Introduction to Media Arts and Technology

Please answer the following questions and email them to me. There are no right answers, and even though some of the questions are complex, you don't need to write a thesis. This will help me to know where you are coming from....

Why are you interested in this class, and what do you hope to get out of it?

What else are you studying at Smith? Do you have a major / minor in mind?

What type of art making experience do you have (I use the word 'art' in the broadest sense possible)?

What is the role of art in our current social / political context?

Who are three of your favorite contemporary artists?

Please discuss your technical background, including: what type of computer / OS you use, what software / hardware you have used, and if you know any programming languages (including html). (Please don't overstate.... This is not a requirement for the course).

Have you ever made a web site, contributed to a wiki, or commented on a blog?

What technology has had the most dramatic societal impact (in the last one hundred years)?