From 8e92daedcfcb45bbfb89be8875e104935e05d043 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ken Schaefer <ken@kenschae.com> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:28:46 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] File Handling --- .../bin/Debug/whatisfc.txt | 583 ++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 583 insertions(+) create mode 100644 cs-file-handling-basics/bin/Debug/whatisfc.txt diff --git a/cs-file-handling-basics/bin/Debug/whatisfc.txt b/cs-file-handling-basics/bin/Debug/whatisfc.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..415fe17 --- /dev/null +++ b/cs-file-handling-basics/bin/Debug/whatisfc.txt @@ -0,0 +1,583 @@ +From: <riacs!rutgers!nyx.cs.du.edu!ahawks> +Subject: What *IS* FutureCulture +Date: Fri, 29 Jan 93 22:20:53 MST + +WHAT *IS* FUTURECULTURE? +A Manifesto on the Here-and-Now Technocultural [R]evolution + +by Andy Hawks +ahawks@nyx.cs.du.edu +ahawks@mindvox.phantom.com + +FutureCulture E-List Requests & Info +future-request@nyx.cs.du.edu <'send info'> + + You are five years old. You are lieing on a grassy hill, +blowing bubbles up into a clear field of blue sky. Bubbles. Right +now, as a five year old child, you look at the bubbles, and words pop +into your head: "pretty", "oooooo", "float". To you, the bubbles +are almost like people -- at least somewhat analogous to Bugs Bunny +or a Smurf. Your wide eyes follow the bubbles as they traipse along +the gentle prevailing curves of soft winds, turning, rotating, +revolving endlessly in the air. A sunray beams its light through one +particular bubble you have been admiring, and within its midst your +eyes become privy to a new world -- a heretofor unknown domain of +chaotic rainbows swirling about along the bubble. The colors, like a +sentient anthill, work at once individually and synergetically to +give the bubble it's unique flavor, an individual identity among the +community of bubbles. + + As you lay your eyes on the continually morphing rainbows in +the bubble, admiring how this internal shapeshifting never ceases as +long as the bubble is "alive", the wind brings forth from nearby +another bubble. Now you are focused on two bubbles circling each +other ever closer, probably communicating in some fashion on some +sort of subatomic level. Now that your eyes know to look for the +chaotic rainbows, you enthusiastically discover them in this second +bubble as well. The rainbows exist in both bubbles, with only a +thinly veiled invisible wall of air seperating the two. The rainbows +do not stop in admiration or wonder to ponder the existence of +another bubble, they continue on with their duties in the wake of the +orbic maelstrom that is the individual bubble. And suddenly, in the +mesh of an event that seems at once both predetermined and free, the +bubles combine and join forces as one. If the sun catches the +bubble-morph at the right angle you can still see a wall, where +airspace once existed, within the bubble. All the while, the chaotic +rainbows have continued of course, and now willingly flow back and +forth between what was once two seperate entities. The shape of the +bubble-morph is still oddly circular as a whole, with the original +shape of the individual bubble-orbs stil clearly visible. + + The bubble-morph is stil at home among the individual bubbles +and still haphazardly surfs the winds as if nothing had happened. +Low and behold, a third bubble approaches its vicinity. Same chaotic +rainbows, seemingly no different from any other bubble in the group. + + *POP!* Quickly this third bubble seemingly self-destructs +without any reason, sending a fury of bubble residue out into the +wind. Some of it lands on a tree, some on the grass, and yet more +lands on the bubble-morph. As the bubble morph continues to rotate, +revolve, spin endlessly, the residue makes it's way to the +translucent crease marking the marriage of two individual bubbles. +And, then, it is gone. Absorbed into the structure of he bubble +morph, evolving into yet more particles of chaos rainbows. + + More bubbles float by the bubbly-morph. Some stumble in it's +wake and escape it's grasp, some pop, some are attracted to it and +become yet another aspect of the holistic bubble-creature, still +other bubbles diverge into a completely different spacial area. If +you watch long enough, you might even see one portion of the +bubble-morph leave, mutating back into it's original state as an +individual bubble. + + All the while, bubbles are combining into new bubbles, bubbles +are popping, bubbles are floating, rotating, revolving, spinning, +shapeshifting. Affecting and being affected by each other and other +entities such as the wind, a sharp blade of grass, a flower pedal. +The chaos rainbows never cease, the bubbles will always exist as long +as you, as the bubble-maker, decide to keep blowing bubbles. + + You are now, let's say, 40 years old. You are sitting on the +same hill with your five year old child, urging him to discover the +wonders of the bubble world. Your eyes are not as wide anymore, at +least not as wide as your child's. But do you still find delight and +joy in