Processing

posted 02/13/08 by Rick Webb

We love Processing. What is Processing? Let’s ask Wikipedia:
Processing is an open source project initiated by C.E.B Reas and Benjamin Fry, formerly of the Aesthetics and Computation Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is “a programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) built for the electronic arts and visual design communities”, which aims to teach the basics of computer programming in a visual context, and to serve as the foundation for electronic sketchbooks. One of the stated aims of Processing is to act as a tool to get non-programmers started with programming, through the instant gratification of visual feedback. It is a language that builds on the graphical side of the Java programming language, simplifying features and creating a few new ones.[1]
Robert began experimenting with Processing nearly at the beginning, what with MIT being across the river from us and all. Okay, maybe not the very beginning. Details are fuzzy in my brain cuz I was doing other things. Maybe by 2003 robert was goin’ for it, though. What was it that motivated him to make the switch from Flash? If I remember at the time, I think the directness of the syntax appealed to him. Robert had clear ideas in his head a firm grasp of math, but most languages weren’t optimized toward the visual realm. They were optimized for making software, and I think that made a big difference for him. But then again, let’s let him chime in himself! Rick’s not fooling anyone by trying to pretend he was paying enough attention to these things in that year.
Says Robert :
One afternoon in June of 2006, I threw my hands in the air and said no more. No more Flash banner ads. No more Flash mini sites. No more Flash video players. Enough already! Now what?

After talking it over with my business partners at The Barbarian Group, it was settled. I dont have to do any more Flash work if I don’t want to, but I would have to do something. Processing. Thats what I will do. Never mind the fact that no client had asked us to create something using this lesser known beta application. All we have to do is create interesting work that we are passionate about and before long, word will get out.
Ah how things have progressed! Processing’s all grown up and we get all sorts of requests for it these days. Yay Ben Fry and Casy Reas! Thank you.

1 Processing (programming language) Wikipedia entry), Friday, April 4, 2008

Here are some recent posts from our employees about Processing:

It's like I made it myself!

I have always hated New York City. I was never able to see the charm. I have only been there a handful of times and I am always overjoyed when it is time to return to San Francisco. New York City is for the young. New York City is for the patient. I am neither. However, [...]

Time Spent Alone


I just started a new online project at timespentalone.com. The site’s name plays on the peculiar brand of connected separateness that characterizes our era and the fact that I currently live alone. On it, I will be presenting a series of projects that deal in varying levels of joking and seriousness. Currently, there are two completed [...]

i was on MTV

i am on for about second, a couple minutes in, and i say something kind of mean, and then there is the reality show DRAMATIC ZOOM when you see that i have crushed the little heart of an aspiring web designer. note to potential barbarians: i am a nice man.



my friend dave from london was drinking in an irish pub in south korea the other day and saw this clip on the bar tv, subtitled in korean. TRUE STORY.

Robert spoke at FITC about Processing

Dude check out the sweet talk Robert gave at Flash in the Can in Toronto earlier this year. It’s a pretty amazing talk about Processing. Kinda mind blowing. Yay robert!’

Perfect With Pixel Exhibition

A few months ago, I was invited to take part in the Perfect with Pixel exhibition at Bowling Green State University. I’m excited about the other artists I will be showing alongside, including Andy Au, a printmaking professor at Miami University. From my recent work, Ikebana was selected for the show. Last week, I had [...]

Intersections Animation

I just finished a short experimental animation. Independent objects move through space. Connections are formed between neighboring objects, creating an overall structure that grows, mutates and ultimately collapses. Intersections on Vimeo.

Nextfest + Saturn + Processing

N.B. This post was from the last version of our site

Ongoing this week in New York City is NextFest over at the Javits Center – and if you pop by, be sure and check out the Saturn booth, featuring the 40' x 12' interactive projection art we created in conjunction with Goodby and Obscura digital. For those of you lucky or unlucky enough (your call) to not be in New York, you can see a video of it here. Yay processing! Yay installations! Yay!

Processing with Robert

N.B. This post was from the last version of our site

We thought we’d give you a heads up on what Partner and Co-Founder Robert Hodgin’s been up to of late. He’s been working more and more with Proce55ing, and integrating live NJing with Griffin Powermate hardware controls. Maybe we should let him explain it. Check out his Proce55ing Live page, regarding the process (pun) and his collaboration with Canadian Game Boy musician Bit Shifter.