Re: [-empyre-] Re: corporate divisive PDAs

["Patrick Lichty" <voyd@voyd.com>]

This raises a very intersting question:
Is art for the PDA and/or Information Appliance necessarily an elistist
form?  Jun-Ann's message almost seem sto presuppose that somehow the
ownership of a PDA is inclusive with the ownership of a laptop or cell
phone.  Taken into context with the idea that under 15% of the world has Net
access, it is safe to say that this genre is of the margin.

However, what could one say of the use of the computer as aesthetic tool
before the personal computer and the Internet?  In addition, there are
certain educational, socioeconomic, and technical provisions that are
defined almost a priori when one uses the computer as a medium.

But then, why work with it when paper works very well?  Personally, it is a
key component to the culture within which I was raised.  Digital and
communications environments are where I live, and in fact, where I spend the
greatest portion of my social time (through maillists like this one).
Therefore, for me it makes great sense to explore digital technology.

Going back to my previous statement above, does the use of any new (and
usually expensive) technology have any agenda to it?  Of course.  Technology
is never neutral.  WHenever any technology is employed, it's issues and
agends follow right along.

IMO, where the artist come in is to test those issues through the
exploration of techniques, interventions and such that use various devices
to see/show their influence on culture and society.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jun-Ann Lam" <jaxal@netspace.net.au>
To: <empyre@imap.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2002 9:28 PM
Subject: [-empyre-] Re: corporate divisive PDAs


> I know corporate heads who get supplied their PDAs along with their jobs.
> ALong with their mobile phones and laptops and desktops and cars and
> bonuses.
>
> I am not surprised that artists aren't plugged into PDAs. Can they even
> afford it when other things like paper work so well?
>
> Jun-Ann
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