Obzoks are what computers are for.

January 21, 2010 8:21 AM

Every year, Golan Levin creates an animated, interactive greeting card. The most recent features a family of his old obzok creations, and is easily among the most nuanced computer programs I've ever seen.

Golan has certainly been mentioned in the blue, before.

Full disclosure: I have worked with Golan, but had nothing to with any of the pieces linked-to today. I'm posting as a fan.

posted by e.e. coli (11 comments total)

BUT WHY DOESN'T THE MIDDLE ONE LIKE IT WHEN I TICKLE HIM?

I mean, uh, "Yes. Very compelling."
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:09 AM on January 21, 2010

See also Peter Cho's New Year's greeting and Elise Co's. All three are former students of John Maeda, found the links on his Twitter.
posted by Nelson at 10:21 AM on January 21, 2010

I think I'm missing why this is fantastic.
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 11:32 AM on January 21, 2010

HIcst: Did you try grabbing and dragging one of the eyes around? That's pretty cool, but there must be something else I'm missing too, because other than that, and that they go to sleep after a while, I don't get what's so nuanced about it.
posted by KGMoney at 11:50 AM on January 21, 2010

No, I did the click-and-drag thing. It's not that it isn't cute or squishy or whatever, I just think that "among the most nuanced computer programs I've ever seen" makes it seem like I missed something that would make me jump for joy.
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 12:17 PM on January 21, 2010

hasn't got enough 40 year old Fortran code in it to be nuanced.
posted by scruss at 12:40 PM on January 21, 2010

The construction and behavior of those creatures is a lot harder than it looks.
posted by e.e. coli at 8:43 PM on January 21, 2010

so you're saying he put a ton of work into something that my kid could draw?
posted by scruss at 10:07 AM on January 22, 2010

If your kid could write that computer program, let's talk.
posted by e.e. coli at 11:12 AM on January 22, 2010

hi e.e. coli, thank you very much for sharing this, in case anyone is interested in how it was completed, it seems like they use processing... a really amazing piece of open software, it is a LOT of fun to play with.

It can be used to make really cool things with not a ton of programming knowledge, but what is here are definitely really cool creations.

Processing has tools to make programming art... it is like programing for an artist (and there are many tools and "templates" so you can jump right in.
posted by infinite intimation at 2:05 PM on January 23, 2010

This project he did is sweet.
And this list contains a bunch of other cool little projects.
posted by infinite intimation at 2:53 PM on January 23, 2010