben Shneiderman's concept of genex , an integrated family of direct manipulation tools that supports users in creating innovations in art, science, engineering, etc. A genex helps users initiate hopes, fabricate plans and implement dreams in a highly social framework. According to Shneiderman a well-conceived and clearly-stated framework could guide design efforts, coordinate planning, and speed development.

The Meta-Matic could be considered a member of the genex family. Like the genex tools the Meta-Matic is based on the following foundations:
1. New Knowledge is built on previous knowledge
2. Powerful tools can support creativity
3. Refinement is a social process
4. Creative work is not complete until it is disseminated
Source: The Genex framework: Foundational beliefs are tied to creative phases and sets of existing tools that can be refined and intergrated into a genex.

Meta-matic Definitions

The Meta-matic = the application for design a Meta-matic

A Meta-matic = a multimedia composition that represents existing data structures in information spaces

Meta-matic = substitute the page metaphor with your own metaphor

Meta-matic = construct your own information access layer

Meta-matic = use your own design language to create a personally pleasing user interface

Meta-matic = audio-visual user experience

Meta-matic = enables you to get connected to both wired and wireless information spaces

Meta-matic = encourages you 2 play w/ information

Meta-matic = creative agent

Meta-matic = living lego

Meta-matic = digital playdoll

Meta-matic = a pattern sandbox and a collection of powerful symbol handling tools

"The browser designer defines the viewer's experience in time and space"
Jokko Korhonen

Strategies and Design Philosophy

The designer has strategies - these are the techiques - which are used to impose a particular matrix of space and time, experience and meaning on his viewers: the viewers in turn use tactics to create their own trajectories within the matrix. The trajectories are based on other interests and desires that are neither determined nor captured by the system in which they develop. (Lev Manovich)

The choice of strategy affects the semantics of the browser itself.

Design philosphy is made up of the strategies and the values they represent. In the case of the alternative browsers design philosphies range from "information wants to be free" and "images are eye candy" to "the platform is art" and "culture is collectively generated"Defining and Classifying Strategies

Topologies of net.art

According to Matthew Fuller (1998) of IOD the majority of web-based art can be understood by four brief typologies:

*Incoherence refers to the user abuse, ironic dysfunctionality, randomness to mask pointlessness.

*Archeology media archeology, emulators of old machines and software, and structuralist materialist approach.

*Retooling integrity to old materials in "new" media, integrity as kitsch derived from punk/jazz/hip hop, old-style computer graphics, and "filmic references"

*Deconstruction conservative approach to analyzing-in-practice the development of multimedia and networks, consistently re-articulating contradiction rather than using it as a launching pad for new techniques of composition. (Matthew Fuller. A Means of Mutation: Notes on I/O/D 4 the Web Stalker)

Browser Architecture

The alt.browser strategies can be classified according the browser architecture layer they manipulate or make irrelevant. In other words the browser architecture model allows us to understand at which layer the defamiliarization of the user experience occurs. The layers in question are

*Internet access layer This layer refers to the various protocols for communicating with remote websites, ranging from simple HTTP to various types of encryption and rating services.

*Navigation layer This layer is made up of the features which keep track of where users have been on the Web and helps them go where they want to go.

*Presentation layer The most "visible" layer it takes a page from the navigation layer and renders it on the screen for users to enjoy.
Jakob Nielsen

Relevancy

* How critical is the design of the prevailing biases associated with information spaces.
* To what extent is the design a viable alternative to existing designs.
* How effectively does the design communicate the biases of information spaces.
* Does the design provide a solution to the biases - constructive criticism.

The general evolution of all media types are becoming more and more modular.

Montage aims to create visual, stylistic, semantic, and emotional dissonance between different elements with contrast, compositing aims to blend them into a seamless whole.

The 1990s compositing supported a different aesthetics characterized by smoothness and continuity i.e. anti-montage tendency. The elements were now blended together, and the boundaries were erased, rather than emphasized. This led to the concept of 'Aesthetics of continuity' (smooth composites, morphing, uninterrupted navigation).

Another example of anti-montage tendency in GUI is peaceful co-existence of multiple information objects on the screen, examplified by a number of simultaneously opened windows. Just as with media elements in the Web, the user can add more and more windows (and navigate through them) without establishing any conceptual tension between them.

Anti-montage tendencies in Web sites and GUIs (different media elements are placed next to each other without any attempt to establish contrast, complementarity or dissonance between them). Our interest is to get out of this "boxes side by side" -thinking towards a "layered" and multi-dimensional web browser - a Meta-matic.

Collage is formed from different elements - texts - pictures - sounds - moving images. "Once all the elements are ready, they are composited together into a single object that can stay static or vary over time." (modified using Lev Manovich's texts).

Meta-matic and collage

Collage = Breaking into pieces and constructing again

Collage = From entity to pieces and from pieces to entity!

Collage = selection + combination

Irrational pieces can form rational thought and vice versa. First the copies of all elements are stored and then they are defined, called and played according to certain coordinates or attributes. Cumulative result: "once an object is partially assembled, new elements may need to be added; existing elements may need to be re-worked." The raises a question of coordination, bahavior and adjustment, layout, time-dependance, streams and flows, and layers. Are separate elements accessible after compositing? Possible forms of Meta-matic collages are non-linear collage, navigable collage, spatial collage.