the wonders of bubbles? There is beauty in the bubble world, +even though you may approach it now from the perspective of an +accomplished chemist, or physicst, or artist, or engineer, or +cyberneticist, or 7-11 night manager. Hopefully, you have not closed +your eyes to the magic your child sees, the magic you once saw. + + It should be obvious, by now, that bubbles are a metaphor. +What do you think the metaphor is? I would be interested o hear what +peole have to say in this regards. But, since this text is to be +confined to the context of futureculture, the bubbles are meant to +represent subcultures. The caotic rainbows represent the people, the +material articles, the ideas, the *memes* that define those +subcultures. + + Thus, you can see, subcultures combine into cultures or bigger +subcultures (it's all relative), subcultures may self-destruct, they +may evolve or morph, they may diverge in a seperate direction. But +watever the case, there's still bubbles because we, as a global +village, are like the five year old -- entrenched in the world of +bubbles, looking on with wide-eyes. + + Probably the most important ideas I have related so far are +that: 1) the process is continuous with an infinite amount of ebb +and flow among and between and through subcultures with an infinite +amount of possible outcomes, and 2) when subcultures combine they do +not lose their original individual identity, and may in fact leave, +though a synergetic effect exists which is *unrelated* to the amount +of individual bubbles combined to produce the bubble-morph. The +bubble-morph being, obviously, the combination in some fashion or +another of seperately defined subcultures. It is also interesting to +note that, ultimately, bubbles are "of the same stuff" which can be +paralled to individuals in groups on a vast variety of levels. + + Let us now turn to subcultures, let us see what bubbles we have +blown that provide the basic constructs of what we might deem, for a +lack of a better word, FutureCulture. When I use the word +"FutureCulture" I am referring to the FutureCulture E-List. When I +use "futureculture" I am referring to the culture of the future. But +it's not really the future, it's here-and-now, and it's in this +writing. There are some other words with similar connotations, but +yet the distinctions need to be mentioned, and then applied to +everyday life. The first word is "technoculture". Like a +technocracy is a government run by scientists or those who create +technology, a technoculture is a culture that is fueled by +technology. America is a technoculture. We would be lost without +our televisions, our cars, our computers, our telephones. +Futureculture, then, is a way of deciphering what tomorrow will look +like in a technoculture. Another label to mention is "new edge". +This is a trendy, shortsighted term that has little relevance to the +perpetual realities of technoculture and futureculture. New Edge is +a here-and-now-gone-tomorrow ideal. Fairly soon, it won't be "new" +and increasingly so it is definitely not "edge". The other misnomre +to mention is "cyberculture". Cyberculture is probably most closely +associated with the idea of futureculture, yet cyberculture is often +mis- and over-used. If you look at the meaning of the word "cyber", +basically "information" in an oversimplified context, it has little +to do with frequently-used notions of cyberculture, specifically a +Gibson-esque cyberpunk world as it exists today or in the +near-future. + + These are my own personal reflections on the world of bubbles, +and these labels and subcultural labels I am using are better thought +of as what I see as the most outstanding reference points to use in +the context of getting The Basic Idea (tm) across. Relative labels +and reference points, no dictatorial lines being drawn here. + + Each mention of a subculture will be followed by a basic +reasoning by a defense in applying the group to the idea of +futureculture. The idea of futureculture evolves *from* the +relationship between different bubbles and buble-morphs. These core +bubbles and bubble-morphs produce noticeable ideas, trends, and +material objects for example, which are deemed by some relatively +large bubble-blower (ie society) to reflect the evolution of society +and world culture. Simply put, FutureCulture represents an internal +and external effort, both passive and interactive, observational and +participatory, to: discover these trends/ideas/objects or at least +bring acknowledgement of their existence to a larger segment of the +global populous, provide an interactive forum for the global populous +to discuss such matters and to reflect and refract varying cultures +and subcultures, to then apply this discussion to existing cultures +and subculture to plant the seeds spawning further +trends/ideas/objects. Thus one can begin to see the infinitely +cyclic nature of the process. It is a process which you are at +varying levels of consciousness engaged in every moment you are +alive, by everything you say or do, and every sensory input. By +providing the on-line interactive forum of the FutureCulture