Interface as Performance Medium: Glitchy, Insane KDaG_nato+0.55
Cycling 74’s Max/MSP/Jitter forum is a not just a resource for Max/MSP nerds doing Max/MSP nerditry, but an archive of new media art, ideas, algorithms, discussions and general mayhem. One gem caught my eye during a recent discussion: a YouTube video performance using nato+0.55. What is nato+0.55, you ask? Nato is one of the first, usable, extensible “new media” video systems ever. It helped bring real-time video manipulation to consumer computers, and thus was part of the birth of modern VJing. Ed.: Vade’s not exaggerating; some people still swear by nato, dissatisfied with Jitter and the like. -PK
Nato pre-dates Jitter by a few years, and was designed and sold by a narcissistic, rampant female AI / forum-trolling-as-performance-art spambot / Che Guevara inspired/reclusive futurist programming group/classic Ferrari-driving Dostoevsky character Netochka Nezvanova, aka NN, integer, antiorp (the list goes on). Get all that? I highly recommend this Salon article for some internet archeology on NN; it’s a fun read. Is it wrong to secretly lust after a meme?
But back to the point, KDaG_nato+0.55 is raw, in-your-face, f***ed up and just awesome. The user interface is the performance (McLuhan may have loved this), there is no distinction between the video screen, and buttons, patchcoords, preview screens, menus. It’s just beautiful, and reminds us how important a user interface can be, how it effects our aesthetics - or, how it can *be* our aesthetic.
Now go break stuff and report back!
Ed.: Okay, so now we know what turns vade on. I can’t get quite that excited — maybe I just need more coffee — but I am impressed. Other nato creations out there? -PK
12 Comments or Links
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Comments
Richard Lainhart
Toni Dove:
http://www.tonidove.com
used nato+55 for her interactive cinema work in the pre-Jitter days on Artificial Changelings and, I think, Spectropia.
By the way, according to this:
http://www.subtletechnologies.com/2006/symposium/Dan.html
NN was, and always was, one Gheorghe Dan.
May 16, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
ilan
Last night I swallowed my laptop. That should make for some very interesting visuals in a couple of hours.
May 17, 2008 @ 3:26 am
mike pelletier
Ah that takes me back to the old days of NATO patches crashing my old iMac G3. Using NATO was my first introduction to the idea of software as art, I especially loved the documentation which could be pretty poetic at times. It was an interesting experience using the software, at times it felt like you were using an artwork to create your own art.
May 17, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
meta
all of the videos (& a good portion of the graphic works) on my site were created with nato -
http://meta.am
despite owning jitter for a couple years i just can’t seem to get into it. i still use nato for my video work/performances. i find it much easier to use.
May 19, 2008 @ 11:34 pm
dalas v
Is that nato in OSX or just a standalone app? I had to give up nato when I moved to OSX, but I wish I could still use it.
I remember meta from the 55 email list! Memories!
June 8, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
aleph-null
n2o exists 4 osx.
U JUZSST HAVE @ UANT !T
\+\ !nzrt addtl ko!nz
-.o
bkz oSt.eu girliez laaaaaaavv klassik auto-strategema
este biente
BALKAN.OS | |
November 17, 2008 @ 1:33 am
dalas v
Wow, really weird that you just left that comment here, months later, because just today I was explaining nato to someone.
I do want it. What now?
November 17, 2008 @ 1:40 am
aleph-null
go to l!ne o+3 — plz !nzrt addtl ko!nz
abr
NN needz mor dzn 1 kriket - she uantz an armi ov lvli kriketz
tzooo
e!n.zve!.dre!
444444444
tanz mit m!r
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zSRcFxZVAA
d!sz !z 4 meta:
http://www.rathergood.com/laibach/
November 17, 2008 @ 1:49 am
vade
Id love to play with Nato as well. NN/integer, I have hard earned (and now worthless) american currency to spend. Want another Ferrari?
November 17, 2008 @ 10:37 am
aleph-null
Vade, I don’t need a Ferrari. There are however many other aspects to discuss, inclusive the currency as you suggest. The official currency for
Balkan.os and therefore Nato.0+55 will be Pravda. Until it is free floated it will remain tied 1:1 to the Romanian Leu ( ROL )
As I don’t follow this forum I suggest Syndicate in approx. 1-2 weeks -http://syndicate.anart.no/
November 17, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
stk
What’s the track accompanying the visuals?
March 1, 2009 @ 1:08 am
R0NiN
Clark remix of Milanese’s Mr Bad News is the tune.
April 13, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
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