in the last month we discontinued our activites around this Blog due to several reasons. However, if you might not recognized, our study program is going to celebrate its 10th anniversary with an exhibiton in the Weserburg, Teerhof 20, which will be opened tomorrow the 3rd of July. Everyone is invited, its free of charge. So join the grand opening tomorrow at 18:00h !
More infos :http://www.dm4hb.de/

Additionally unpleasent developments cast a shadow on this anniversary. To sum up in short, the future of the study program and its inter-university cooperation between the currently involved universities is more than unclear at the moment. During the last year the Joint Commission on Digital Media put a lot of work on it to renew the accreditation of the study program to ensure its legitimation, to improve the quality of study conditions and the scope of lectures offered. As a result of this process several changes and prerequisites has been designed as a roadmap. Sadly, the rector´s office of the University of Applied Sciences announced that a central prerequisite won´t be fulfilled. This decision puts the future of the whole study program into question !

Due to that reason the students representatives at the University Bremen (StugA Digital Media, stuga-dm@informatik.uni-bremen.de) took the initiative and asks all Digital Media students to a sign a signature list to set a sign for the preservation of our study program and its inter-university cooperation.

Support them to save the study program !

Official press release in english :

Students of Bremen fight against the end of their study program

The continued existence of the cooperative study program Digital Media is in danger. The reason is the decision of the rector´s office of the University of Applied Sciences Bremen not to integrate the separate degree course Media Computer Science into the cooperative offer of the University of Bremen, the University of the Arts Bremen, Universities of Applied Sciences of Bremerhaven, and Universities of Applied Sciences of Bremen. The cooperation agreement managing the collaboration between academic and research institutions requires this for continuing the study program.

„We were shocked by the news“ reported Marc Modrow of the student council. Lecturers, professors, research assistants, and students worked for the future and the advancement of the study program during the last 12 month. However, the future is uncertain now. In their search for support the students received a lot of recognition by officials on different levels but it seems they do not have any advice on what to do either.

Everything seemed to go well with the study program celebrating its 10th anniversary with a great showcase at the Weserburg in Bremen on Saturday, July 3, 2010. Students intend to use the exhibition to draw attention to the current problems. „The students are behind the study program and we don’t want to give it up easily“, reports André Griepenburg, another member of the student council. „The cooperation has to continue! Without the opportunity for students to take advantage of all the diverse classes offered by the different locations, the program would lose a lot of its diversity and quality. This would mean the end for the independent study program Digital Media at some locations because there would be no sense in continuing it as there wouldn’t
be enough distinction from the computer science program.“ During the exhibition there will be a book of condolences which visitors can sign to show their support for the study program. Additionally, students and the public will be informed via posters, flyers, and a projection on the wall of the Weserburg.

Additional information:
Showcase 10 years Digital Media
http://www.dm4hb.de/
Study program Digital Media:
http://www.digitale-medien-bremen.de/

Contact:
Student Council (StugA) Digital Media, stuga-dm@informatik.uni-bremen.de
Study Program: Marion Wittstock,dm-info@tzi.de

Official press release in german :

Bremer Studierende wehren sich gegen Niedergang ihres Studienganges

Der Fortbestand des hochschulübergreifenden Studiengangs Digitale Medien in Bremen ist in Gefahr. Grund ist der Beschluss des Rektorates der Hochschule Bremen den separaten Studiengang Medieninformatik nicht in das Kooperationsangebot mit Universität, Hochschule für Künste, Hochschule Bremerhaven und Hochschule Bremen einzugliedern. Der Kooperationsvertrag, der die Zusammenarbeit der Lehr- und Forschungsanstalten in den Digitalen Medien regelt, sieht dies aber zwingend für das Weiterbestehen des Studienganges vor.

“Uns traf diese Nachricht wie ein Schock”, berichtet Studiengangsaktiver Marc Modrow. In den letzten 12 Monaten haben Lehrbeauftragte, Professoren, Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter und auch Studierende für die Zukunft des Studienganges gearbeitet und die Weiterentwicklung voran getrieben. Doch nun ist die Zukunft ungewiss. Auf der Suche nach Unterstützung ernteten die Studierenden zwar von Verantwortungsträgern verschiedener Ebenen breite Zustimmung, doch es scheint, dass auch hier guter Rat spärlich gesät ist.

