The bridge between “programming” and everyday use of computers is shrinking daily as more and more tools are created for “power-users”. So there are a wealth of options built into a number of commercial applications which allow users to take their interaction to the next level. That said, there is still a large gap between this and code-level, abstract programming, and the relatively small percentage of users who are interested in programming (and the even smaller percentage who stick with it) both need to be addressed for “computer literacy” to evolve.

The development of programming environments like Scratch is great, and not only provides new tools for users, but also challenges the developers themselves — it helps them think of new ways of visualizing the programming process as they design the environments themselves. Scratch is especially good for teaching programming concepts, as the widgets mimic what is traditionally done in text-based code. Along those lines, Processing is another great development: free, with many libraries and examples, and based upon the much more powerful Java — designed to provide a quick way for programmers to “sketch” their ideas.

However, I want to take this opportunity to plug another very powerful and easy-to-use program: Max / MSP / Jitter ( http://www.cycling74.com ). This graphical programming environment deals with all data (whether audio, video, MIDI, text, 3D graphics via OpenGL, or others) very simply and in an abstract fashion. That means you can route, mix, display, and save your data in any form you want, leading to all kinds of new understandings, particularly with how computers manipulate their data via calculations. Though the program is not free, it does have a 30-day free trial, and a very cheap 9-month Student version.

I used to work with code-based languages but have gladly made this switch — it is a graphical, interface-based environment, with the “programming” created in a flow-chart design for your data and logic “streams”. Your interface has the logic built right in, which can be exposed or hidden as you wish. Since you have control over the media, the logic, and the interface objects, you quite literally can build just about any kind of application without knowing a line of traditional code! Particularly good at real-time interaction, tinkering of any parameter, being able to record or generate activity (changing data flows and parameters), and the design of your interfaces in any way you want, Max is a must-try for anyone with any interest in these wide areas of art, music, data, and mathematics. If that isn’t enough, it also provides integrated support for Java, Javascript, and C, so that those things better done by text-based code can be used too — right in the midst of your interface. Best of all, the much-anticipated release of the completely overhauled Max 5 — called by the company as “Max for the next 20 Years” — is slated for April 2008!

As an example of some of Max’s capabilities, I have created “Portfolio 2point5”, which takes the idea of a traditional portfolio several steps further — not only can users interact with my media in a variety of ways, the application also can “play itself” via a number of selected preset processes. In this manner, the interfaces and the chosen presets act as an essential part of the portfolio itself, and allow viewers the chance to create their own new mashups of my work. Check out the concept description and screenshots here:

http://www.third-space-mind.com/max/portfolio_2point5_website/index.htm