1999-11-24

It’s an interesting question: can computers pray. Loretta Skeedle, an artist who makes her living as a Systems Administrator, posed that question in an installation called The CyberRosary, part of the School of Visual Arts’ New York Digital Salon. She set up a circle of computers that will say prayers based on input from viewers. More: Chronicle of Higher Education.

Perhaps this very issue has been resonating in the Vatican, because they recently named Isidore of Seville (c560-636) patron saint of computers, computer users, computer programmers and the Internet. There is a lot to know in computers, so I suspect he’s spent the last millenium plus preparing for the Y2K bug. I can just picture a six pack of multi-colored macs sprouting legs, and circling around a statue of St. Isidore, chanting and swirling incense. On the other hand, it is nice to be doing something that’s accepted as something positive in at least one church’s mind, as opposed to indirectly vilified as a group of twisted people who are either into glorifying violence or raping the world for bigger profits. Perhaps we’ll establish a little shrine…

Next weekend –December 1st– is World Aids Day and many sites on the internet will "go dark" in remembrance of those who are no longer with us. If you run a website and are interested in joining the effort, redirect your site to a black page with a simple message of rememberance and respect. Then, on December 2nd, reopen your site. If you’re interested, there’s more information at AVERT. If you’d like to see a sample page, Red River Review has one available. DataWranglers.com, poetryvideo.com and artsDFW.com will all go dark in support.