Dabei schien alles so gut zu laufen, feiert der Studiengang doch diesen Samstag, den 03.07.2010, sein zehnjähriges Bestehen mit einer großen Werksschau in der Bremer Weserburg. Nun wollen die Studierenden diese Ausstellung nutzen, um auf die Probleme aufmerksam zu machen. “Die Studierenden stehen hinter dem Studiengang und wir wollen diesen nicht einfach aufgeben”, berichtet André Griepenburg, ein weiterer Studiengangsaktiver. “Die Kooperation muss Bestand haben! Ohne die Möglichkeit für die Studierenden die Angebote aller inhaltlich verschieden ausgerichteten Standorte nutzen zu können, würde das Studium sonst jeweils an immens Breite und auch Qualität verlieren. An manchen Standorten wäre es das Ende für den eigenständigen Studiengang Digitale Medien, da ein Fortbestand parallel zur Informatik wegen der geringen Abgrenzung gar keinen Sinn mehr machen würde.” Auf der Ausstellung wird es ein “Kondolenzbuch” geben, in das sich Besucher eintragen können um ihre Unterstützung für den Studiengang auszudrücken. Auch über die Fassadenprojektion auf die Weserburg und über Plakate und Flyer werde man die Studierenden und die Öffentlichkeit informieren.

Weitere Informationen:
Werksschau 10 Jahre Digitale Medien
http://www.dm4hb.de/
Studiengang Digitale Medien:
http://www.digitale-medien-bremen.de/

Ansprechpartner bei Fragen:
StugA Digitale Medien, stuga-dm@informatik.uni-bremen.de
Studiengang: Marion Wittstock, dm-info@tzi.de

The last Breakpoint will happen from April 2nd to 5th in Bingen, Germany.

To sum up in short, be part of a professional photo shooting (Saturday, January 23rd) and retrieve portraits for free afterwards!

(full resolution)

Translation of the description …

Nowadays all commercial images are heavily manipulated to achieve a certain level of quality. The “Beauty experiment” investigates the effect of retouching on our perception of aesthetics. If you participate in the “Beauty experiment”, a portrait of you will be professionally shooten, including make-up, hairstyling and clothing. Your best portrait will be digitally improven as well as deteriorated subsequently. All variants of this portraits, inclusive the original will be placed in an online quiz and evaluated by different people. The quiz is completely anonymous and will be online over a short period of time. You get all variations of your images in a printable quality for free afterwards. If you’re interested and fulfill the following criteria, write an email to velly@tzi.de, preferably with a photo of you.

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPANTS:

tended appeal

european descent

age: 20 to 30

normal to sportive figure

face: no piercings and no tattoos

men: clean-shaven or scruffy

The photo shoot will take place on Saturday 23.01.2010 at the University of Bremen, within the 5th floor of the MZH.
In case of high interest, a second shooting would be possible.

For more info visit the site http://dm.tzi.de/en/events/ggj2010/

Global Game Jam 2010 in Bremen

Do you think you can build a computer game in 48 hours?

The GGJ is a global event around the world, where game makers have the chance to express their skills in 48 hours, yet it doesn’t require any professional skills. GGJ starts at 5pm on January 29th and goes for 48+ hours through January 31st, 2010.

That means, you meet others, build a group and develop a video game in just two days. It does not have to be finished then completely, but it would be nice, if you can imagine the game and if you can play a little as well – just like a prototype.

We do not need exclusively professional programmers – for a game you need to develop the concept, the audio, the design and lot more as well! Everybody is welcome!

In addition, you will learn a lot on the event! On the one side, you will learn how to make a game in 48 hours and on the other side you will learn a lot about tools etc. We try to get some people of well-known companies who give talks on some tools or topics.

However, the most important thing is that the basic purpose of the gamejam is to have fun and make games together, and even though the teams are competing, you should still focus on being nice and helpfull to each other.

For more information please check our Game Jam site or contact any of us – the organizers – through the site! Then register and choose our location in Bremen, “Digital Media Jam” in your profile!

