To test the system text the following to 41-411:
itper checkout A1534

This follows the syntax required by the TextMarks.com service of using the 41411 shortcode for their system, followed by my registered keyword “itper” followed by an internal keyword (either “checkout” or “return” and finally the serial number identifying the equipment you are checking out.

How does this work?
The TextMarks.com service allows a text sent by anyone with the above syntax to ping a custom PHP page I’ve coded. The custom page records the sender’s phone number, text message, and timestamps the record as well. Then the script can recognize whether or not you’ve entered “checkout” or “return” and it sends a confirmation back to the sender.

How to make it better?
I’m going to continue developing this system to improve my PHP and mySQL skills. As a result of texting the “checkout” or “return” commands I would like a record in a separate database table to keep track of who has each piece of equipment checked out, as well as when it is due back. The due back date should then be sent with the confirmation after a ITP student checks out a piece of equipment.

]]> http://steveaquillano.com/2010/02/equipment-room-sms-rental-system/feed/ 0 http://steveaquillano.com/2009/12/black-hole/ http://steveaquillano.com/2009/12/black-hole/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:30:42 +0000 Steve http://steveaquillano.com/?p=249

An animation made using Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop.

A Film By Steve Aquillano, Saul Kessler, Christine Nguyen, Mindy Tchieu, and Cindy Wong. ITP Fall 2009.

Copyright is a form of intellectual property that gives the author of an original work exclusive right for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation, after which time the work is said to enter the public domain. Copyright applies to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete and fixed in a medium.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man is a book written in 1964 by Marshall McLuhan. The name of the first two chapters are really direct and sum up their respective content. (1) The Medium is the Message and (2) Media Hot and Cold. In Chapter 1 McLuhan argues that despite the content of the message, the medium used to convey this message is the real or actual message perceived by the audience. I am fascinated with this idea, and while I’ve already known this (maybe learned subconsciously) McLuhan artfully explains his research in a very succinct and precise way — a way I would never be able to express myself. I think marketing firms across the world have known this for a long time, maybe learned from McLuhan. For any given message desired to be conveyed, ample consideration should be given to the medium which supports this message the best. The other thinking is to transfer the message through all mediums since members of the audience may be more susceptible to one medium over another. “Media Hot or Cold” goes on to define mediums as more or less participatory. For example, watching a movie would be hot media, emotionally involving the audience, while watching TV would be regarded as a cool media. Again, things that presently seems second nature had to be discovered and articulated at some point in history. McLuhan was on to something.

MODERN CASE STUDIES:

• Ecstasy of Influence: A plagiarism by Jonathan Lethem
• On the rights of Molotov Man: Appropriation and the art of context by Susan Meiselas and Joy Garnet
• Artist Admits Using Other Photo for ‘Hope’ Poster by Liz Robbins, The New York Times

FURTHER READING:
The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde

In preparation for creating my own short comic, I was instructed to read Scott McCloud’s tribute to comics. Prior to this experience I was neutral on the subject. I, of course, had always known of comics, but surprisingly had never picked one up to read… And now I wish I had. I’ve been exposed to a whole new world of storytelling. Storytelling communicated not just through words (books) and not just through pictures (film?), but a story told while artfully balancing pictures with words. Comics are just that — Art. As McCloud explains the historical origins of comics and their evolution through history, the intricacies of the medium abound.

An intriguing concept that McCloud speaks to is the ability to communicate through comics, but he admits the limitation of his medium and others. There seems to be a human inability to ever fully express what one feels or thinks to another individual. One can try through speaking, through writing, through comics, photography, film… there will always be a desire to more effectively (and accurately) convey one’s exact emotions to another person (viewer).

Michelle Liu and I created our own comic:
(click to enlarge)

]]> http://steveaquillano.com/2009/10/understanding-comics/feed/ 0 http://steveaquillano.com/2009/10/the-great-escape/ http://steveaquillano.com/2009/10/the-great-escape/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:01:50 +0000 Steve http://steveaquillano.com/blog/?p=85

30 Minute Film Festival from Steve Aquillano on Vimeo.

This essay is Benjamin’s most cited work. It discusses the evolution of different forms of media/art and more specifically how technological advances in reproduction have or will render the original less unique and awe-inspiring.

Since written in 1935, we have the luxury of looking back in history to decide for ourselves whether or not his predictions came true — and I have to disagree with Benjamin. A famous painting for example: as a result of reproduction I have been exposed to more art than I would otherwise. I feel this exposure has given me more knowledge to appreciate an original. Yet when I am able to experience an original (most likely in a museum) I still feel the “aura” Benjamin writes about. The aura never left and was never stripped away. It is an intrinsic value of the original instilled in the time and place when the artist gave birth to his/her creation.

For more information visit http://treemuseum.org

I want to start by saying I like the basic idea of the Tree Museum and while art is subjective, I think this installation could benefit from several improvements — not to change the premise — but to execute the idea more effectively.

Ian and I took the 4 train to Yankees Stadium. From there we entered Joyce Kilmer Park. We found the main Tree Museum sign just fine, but we failed to see the tiny placards at the base of each tree identifying the tree number. This wasn’t a deal-breaker because we brought the tree museum map with us so we proceeded to dial-in to each of the tree numbers in the vicinity.

The audio included a mixture of locals (artists, proprietors, etc.) speaking about varied topics but all with the intent of giving life to their neighborhood. Also, there were historical accounts of buildings or spaces. This, I feel is what ties the installation together and the Tree Museum might have been executed better had all of the trees and audio reflected on a building/spaces transformation throughout history.

I see the trees (though not always very old on the Grand Concourse) as generally having a longer lifespan than humans. This thought gives rise to a question: “What have these trees seen?” I really like the idea of chronicling changes in the neighborhood from the trees’ perspective.

Just a final overall thought is that better quality audio would benefit the experience of the art installation.

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