Greetings from Non-Programistan at bavatuesdays

Tom Woodward and I will presenting at NMC’s Symposium on Mashups tomorrow what may very well be the most insane presentation I have yet to be a part of, namely “Welcome to the People’s Republic of Non-Programistan.” The way I look at it, this will either be wildly successful or a terrible failure, for we haven’t left room for much in between — which is what I like about.

As Tom already said here, we are using a visual and performative Mashup of Communist art and rhetoric to examine a few tools and framworks that allow you to mashup resources from around the web without writing a lick of code. I have been working fiercely on my fake Russian accent all evening, and I hope I can pull it off convincingly by tomorrow evening.

This has truly been one of the most entertaining presentations I have yet to work on, and the framing of the presentation as a blog/website/resource was a large part of the enjoyment. Tom did all of the aesthetic design and a lion’s share of the work all together; he is truly one of the most hard-working, imaginative, and hilarious people I have yet to meet, working with him both at UR and on this proposal has been a total ball.

So, tomorrow at 5:00 pm (EST) we lay it all on the line, and introduce the uninitiated to the wonderful world of Non-Programistan!

Update: Thanks to Comrade Barbara we now have fitting theme song other then than beloved Non-Programistan national anthem. The Leningrad Cowboys mashed up Red Army choir in real time, playing Comrade Tom’s hometown theme: “Sweet Home Alabama.” Genius…I love comments!

12 Responses to “Greetings from Non-Programistan”

Feed for this Entry Trackback Address

1 Brian Apr 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 am

I must reschedule my meeting of the people’s committee tomorrow to experience this live, Comrade Vodka… I very much hope my papers will be in order.
2 Reverend Apr 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 am

After your presentation today, Brian, you may very well be the new commandante of this outfit. Nothing short of stellar.

And I’m glad you’ll be there, for we may need a few plants to run interference in the back channel if the audience decides, which they most will, to revolt on us.
3 Alan Levine Apr 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 am

Having peeking over your shoulders at the development of this site, friends, comrades, pinkos, whatever– you have nothing to fear by capitalism itself. The whole concept, metaphor, and delivery are delicious, so strap on those thick rusky accents, and fear not.

The FIST rules!
4 Tom Apr 3rd, 2008 at 7:28 am

Well at least two will join us in the valiant effort to overturn the evil of the capitalist swine programmers!

On to victory!
5 Barbara Apr 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 am

I think you need to ask the Leningrad Cowboys to be your warm-up band when or if you take this idea on the road. Perhaps at Faculty Academy? Oooh the possibilities….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFRLrP014

(tried to use your fancy pants YouTube embed function and it didn’t work)
6 Andrea Apr 3rd, 2008 at 8:13 am

that’s funny.
7 Reverend Apr 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 am

@Comrade Cogdog, you are very kind to the poor people of non-programmistan, your WordPress loyalties were never in question

@Comrade Barbara: That may be crazyiest capitalist video ever saw, now that’s mashup worthy of Kremlin!

@Comrade Andrea: Wait till you see my hat!
8 D'Arcy Norman Apr 3rd, 2008 at 10:54 am

This revolution needs a tshirt.
9 Reverend Apr 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 am

I think you’re right, D’Arcy, Tony Hirst said the same thing. So I think there may be something to it!
10 Mikhail Apr 4th, 2008 at 9:36 am

?? ??????! ?? ??? ????????????!!!

(For the homeland! For Non-Programistan!)
11 Mikhail Apr 4th, 2008 at 9:38 am

What? No Russian characters in WP? That’s counter-revolutionary!
12 Reverend Apr 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am

Mikahil,

I know, I am still having some text-encoding issues with the switch to UTF-8, it has been high on my list to fix, but as always i am out of my depth.

I should have consulted you for my terrible accent, the participants would have benefited greatly from the verisimilitude.