dxRoulette uses an non automated, but similar approach. Although you have to manually buy, it still very fun to sort the item wait for it to arrive in a random date since the product comes from china.
http://www.dxroulette.com/
Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
31–40 of 102 posts
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#32I'm surprisingly intrigued by this. It sounds really fun!
Good for a conversation piece at parties, if nothing else. "Hey, you guys won't even believe what I got from my random shopper bot this week!"
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#33If you look at what he's doing from an art perspective, he's engaging in Generative art, art that is created by process outside the control of the artist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_art I usually think of John Cage when I think of generative art, and the way he let the environment or random events become part of his music. One of the coolest things I've learned about recently in this realm is Joseph Nech…
"If you look at what he's doing from an art perspective" What exactly is an art perspective? I buy stuff every month from Amazon to serve different purposes, so that they are pseudo-random if looked from outside without context. That doesn't make me an artist, at least not in my book. I don't want to start a modern art flame fest, but where do we draw the line? I mean, it seems like nowadays anything is or can be art…
I define "art" as something I (the proverbial unskilled layman) couldn't do in a weekend.
I was in a Syndey art museum recently, and there are a lot of beautiful art paintings I couldn't create in a thousand years. There are a few proudly displayed "things" that I could create in a couple hours with zero skill. I have no idea what people see in those "things".
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#34If you look at what he's doing from an art perspective, he's engaging in Generative art, art that is created by process outside the control of the artist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_art I usually think of John Cage when I think of generative art, and the way he let the environment or random events become part of his music. One of the coolest things I've learned about recently in this realm is Joseph Nech…
"If you look at what he's doing from an art perspective" What exactly is an art perspective? I buy stuff every month from Amazon to serve different purposes, so that they are pseudo-random if looked from outside without context. That doesn't make me an artist, at least not in my book. I don't want to start a modern art flame fest, but where do we draw the line? I mean, it seems like nowadays anything is or can be art…
>where do we draw the line?
All that's needed to cross this "line" is for the creator to say "Yes, this is art" and the question is answered. The creator's intent is enough to make this distinction because art can be so varied and unique that holding preconceptions is self-defeating.
I believe what lies at the core of this point is really the question: "Is this good art?" This is an entirely different discussion that can be answered with some objectivity by judging things such as: "Is this work original or derivative?", "Is it thought-provoking or banal?", "Does it try to expand or otherwise enhance the chosen medium?"
Regarding the bot creator - I'm unable to see a post where he explicitly says that he's an artist or his bit is an art project or that he's creating art. However, if he were to do so then I'd whole-heartily agree and then proceed to explore his creation from an art perspective.
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
In this (amusing) context, I presume? http://horseecomics.tumblr.com/
Yeah. Wow, these comics are amazing too, thank you.
Older, but my favorite set of flow of consciousness comics: http://spamusement.com
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
"If you look at what he's doing from an art perspective" What exactly is an art perspective? I buy stuff every month from Amazon to serve different purposes, so that they are pseudo-random if looked from outside without context. That doesn't make me an artist, at least not in my book. I don't want to start a modern art flame fest, but where do we draw the line? I mean, it seems like nowadays anything is or can be art…
>where do we draw the line? All that's needed to cross this "line" is for the creator to say "Yes, this is art" and the question is answered. The creator's intent is enough to make this distinction because art can be so varied and unique that holding preconceptions is self-defeating. I believe what lies at the core of this point is really the question: "Is this good art?" This is an entirely different discussion that…
Regarding the bot creator - I'm unable to see a post where he explicitly says that he's an artist or his bit is an art project or that he's creating art. However, if he were to do so then I'd whole-heartily agree and then proceed to explore his creation from an art perspective.
He does actually, in his "Address a criticism" post, he explicitly says he considers the budget for the bot's purchases as money for "art supplies".
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#37you have no respect for the value of money, time and our planet. You better use your spare time write a bot to feed 80 human beings in poor country. :\ disappointed how this can get so high on HN. Srsly, you guys are loosing it.
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#38you have no respect for the value of money, time and our planet. You better use your spare time write a bot to feed 80 human beings in poor country. :\ disappointed how this can get so high on HN. Srsly, you guys are loosing it.
And you spend your time commenting on work you don't respect. Why weren't you out farming?
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#39dxRoulette uses an non automated, but similar approach. Although you have to manually buy, it still very fun to sort the item wait for it to arrive in a random date since the product comes from china. http://www.dxroulette.com/
Hmm, no mater how many times I try, I always get a V for Vendetta mask as the result.
Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon
#40Off topic: I'm wondering when HN users will figure out how to get permalink of a Tumblr post. Everybody is linking to blog home except companies hosting their blogs on Tumblr.
Just to be clear, this is off topic because here the intention probably was to link to the entire blog (all of which is about the bot in the submission title), right?
As the OP, I can confirm the intention :)