Tiny News
Samuel Arbesman: The Magic of Code
Dear reader,
We are back with the third edition of Tiny Awards, the annual celebration of those magical sites made by someone, for someone.
You can submit any site made in the past twelve months. It doesn’t even have to be your own, and there’s no submission fee. Submissions are open until the end of the month, after which our (outstanding) jury will nominate a shortlist for public voting.
The past two winners are One Minute Park (2024) and Rotating Sandwiches (2023). In other words: the very best of the internet, and fine company for whichever site wins this year.
With care,
Kristoffer (and Matt K & Matt W, the Tiny Awards co-organizers)
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
Samuel Arbesman: The Magic of Code
Samuel Arbesman is an author and Scientist in Residence at Lux Capital.
What is The Magic of Code?
The Magic of Code is my attempt to rekindle a sense of delight in computing, showing that understanding computers is not just a branch of engineering but a kind of humanistic liberal art, one that touches on language, philosophy, biology, art, ancient mythology, and so much more. It's a fun romp through the weirdness and wonders of computation.
Why did you write The Magic of Code?
I wrote this book as a sort of love letter to the computer. Our society's relationship with technology feels a bit broken, and I hope this book might be able to restore a sense of excitement and wonder. But it's also the kind of book I wish I had when I was younger and first becoming interested in computers. I had to cobble together many of these ideas on my own when I was young, and I hope this is the sort of book that can inspire and delight those who are not yet familiar with code and computers.
Who or what inspired you?
My experiences when I was young definitely inspired this book. My family were early adopters of computers, with my father getting us a Commodore VIC-20 when I was little, and then followed by an early Macintosh. We also had early access to the Internet. All of these experiences and more—along with my parents' support of my explorations of these digital worlds—helped me to realize that computing could be a source of wonder and a window into so much.
Pre-order The Magic of Code (it’s wonderful) and visit website Samuel’s website (it’s also wonderful).
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Field Notes
1.
Sharing Screen with Chia Amisola. The final Internet Home Tour is coming up. It’s been such a joy to co-host this mini series with wide smiles from guests and participants throughout. This Wednesday, we visit the home of Chia Amisola, my favourite web artist of all time. I highly recommend joining if you can.
2.
Tiny Awards. Submissions are open until the end of the month. I didn’t realize, until much later, that most other awards require a fee just to submit a site. How did that ever become acceptable? Awards shouldn’t be bought.
3.
How to Build the Good Internet. (I’m quoted)
4.
Calls for Participation: Lullaby Machine second issue (Due 10/6), Zoomusic (Due 12/6), Everyoneisagirl (Due 15/6), form + foliage (Due 15/6), Protostars Grants (Due 16/6), Error 406 (Due 17/6), Believers Grant (Due 30/6), Peckham Digital (Due 30/6), Tiny Awards (Due 30/6), and HCI.Place (Due 1/7).
5.
Poetic Web Calendar: Poetics of Computing (Rotterdam, 10/6), Sharing Screen with Chia Amisola (online, 11/6), Cursor Launch Party (Copenhagen, 13/6), FWB Fest (Idyllwild, 1-3/8), and What Hackers Yarn (Geestmerambacht, 8-12/8)
𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
Wayside flowers
Last email was sent to 4682 inboxes. Eleven people support me taking time putting this email together with paid subscriptions (thanks for the upgrade, Orian!). You can send questions, comments, products, sites, links, and more to kristoffer@naiveweekly.com. I read everything you send me :)