I’ve recently unearthed my TI-85 calculator from school, evoking those hours in study hall writing TI-BASIC programs. Even then my favorite function was the random number generator, and I can recall one program that would create a monochrome, pixelated garden with vines creeping and spiraling, growing leaves and flowers. Unpredictable and different every time, that’s the important bit.
Enjoy this wonderful Long Now conversation with Brian Eno and Will Wright on generative music, visual design, psychology and games — I’ve mentioned before how seeing Eno’s 77 Million Paintings inspired my Rivers project in 2007. This is the first ten minutes:
