UPDATE

So we got our own section of the ARCH server! password and everything, so we can feel confident now that others can't erase our work. so check your email to learn how to connect to our server...[there's a password so i don't want to post it here...]

Let's get started!

Alright so here’s the deal. I created a folder on the architecture server* for our publication. To get there, please do the following:

1. find a Mac
2. open FINDER and hit “apple + k”
3. choose “caed1.calpoly.edu”
4. select “shared”
5. login using your my.calpoly username and password
6. search for the folder entitled “00_Arch_400.” [it’s highlighted in bright green].


Ok I’m in the folder! Now what do I do???
The folder is subdivided into three folders
1. 01_InDesign
a. this folder contains three identical files, “01_Publication_A,” 02_Publication_B,” and “03_Publication_C.” Every time you modify one of the files, please “SaveAs” over the two files as well. We will have three identical files [in the event of a corrupted file or InDesign crashing etc…]
2. 02_Linked files
a. this is where you put all of the images that you’ll “Place” from InDesign. Please make all of your files TIFFs and preferably 300 dpi. Please label and organize all of these images!!!
3. 03_Word docs
a. please include all of the text documents here…in it’s original state. This prevents, as Karen pointed out, any information from being lost in the InDesign file.


A few more notes on InDesign…
1. I created four layers: image, text, graphics, and comments. Please try to keep these in tact.
2. The margins and bleed marks: the red guides are for full bleed. Please extend all images to this border but keep in mind that it will be chopped off at the document bounds [the black border]. doesn’t make sense? I know, but just do it! It’s a lulu press thing… The purple margin within the document bounds is for the text. Please make sure all text does not extend pass this border.
3. That’s it! Go!!! Just put it out there! And feel free to make comments on each others’ work [make sure its in the “comments” layer].

If you have any questions feel free to ask me.
Deric_

*I just emailed Tammy [mac lab tech] about getting our own server for security reasons. I’ll keep you updated….

A MIDTERM (breakfast) REVIEW

Working Net

Over the past few days, I have taken the topics we have established and discussed on the white-board in room 106 and placed them in this ad hoc networking program. I have also taken the liberty to add in "self-organization" as a concept. I think it is pertinent to note that over the past few weeks we have been casually (and perhaps unknowingly) mixing topics with concepts. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it should also be observed that concepts have the potential to incorporate multiple topics while topics are singular entities.

As the next step in deciding where we intend to go, I think we need to begin focusing on which concepts can best unite the topics we have already established. The reason I added "self-organization" while composing this network was because I realized in making connections that the concept of self-organization was one that is shared by many of the topics. For instance, nomadism describes the movement of people that is purely self-organized based on availability of resources, climate, etc. (i.e. there is no pre-determined structure as to where a nomad will travel).

Similarly, things like "architecture w/o architects" and "the community 'onion'" also share a sense of self-organization. That is to say, if there are no architects, then there is no structure being imposed and the architecture being produced is a product of the self-organization of the society from which it comes. Also, the "community 'onion'" does not develop based on some pre-conceived model--instead it is the product of the relationships between people, cultures, social classes, etc.

Even further, something like graffiti art is still a product of self-organization--while an artist may have a plan as to where he will paint, he is also reacting to other artists, his relationship with society, availability and desirability of art placement, etc.--even graffiti art is a product of self-organization. It is for this reason (along with all the others I've discussed here and those shown in the diagram above, which is click-able, by the way) that I think self-organization seems to be the natural direction in which we should be traveling--heck, even the diagram itself is a product of self-organization.

Also, with specific regard to the diagram above: I'm on a 30-day trial for the program I used to create it. I think it is certainly a feasible model to use for our midterm review on Thursday, and may serve to aid us further in developing a more solidly defined model of a publication. It is also entirely interactive and intuitive, so new ideas and connections can be made with ease. I would be interested to hear any feedback you might have about these ideas. I think the recognition of these relationships will allow us to develop a strong conceptual model that will later manifest itself in publication form.

Last, don't forget that the grant proposal for our group is due on February 9th (this Friday!) so please make a point to scroll down a couple posts and respond to the "$ Extramural Funding: A Proposal $" post. The more feedback we can get prior to submitting, the stronger our submittal will be.

I hope you all are having a great weekend, and I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

--Justin


atman | 4:28 pm | 020607

I'm responding to mr. v's comment here because I figured some of you may also have similar questions / concerns:

"please define "self organization" -- the term as you are using it is nebulous. in addition, isn't arguing "self orginization" as an organizational tool or central concept somewhat circular?"

Self-organization is essentially this: "a process in which the internal organization of a system, normally an open system, increases in complexity without being guided or managed by an outside source. Self-organizing systems typically (though not always) display emergent properties." where an "open system" is defined to be "a system whose boundaries are permeable to energy and mass" and "emergent properties" simply refers to the development of complex organized systems. [definitions from Wikipedia]

Regarding the second part of your question, I don't think that arguing self-organization as an organizational tool or a central concept is circular for a couple of reasons:

First, unlike various religious arguments or other theoretical conjectures, self-organization has been empirically proven to be a naturally-occurring phenomenon and is widely accepted within a varied number of scientific communities including physics, thermodynamics, chemistry, and biology, among others.

Second, to make use of self-organization as an organizational tool or a central concept is not an attempt to prove the existence of self-organization, as it has already been proven--rather, I see it as an observation that self-organization has not only affected how we have come to develop our current set of topics, but is also prevalent within the topics themselves. We could certainly use a more structured, hierarchical system to describe how self-organization is apparent in the topics we have chosen, but in many ways I see that as a needless diversion from our subject matter, especially if it is a conscious one. Rather, I think the use of a self-organizational approach can help enhance the understanding of how the concept of self-organization has informed our collection of topics, how those topics are connected to others, and how self-organization can be found within the topics themselves.