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Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

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Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#61

Post by illuminate »

WalterBright wrote: post #33
elteto wrote: post #20

Earlier 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…

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".

"I define "art" as something I (the proverbial unskilled layman) couldn't do in a weekend."

Your definition is somewhat myopic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsider_art

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#62

Post by illuminate »

adv0r wrote: post #41
johngalt wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And you spend your time commenting on work you don't respect. Why weren't you out farming?

what is the purpose of your comment?

To point out that there are more things you can be doing for others than getting outraged at a person's lost productivity, if that is your prime concern.

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#63

Post by gonehome »

elteto wrote: post #20
jaysonelliot wrote: post #19

If 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 remember reading something that had a funny perspective on this.

The main idea was that the joke used to be on the art critics that couldn't determine the difference between what was good art and what was just garbage. You could hang up paintings and then hang up the rag you used to clean the brushes and the critics would swoon over both.

At some point the artists themselves began mistaking the nonsense as art which is how you wind up with this: http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/im-sick-of-pretending-i-dont-...

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#64

Post by kevinpet »

cjfont wrote: post #36
lobotryas wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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 sup…

He isn't claiming it's art. He's saying that we wouldn't criticize the guy spending $50 a month on art supplies to spread on a canvas with their feet, so what's wrong with his hobby?

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#65

Post by salvadors »

WalterBright wrote: post #33
elteto wrote: post #20

Earlier 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…

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".

Couldn't _replicate_ in a weekend, or couldn't have _created_ in a weekend (including conceiving of it in the first place)?

Any fast typist could retype any of the great works of literature in a weekend. That's not the same as being able to write them.

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#67

Post by skrebbel »

nextstep wrote: post #52
jaysonelliot wrote: post #19

If 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…

Generative? I think a better term, in this case, would be Consumption Art. I wouldn't consider buying something to be "generation" of anything.

The term "Generative" in "Generative art" has a pretty well-defined meaning.

Your comment is like saying that you don't think PHP arrays should be called "arrays" because element indices aren't necessarily strictly increasing. You can think that, and there's some sense to it, but it's still called "array". Similarly, you can't change the meaning of a commonly accepted term just because someone buys something at Amazon.

Assuming the OP's project can be called art, it's definitely generative. The artist does not choose which item is purchased.

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#68

Post by skrebbel »

runemadsen wrote: post #23
elteto wrote: post #20

Earlier 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…

I guess the question is: Why draw a line?

Subsidies.

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#69

Post by tubelite »

You know what would be really cool? Write a mini-me program, with enough money that hosting can be funded on interest, with a little left over for gifts.

Then, you die (painlessly, after a long and happy life, etc. etc.)

The program keeps running, tracking your descendants over time and gives them little random, appropriate gifts from the ghost of great^n grandpa or grandma.

I wrote about this in 2007 (https://tubelite.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/autonomous-softwar...). Perhaps Facebook is in the best position to do this, help people plan and create their ghosts.

Re: Bot written to buy random things each month from Amazon

#70

Post by bambax »

lutze wrote: post #56
kyllo wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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!"

Personally, I'd rather not risk having to explain why I just got 55 gallons of lube and an anatomically correct blow up donkey through the mail.

It's set to buy only paperbacks and CDs...
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