Workshop Packet Forth
18 - 19 - 20 May 2007
11:00 - 18:00
Netherlands Media Art Institute
For applications see: www.montevideo.nl
Invited guests: Aymeric Mansoux, Tom Schouten and Marloes de Valk
The Netherlands Media Art Institute and GOTO10

This 3 day workshop is an introduction to generative visuals using the open source programming language Packet Forth. The workshop is aimed at artists and programmers interested in generative art, animation, audiovisual performances, and installations. No previous knowledge of programming is required, but a good general knowledge of computers is necessary. The entire workshop will be taught using the pure:dyne GNU/Linux distribution. If you're not familiar with GNU/Linux, this is a great opportunity to get started!

During the workshop we'll take you through some of the main features of Packet Forth. It's impossible to learn how to program in 3 days, so this workshop is just to get you started and get you through the first steps. We'll show you what is possible, and how to go about creating your own applications, starting at the very basis. We'll cover both drawing and animating, 2D and 3D, and how to link PF to other applications using Open Sound Control. It's a hands-on workshop which provides each participant with a workstation and 3 days packed with food for thought.

You'll go home with a pure:dyne live cd, containing all the software used in the workshop (and much much more). Go Forth! is based on 100% FLOSS (Free Libre Open Source Software).

Packet Forth
Packet Forth is an open source scripting language for artists and programmers interested in generative art, animation, audiovisual performances, installations, visualisation systems... Packet Forth is used for rapid prototyping, research and professional production.

Some features: fast image processing code, OpenGL bindings, can run as a Pure Data plugin, easily linked to other applications using OSC or streams, execute Unix commands from within PF, and it's easily extendible using a simple plugin system.

More information about Packet Forth: http://packets.goto10.org

Pure:dyne
pure:dyne has been created to provide a complete and ready made environment for artists and developers who are looking for a free operating system dedicated to real-time audio and video processing.

pure:dyne is a GNU/Linux live distribution based on the new dyne II core. You don't need to install anything, pure:dyne is running from the CD itself. It can directly boot from virtually any PC machine, or Intel Mac, and the optional hard-drive or USB-key installation is just a matter of copying one folder.

This particular live cd brings you the latest exotic FLOSS (Free/Libre/Open-Source Software ) such as Supercollider, Icecast, Csound, Packet Forth, Fluxus and much much more, including of course Pure Data and a great collection of essential externals and abstractions (PDP, PiDiP, Gem, GridFlow, RRadical, PixelTango ...).

For more information about pure:dyne: http://puredyne.goto10.org

Day 01
* Introduction to the Pure:dyne GNU/Linux distribution
* Introduction to Packet Forth, a programming language for visual artists
* The Stack is your friend
* Defining Words in (Packet)Forth
* Typos, simple 2D graphics and texturing

Day 02
* Console and scripting: interaction and automation
* 3D mode
* animation mode
* Introduction to generative art techniques

Day 03
* Using Open Sound Control (OSC) to link Pure Data and Packet Forth
* Live Interaction between Packet Forth and Pure Data with the PF external
* working on your own (audio)visual application, assisted by the workshop leaders