MIXTAPE MADNESS - BITING OFF MORE THAN I CAN CHEW

"2 steps forward, 2 steps back."

From the initial concept of my project 'Arrival' I went away and started to work out how I will make this idea come to life. My first impressions, a very naive one looking back now, was

'Oh yeah all the codes there with some instructions, this should be easy... I just have to put it into a code machine thing right?'

How I was wrong.

I slowly realised that even getting the code was hard, I firstly had to download 'Processing' - But not just any Processing, Processing 1.5 which is 9 years old - Oh and it doesn't run on Mac.

Still on first base, I had to figure out how to get a windows document onto a MacBook... After a good couple hours of searching the web I had found a program that you download and then it allows you to get windows on your Mac. This sounded promising, so I downloaded it which took another couple of hours. Finally it downloaded, with a spring in my step I downloaded Processing 1.5 with success, clicked the 'run' button and oh, I have to download a certain Java to run it...

I hate technology, I hate windows and things were just not going my way, even after downloading the specific java, nothing was working.

After my continuous failures of downloading the very old software, I decided to download the newest version of processing, this actually download meaning I could see the programme with my own eyes for the first time, finally, the code machine thing that will sort everything.

At this point I needed to download the folders which had all the necessary code and documents that will be needed to run the software, so I downloaded these with success. I had the 'float' and 'Flob' folders (No idea what float or Flob means) and was ready to create my incredible interactive installation with the simple bits of code...

Before that though, I was aware I needed to download a certain 'Quicktime' application to run the code when it is ready, so I went online and found it... It doesnt run on Mac, back to the windows I go. The specific Quicktime software was 'Quicktime 1' yes, 1 - There are now 15 quicktime softwares. After downloading this software surprisingly quickly I was met with the oldest looking interface I have ever seen.

With the programmes in place I was ready to start the coding. So I copied and pasted it and bang, it worked - NOT. Looking into the Flob and Float folders was like going into a black hole, the documents and coding was endless - At this point I knew I was out of m depth. I was looking up tutorials and how to's but even those made zero sense to me, they do say code is like a different language, and I have never believed anything so much.

After a good few days of asking friends and relatives who know how to code, and even them struggling to understand or see how I would be able to do this with my zero knowledge of code, I came to the realisation I needed to change my project.

I can say I was definitely naive to the work load and knowledge that was required to even get started with my interactive projector installation, I truly believed the very basic steps of how to do it would be enough (picture below) and I would simply be able to copy and paste code to get it to work. Although it has taken a week of failure to realise this would not work, I am optimistic with the project and have re designed and re thought the project, still holding true to the initial 'Arrival' concept, which will be in a new blog with visuals and inspirations behind it.