Visual Programming and Creative Code: A Maker Perspective in Software studies

Abstract

If software is the cornerstone of (post) modern society then it is the algorithm that serves as the primary tool of the information age. The field of software studies investigates how software affects culture and society. The initial efforts have contributed to the understanding of the “nature” of code and widespread ‘popular’ or ‘mainstream’ productivity software. This thesis shifts attention to visual programming, a popular tool in artistic performance, interactive installations and electronic music production. How can visual programming be understood as an artistic tool? As an overarching theme three concepts will be addressed: Materiality, Agency and Sociality. Building upon actor network theory it will be argued that, as a tool, visual programming should be understood an act of creative coding that attempts to make hardware performative. Furthermore, it will also be argued that aside of the arts, engineering and design, a new tradition of creators has emerged from maker culture.