The Slow Web - related projects Slow Mail - Louise Klinker Carolyn Strauss and Julian Bleecker's slowMail is an email service that deliberately slows down the pace of electronic correspondence, enabling experiences of reflection and mindful interaction that are rarely characteristic of today’s electronically‐mediated cultural forms. As traditional email overwhelms and platforms like IM and SMS increase in popularity, SLOWmail explores the possibilities of less instantaneity and more calm in communication, creating a new rhythm of social interaction. Contrary to traditional email, which is expected to be delivered at lightning speed and responded too almost as quickly, slowMails take their time. The rate of delivery of a dispatch is determined by a combination of its semantic content (word choice), emotional tags provided by the sender (solemn, passionate, angry, etc.), the respective geographic locations of sender and recipient (next door, next town, Timbuktu), how they describe one another (mom, lover, horrible person), and the two parties’ history of correspondence. Because the time trajectory of a slow email is so intimately tied to the content of the message, this platform challenges people to be more mindful and creative in message composition as they look for the richer meanings behind words and phrases they employ in communicating with one another. Speed is surrendered to the promise of aesthetic character, pleasurability and new social connections. slowMail was funded in part by the new media organization Rhizome as part of its prestigious Commissions program, and the project will be presented at the New Museum for Contemporary Art in August 2008. Visit the project here ThisIsLike.com An associative knowledge network, based on an online database of associations maintained and expanded collaboratively by the ThisIsLike.Com users. Using the network, anybody can connect people, places, events, and anything else that’s similar or related in any way. The core structure of ThisIsLike.Com was inspired by the way the human brain works: a network of inter‐connected neurons firing electrical impulses at millisecond speeds and propagating information this way. However, there are two main differences here. The first difference is that all “associative impulses” and the time when they occurred are recorded on ThisIsLike.Com – creating a snapshot of human brain, a sort of dissected series of impulses, each of which can be analyzed and reviewed at any other moment of time. The second difference is that that our users actively share each other’s associations with each other, this way creating a collective intelligence not bound by the limit of “real time”. Please visit the page here Real Snail mail - Boredom Research Improving slowness.. With thousands of users choosing to take their time with Real Snail Mail™ our eight snails are starting to feel the pressure. We realise we must grow to cope with demand. We are delighted to announce that our first step towards fine tuning the slowness of Real Snail Mail™ will be taken at the British Science Festival this year where we will present the first of a number of large Real Snail Mail™ enclosures Visit the project here YouTube As a Subject - Constant Dullaart Visit the project page here Slow Messenger - Julian Bleecker Please visit the project page here |
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