New work:
The Party at the Center of the Universe is an attempt at using data
generated by the public to generate a spatial construct on the
internet. This spatial construct takes into consideration the user's
position in space, orientation in space and identity. Each of these
factors will affect the way a person is represented in the
constructed space. A user's position is determined by reading the
strength of their wireless network connection. A user's orientation
is determined by reading the values of the accelerometer (Sudden
Motion Sensor) built in to their laptop. A user's identity is
determined by reading the username of the user currently logged on to
the laptop. The readings are made by a downloadable Dashboard widget
and does not depend on the user's concious interaction. It runs in
the background, transmitting the necessary information to the party
at 5 second intervals. It does not interfere with normal use of the
computer and the user is free to shutdown the widget at any time if
they wish (but it's more fun to know that even though you're in the
middle of an important board meeting or giving a presentation to
people who hold your destiny in the palms of their wallets... er...
hands, you're also the life of The Party at the Center of the Universe).
Hubbles law describes how every point in space sees itself as the
center of the Universe. Due to an effect similar to the Doppler
effect experienced when an ambulance speeds past, the Universe
appears to be expanding away from every point in space, in all
directions. So a space that has the potential to be a single locative
indicator of every point in space, must be the embodiment of the
Center of the Universe... and we're throwing a party! BYOB, good
company and music is provided.
Due to the hardware requirements, the currently available client
program will only run on recent models of Apple PowerBooks and
iBooks. There are some laptops from other manufacturers with built in
accelerometers, such as some of the IBM Thinkpads, but as I don't
have one, I can't create the client. Anyone who does have one, is
free to download the source material and make one. However, anyone
can observe the infinitely expanding, curved spacetime of the Center
of the Universe.
-- Pall Thayer palli@pallit.lhi.is http://www.this.is/pallit