e-list, +we as individuals and members of varying subcultures and cultures can +merge the unconscious acts of participation in culture with a +conscious understanding, to create/construct/deconstruct/destroy and +evolve reality and people's lives on an individual and group basis. +Basically, we are analyzing existing culture, we are creating +tomorrow's reality, and we are doing it on a here-and-now, globally +interactive, seemingly real-time forum. + +Thus I submit the reference points, the subcultures, the basic +bubbles that are essential to futureculture: + +Virtual Culture - This is probably the easiest to "define". We can +--------------- all say with assurance, that to some degree, in any + basic sense of the word, we are all + participants and members of Virutal Culture. + The essence of Virtual Culture lies in the + notion of cyberspace. In this context I might + define cyberspace as that frontier defined by + electronic communications towhich georaphy has + little or no relevance to being a member of the + group. If you regularly use a phone, modem, + fax, or networked computer terminal, + videophone, or interactive video, consider + yourself part of virtual culture. + + Technology is a key aspect of tomorrow's reality. Technology + seemingly provides the basis of all constructs we produce. + Virtual culture, then, is a giant leap forward for humankind in + terms of the way we approach ourselves as individuals, and the + nature of how we approach individuals in groups. Basic + sociological structures will eventually be realigned to conform + to this key evolutionary step as technology continues to + increase exponentially, thus forever expanding the limits of + virtual culture and therefore potential of all cultures. + Non-communicative technological forces will be mentioned + briefly throughout this writing, but the most interesting + applications of technology increasingly revolve around aspects + of communication. + +Psychedelic Culture - Arguably begun in the 60's, this subculture +------------------- revolves around the use and effects of + psycho-active drugs, particularly + psychedelics like LSD, to mainfest new + ideas, new ways of thinking, new ways + of approaching reality and + consciousness. + + One of the mysteries of modern day society is the nature of the + mind and consciousness. Psychedelic culture is vital in + exploring these areas. These areas in turn are vital to our + understanding of who and what we are as humans and the basic + philosophical questions homan have asked for centuries. + Recently, psychedelic culture has bubble-morphed with virtual + culture as seen in the potential exploration of the + technoligcal advancements of virtual reality as a means of + "opening the doors of perception". Here-and-now extrapolations + are evident in the use of "mind machines" as well as the + resurgance of 60's guru Timothy Leary as a spokesperson for + virtual reality. And need we mention the unbelievable + explosive return of LSD acros the US and other parts of the + world. + +Rave Culture - If you don't know what raves are, I will attempt to +------------ explain it, though with a parallel that will disturb + many ravers (myself included in the group of ravers + disturbed by the anology). Aforementioned + psychedelic culture reached a "peak" with the + community of Woodstock. Think of rave culture as + woodstock in the 90's, though wih obvious notable + advancements and progressions: smaller and more + specific communities allow for more woodstock-esque + events to occur more often and produce a higher + deree of community, the music reflects technology -- + techno music is the mainstay - music that may often + range between 0 and 160bpm that is almost entirely + created on computers and modern audio technology and + is an evolutionary mutation of disco music + generally, and finally, raves are often times + associated with psychedelic culture in a general + desire to create one's own reality or be part of + some sort of *gestalt-consciencous* event. And, + most importantly, the idea of raves is to have + fun!!! We most not overlook outlets of communal + entertainment in futureculture. At raves, the vibe + is generally happy and easy to catch, the people + generally fun, the music is cutting edge, and, if + you want, you can further entertain yourself with + nootropic or other psycho-active substances. + + Basically, raves are the entertainment aspect of the evolving + futureculture as it stands now. Undoubtedly raves will + eventually morph into something else, as this particular side + of culture rises and falls quickly in proportion with people's + day to day lives. Raves, as mentioned before, are deeply + intertwined with technology as well as some aspects of + psychedelic culture, thus their inclusion in futureculture. + +Cyberculture - This is a difficult culture to explain as it is still +------------ in its infancy, thus it is still comprised of + aspects of the varying other subcultures. I will + do my best to set it apart from other subcultures. + + Cyberculture is a here-and-now reality that grew + out of the science fiction movement of "cyberpunk". + Look at the word "cyberpunk" -- broken down you + have "cyber" and "punk" which roughly translates to + people using technology and information in ways + that deviate from the expected norms and mores and + laws of society. + + Hackers are part of cyberculture. I will draw more + criticism by defining a hacker as a "cyberpunk" -- + as previously stated, one who uses information and + technology in ways that go against the grain of + norm society. + + Let me put to rest an ageold debate that persists + among aspiring futureculturists, he said while + slowly walking backwards to the bomb shelter. + Hackers originated in the 60s, and basically did + they same things hackers do now, unly possibly with + less of a violent nature attached. Somewhere along + the line, those hackers gave up their + antiauthoritarian ideals and merged into mainstream + society, though they still wanted to be called + "hackers" because they can program a computer in + nifty ways. Modern-day hackers came along, the + WarGames generation, and the connection between + illegality (antiauthoritarianism rather) and + hackers resurfaced. Old hackers got pissed, and + have done their best to dissociate themselves from + the genreally-accepted term of modern day hacking. + This is most clearly seen in their attempt to + seperate "hackers" from "crackers" which I won't go + into because old hackers don't realise that + cracking is still hacking in the original true + sense -- it does take skill and requires privied + information. + + Hackers nowadays, post-Wargames hackers at least, + have as their motto "information wants to be free" + and thus that is their goal in hacking or, more + appropriately, being a cyberpunk. + + Cyberculture, at its roots, appropriates (samples) + heavily from other subcultures. This could be + easily guessed because of the inclusion of the + prefix "cyber", referring to information. In this + context I would like to see usage of the term + cyberculture return back to its roots -- the idea + of an information culture. That is, a culture + where information is an important commodity, if not + the most vital commodity. Information is an + important commodity in modern global culture, as + witnessed by the power and popularity and + prominence of CNN and Mtv in our society. When + people talk about an information society, they are + actually talking about cyberculture, and they are + actually talking about a soon-to-be historical + shift in society that is currently in it's infancy. + Contributions to this shift will be seen in the + wake of the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital + Network) and other such technologies as they become + more readily available and approachable to the + mainstream. + + We might say then, that cyberpunks (hackers, not + just computer hackers either) provide the deviant + portion of an existing cyberculture. Cyberculture + should *NOT* be confused with technoculture, new edge, + or futureculture, all of which will be put in the + proper context later. + + As I have said, cyberculture is in its infancy. We really + *don't* live in an information society, because economics, not + infomics or infonomics if you will, is the underlying thread + that holds our society together. However, this may be + beginning to change, as witness in our reliance on economic + credit systems (your credit is just information, which can be + hacked) as well as on a political scale the intertwining of + political, media, and international-conglomerate businesses as + the definite powerhouses. At the turn of the century, it was + basically just political forces. Post-WW-II, as postindustrial + society developed, it became politics + business which + continues to this day, but now media (information power) is a + substantial force in the global power game. + + Rudy Rucker, prominent writer and scientist, is credited with + the outstanding motto of cyberculture as a whole -- "How fast + are you? How dense?" The phrase should be examined in the + context of information processing, individuals dealing wth a + world that is transforming and morphing from economics-based to + infonomics-based. + +Industrial Culture - This is a misnomre, actually, since we +------------------ realistically live in a postindustrial + society. At any rate, industrial culture is + most noted for a musical movement. + Industrial music is highly technological, + though it has a definite rebellious spirit + that can easily be likened o the punk + movement of the late 70's. Thus, industrial + musicians could easily be considered + cyberpunks, and sometimes are. + + Industrial culture also consists of other + types of performance art other than music. + One notable inclusion is Survival Research + Laboratories, which builds robots, and + usually does strange things with them like + putting it inside a rabbit carcus and having + the rabbit carcuss walk around and fall into + an acid bath. Again, very cyberpunk. + + These postmodern industrialists are easily + seen as a byproduct of postindustrial + ziabatsus arising out of the sleek, slick, + greed-filled 80s and their never-ceasing + propagation, as seen in the motivations of an + indivudal like Michael Milken or a zaibatsu + like Sony. + + Again, technology is prominent in this subculture and by now + you are probably beginning to see the extent of the overlap + that occurs among these subcultures. The further you go, the + more indescribable as individual entities they become, thus the + need for a meta-subculture or meta-culture that encompasses the + important attributes. From here on out, then, the focus will + shift to smaller or more humanities-oriented topics. + +PostModernism - Postmodern art and philosophy arises out of the +------------- here-and-now state of our world as it has evolved + and changed, using WW-II as a reference point to + seperate modernism and postmodernism. In the + postmodern world, technology is prominent (tv, + radio, computer). Information is important (se + cybcerculture). Ideas are easily constructed and + deconstructed. Communication is more readily + accessible and is an artform in itself, witness + the popularity of appropriation (sampling) as seen + in industrial and hip-hop culture as well as the + works of writer Kathy Acker. Politically, + postmodernism acceps the reality of a + postindustrial world moving towards an + information-based world. + + Postmodernism is a tricky subject, and a parallel between + mentioning postmodernism can be drawn to the use of the word + "shaman" in psychedelic culture - overused, often misinformed, + often appropriated without true understanding. Postmodernism + has been around for some time now and stands on its own, thus + it is difficult to incorporate it in this context. We must at + least, however, acknowledge the fact that the threads of + postmodernism reality provide the basis for the evolving + futureculture, technoculture, and cyberculture. + +Street Culture - Primarily Afro-Centric because of the racism and +-------------- general inequality that exists in America + (specifically), the motto of street culture is + given to us by William Gibson: "the street + finds uses for itself". Thus, Street Culture can + often be considered D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) culture. + Hip-Hop (Rap) music is a prime example of this. + Kids create singles in their basement (which is + also the case with rave music and industrial + music) and then market it themselves, or, better + yet, market *themselves*. Street fashion is + equally D.I.Y. -- small, sometimes local labels + that use postmodernism elements like + appropriation, also a key elemnt in street music. + For example, as I write this I am wearing a shirt + by a group called 26 Red. On the back, the shirt + has a picture of Charlie Tuna with the words + "Human Safe". This is copywright infringement, + but it is also appropriation and a realization of + the realities of pop culture and not being afraid + to apply them. Graffiti is street culture art, + as well. + + Street Culture is a product of a key shift in our postmodern + world, which could best be stated as a movement towards + individualization and specialization, hence the importance of + D.I.Y. aspects in futureculture. You can't wait for someone to + produce something to appease you, appease yourself instead. + Create your own art, your own clothes, your own music, your own + reality, your own manifesto, whatever.....Action is a *vital* + element in all of this. + +Fringe Science - The idea of hyperreality is very important in this +-------------- conglomeration of cultures. Hyperreality might + best be explained by looking at the realities of + the world that brought Rudy Rucker to make the + aforementioned statement "how fast are you? how + dense?" Our world is now moving very fast, and + is very dense. There is so much out there, that + people have come up with new ways of looking at + Why Things Are (tm) -- new explanations for new + realities. Cellular automata, chaos theory, + singularity, maybe even quantum theory. Time, + space, dimensions, reality, consciousness, life, + cybernetics, intellignece, artificial life, + subatomic realities, genetic mutations -- these + are a few of the fringe scientist's avorite + things. + + A lot of Fringe Science is an outgrowth of people involved to + some degree with psychedelic culture. That aspect, combined + with the fact that fringe science is "fringe" makes it less + valid to some minds. However, these scientists are the + post-Einstiens and should be loked at in that perspective. + + Technology is readily being accepted as a foundation of +humankind, and that belief continues to gain prominence in a world +technology increases exponentially. Witness the idea of an +information society -- that could not occur in a world where +technology and the desire to Make Something New (tm) plays second +fiddle. Technology in our world is rapidly surging us upward, to a +point where we are not even knowing What's Going On (tm). Witness +the out-and-out FEAR of people accepting the TRUTH that is outlined +in this writing, witness the fear of computers, the fear of hackers, +the fear of evolution, the fear of genetic engineering... Those of +us who are out there now