Meeting Mr. Kid Pix
November 14, 2020 7:37 PM Subscribe
"I wanted it to kind of expand people's idea of what, say a drawing program could do or what a computer could add to that." A reflection on 30 years of Kid Pix, software tools as art, and the process as the joy of art, rather than the result.
KidPix was, indeed, the only program anyone wanted to use in the mid-90s computer lab when I was in elementary school.
posted by BungaDunga at 8:19 PM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by BungaDunga at 8:19 PM on November 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
KidPix!
posted by Going To Maine at 8:42 PM on November 14, 2020
posted by Going To Maine at 8:42 PM on November 14, 2020
A long time ago, probably in the early 90s, I recall reading that KidPix was, at least at that time, considered one of the most perfect pieces of software ever developed. Alas, I can't find that reference now but I remember it well.
posted by bz at 9:08 PM on November 14, 2020
posted by bz at 9:08 PM on November 14, 2020
KidPix is where I learned about the Wilhelm scream.
posted by lilac girl at 11:11 PM on November 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by lilac girl at 11:11 PM on November 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Craig was my father's faculty advisor.
KidPix ranks next to HyperCard in formative software experiences.
I must say now on reflection , it's amazing to see something of such cultural significance that wasn't sport or national lampoon related come out of the University of Oregon.
I will still sometimes say "oh NO" when using undo.
♥️
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 12:13 AM on November 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
KidPix ranks next to HyperCard in formative software experiences.
I must say now on reflection , it's amazing to see something of such cultural significance that wasn't sport or national lampoon related come out of the University of Oregon.
I will still sometimes say "oh NO" when using undo.
♥️
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 12:13 AM on November 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
In about 1993 the food co-op where I worked got our first color computer, the Mac LCIII. I was reluctant to use a computer and moaned that I would "never learn all those key commands." A coworker installed KidPix on our Mac and PLAYED WITH IT IN FRONT OF MY FACE while cooing and laughing. She dared me to try it and by the end of the lesson, I could mouse, open a document, select, draw lines and apply fills, cut and paste and save.
She was the person who volunteered to make our co-op newsletter and she was tired of doing it. She convinced me that I had enough skills to take over layout of the newsletter and installed Quark Express. She never told me Quark had a steeper learning curve than KidPix so I blindly figured it out on my own. Within a few years I built and administered a network of 9 Macs and a printer with no further instruction. I owe it all to Diane and KidPix!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 6:50 AM on November 15, 2020 [16 favorites]
She was the person who volunteered to make our co-op newsletter and she was tired of doing it. She convinced me that I had enough skills to take over layout of the newsletter and installed Quark Express. She never told me Quark had a steeper learning curve than KidPix so I blindly figured it out on my own. Within a few years I built and administered a network of 9 Macs and a printer with no further instruction. I owe it all to Diane and KidPix!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 6:50 AM on November 15, 2020 [16 favorites]
That was a marvelous program. Students of all ages loved to use it. It was a lifesaver when we were all struggling to figure out good things to do with our computers in classrooms.
posted by Peach at 7:45 AM on November 15, 2020
posted by Peach at 7:45 AM on November 15, 2020
I can't imagine what a classroom full of all those noises would be like. Where I'm from, tradition has it that a silent classroom is a productive one.
posted by scruss at 7:49 AM on November 15, 2020
posted by scruss at 7:49 AM on November 15, 2020
… but then I discovered that Craig Hickman made the so-2005-it-hurts Beautiful Dorena that unfortunately sank without trace. It only runs on PPC Macs, if you can find it at all.
posted by scruss at 10:43 AM on November 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by scruss at 10:43 AM on November 15, 2020 [6 favorites]
Beautiful Dorena seems like an appropriate successor to KidPix. Lots of useless but fun tools.
posted by Windopaene at 12:53 PM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Windopaene at 12:53 PM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Really nice to hear about such a great piece of software - wish I'd had experience with it when I was a kid!
Also neat to hear the conversation between Jeffrey and Mr Kid Pix - and to see Jeffrey's work. Kind of a convoluted little documentary, actually - made by Jeffrey (?) as part of a residency, but narrated by the subject, who then gives a little commentary on Jeffrey's work.
The whole discussion around whether Kid Pix is itself art seems like part of a bigger discussion right now, where we intuitively sense that programming is a creative act - but have a hard time finding ways of presenting a computer program as art in a way that is broadly perceptible. As always, the gaming community seems like the exception here, but even there the perception of games as art is often presented in traditional ways (art design, animation, acting).
Anyways - Cool, cool, cool!
posted by ianhattwick at 8:56 PM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also neat to hear the conversation between Jeffrey and Mr Kid Pix - and to see Jeffrey's work. Kind of a convoluted little documentary, actually - made by Jeffrey (?) as part of a residency, but narrated by the subject, who then gives a little commentary on Jeffrey's work.
The whole discussion around whether Kid Pix is itself art seems like part of a bigger discussion right now, where we intuitively sense that programming is a creative act - but have a hard time finding ways of presenting a computer program as art in a way that is broadly perceptible. As always, the gaming community seems like the exception here, but even there the perception of games as art is often presented in traditional ways (art design, animation, acting).
Anyways - Cool, cool, cool!
posted by ianhattwick at 8:56 PM on November 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ha - I was definitely a Kid Pix kid! This was a charming and thoughtful video, thanks for sharing.
posted by .holmes at 9:33 PM on November 15, 2020
posted by .holmes at 9:33 PM on November 15, 2020
« Older The Prestige Trap | Raspberry Pi 400 Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by phigmov at 8:04 PM on November 14, 2020