The workshop is free, but you have apply for a place and name a reason why the workshop is interesting for you.

More on http://www.visualvoltageworkshop.de

There had been some hard work done to make Processing run on Android. Read some details here or here:

android.processing.org

A brief summary (in german) is listed on his thesis description, on his website. So, for those iPhone Users… I think that it´s clear and that I don´t have to translate the whole announcement and thesis description

14th december, 11:00h or 14:00h

20min of instruction to the multi-touch-table of the AG Digital Media at the University
60min game play in teams (Galcon MTT), with different scenario set-ups
30min of discussion and answering session
coffee, tea, water and cookies are provided.

as the multi-touch-table is in the room 5400 of the mzh, I think the meeting will be there.

Inform Daniel if you would like to join via eMail dweidner[at]tzi.de.

Sadly, I´ve lectures during this period of time.

Liebe Freunde der Digitalen Medien,

ich arbeite momentan an meiner Bachelor-Abschlussarbeit und suche in diesem Zusammenhang noch Interessierte, die bei einer etwa zwei-stündigen Evaluation eines von mir entwickelten Computer-Spiels für den Multi-Touch-Table der AG Digitale Medien mitwirken möchten. Es erwarten euch:

* 20min – Einführung in den Multi-Touch-Table der AG Digitale Medien
* 1h – Spielen in Teams und verschiedenen Szenarien an einem
Multi-Touch-Strategiespiel
* 30min – Diskussion und kurze Frage-Session
* Kaffee, Tee, Wasser & Gebäck

Die Evaluation findet am 14. Dezember 2009 in zwei Gruppen statt, einmal um 11 Uhr und einmal um 14 Uhr. Die Räumlichkeiten werden den Teilnehmern in den kommenden Wochen mitgeteilt. Erfahrungen aus herkömmlichen Computer-Spielen sind wünschenswert. Bei Interesse freue ich mich über Nachricht unter Angabe des gewünschten Zeitfensters an dweidner[at]tzi.de.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Daniel Weidner

Next thursday, december 10th Frieder Nake and his fellows will start the compArt database on digital art. Due to that reason they invite to a social event, 18:00 the same day, within the third floor, OAS Linzer Str. 9a.

Liebe Kollegen und Kolleginnen, Freunde und Freundinnen,
dear colleages and friends,

I am proud to announce to you the start of the compArt database on digital art.
The database schema which we have worked on for a long time, is gradually filling up with data.
We now believe time has come to make it available on the internet even though we are far from our goal of 98+.
98+ stands for “98% correct with an increasing tendency”.
We know this cannot be verified. But it’s fun to put a quality in the form of a quantity.

These are times of social networks. Therefore we will use them.
compArt has from its start aimed at contributions from artists, critics, curators, researchers, or gallerists.
We are now beginning to actively ask for inputs, corrections, improvements.
We are optimistic to gain such.

The database is only one component of the compArt medium on digital art.
We build various systems on top of the collected data. These systems will establish various interfaces to the data.
They are virtual and actual, in cyberspace and in the Aesthetic Laboratory.

On Thursday, December 10, 2009, we will start the server between 6 and 7 p.m.
We invite our local friends to come and chat with us over a drink (see attached).
We invite all friends in the world to take a look at the current state and send us your critical remarks.

Be advised that we currently restrict our subject area to the time up to 1979.

We wish to live in a more peaceful world.
Frieder Nake
for the team of compArt:
Hermann Cordes, Susan Grabowski, Jörn Ketelsen, Stefan Kreitmayer, Jens-Holger Streck

via the StugA Digital Media mailing list.

What is that actually ? Have a look at the last years keynote !

Registration is already open, detailled informations on the event in Bremen, organized by the Digital Media Master freshmen are also online. Very easy, just register at globalgamejam.org and select the location (Digital Media Jam) within your profile settings.

Tuesday, December 8th. 20:00, Haus der Wissenschaft, located here.

Just an announcement for a open scientific talk, related to the topic of ethics in computer science digital media. Might be of interest for the DM Master students, participating in Master Digital Media lecture at the university, as this talk is strongly related to artificial intelligence and ethics.