LIVING this reality that's supposed to be +for the *future* have one thing in common - a DESIRE to explore the +unknown, to alter our realities, to alter ourselves and our lives, +and to alter our real lives ourselves. Simply said, we are morphing. + Constantly. On an individual, cultural, and global societal level. +Constantly. On a multitude of levels. Constantly. + + We live in a world full of infinite potential. Reality is what +we make it. This may sound like I'm speaking a small fringe special +interest grop, but that is not the case. I am speaking to every +living individual human being, especially those privelaged enough to +live in a postmodern postindustrial world filled with art and +technology, money and information, pop culture and subcultures. + + The future is now. That phrase is overused a lot, but in this +context I mean that our visions of the future, what we have written +about, fantasized about, our hopes and dreams of what will be -- the +seed of those realities exists NOW. + + In the linear flow of history, we found ourselves at an +important nexus in which linear seems much too confining when we live +in a technoculture that seems poised to greet an exponential model of +time with open arms. Here-and-now and tomorrow we are creating New +forums of communication, New philosophical schools, New art, New +politics, New technologies, New realities. + + In comprehending and dealing with these New realities, it is +important that we reshape our mindstyles NOW to adjust to constant an +consistent fast and dense change. It is no longer enough to say +"change is the only constant". + + We must try and keep as open a mind as possible: keep all +doors of perception open, prejudices of *any* sort will not meld (and +I don't mean prejudices only in the physical sense, of course -- I +mean in the mindstyle sense, the "faith" sense, the action sense, +etc.). An open mind, open to all ideas, all experiences, all people, +all communications, allows for a completely new transreal way of +looking at ourselves, our world, our realities. In that transreal +mindstyle we should constantly look and redefine ourselves and our +world if it is necessary. For example, we, as a technoculture, need +to transcribe *everything* we can via some means, whether it be via +computer netowkr, video or audio tape, pencil, etc. Everything from +the most individual moments to the most important global occurances. +It's not enough that we have I-Witness videos and America's Funniest +People and then CNN. Everything that's important and meaningful to +you and your life, record it in some fashion or another. This +recording allows you not only to better future generations by way of +sharing the past, but it allows you the potential of looking at +yourself in different lights, different angles (both literally and +figuratively depending on the means of recording). + + We should continue to develop the means and resources to +further the specialization and individualization of interactive +technologies and interactive communication forums. Basically, this +is just the idea that the more say each individual has in their +reality, the better. It ultimately promotes democracy and stronger +communities. For example, presidential candidate Ross Perot +mentioned "Electronic Town Halls", the Internet is a prime example of +specialization and individualization and interactivity, and more +specialized newspapers and magazines, etc., are also a good idea. + + Relative to a previously mentioned idea, we need to be more +open to change on every level, not only within our own personal +lives, but in small groups, subcultures, and societies. We need to +be able to deal with the exponential growth of communications in the +world, and to do that we are being forced to change a lot of +deeply-set ideals about the nature of communities, organizations, +etc. For example, dealing with this change might include saying +"Hey, we live in a system of representative government created 300 +years ago when travel was difficult and communication very slow. +Fairly soon we'll live in a world where everyone has some means of +interactive electronic communication in their home, whether it be +telephone or interactive-television or computer-network. On the +basis of travel and communication, therefor, is representative +government still a necessity?". On a more realisitc level, we must +own up to the fact that in a constantly changing envionment, +tradition for the sake of tradiition is futile and luaghable. If the +tradition does not serve well the current environment and has no +purpose, it should quickly be thrown out and changed. This idea +operates on every level, from dealing wih the national deficit, to +how you arrange your desk at work, to the nature of power structures +that govern the masses. + + These are not radical ideas, they are just an acknowledgment of +necessary changes in how we live our day to day lives, how we operate +on every level, from the individual all the way to the individual +planet. + +-- + + ahawks@nyx.cs.du.edu FutureCulture: In/f0rmation + ahawks@mindvox.phantom.com future-request@nyx.cs.du.edu +