I launched a new website recently, it’s still in an early phase, but it’s out there floating in the ether for anyone to see. It’s called Forwardslash, after the keyboard character, but the idea of a slash between different topics is part of the notion of this new blog. It’s a hybrid of the code-focused developer notebook a lot of programmer blogs consist of, and a notebook for where tech intersects with other things, like visual art or music.

I already have websites where I can collect my ideas, like my personal site here or Creosote Journal. But tech is its own topic and especially for arcane technical stuff, I’d like to have that in its own space.

An idea of the range I’m going for can be found here: first, a tech-focused blog summarizing hands-on research I did into ‘next-gen static sites’ built with Jekyll and their pros and cons; second, a round-up of articles and music exploring ‘digital Bamako’ – the sound-hacking underground of Mali’s music traders.

I’d like to do more probing into this idea of what ‘creative technology’ is as distinct from more everyday applications of technology. I’d also like to highlight the creative process that programmers who are doing interesting things have and how it’s similar to artists in other media.

Elsewhere, I’d like to look at an emerging field I’m seeing more of, and I think we’ll continue to see more of: software, code, and other new media being used in fine arts and as a medium for expression in its own right or for social commentary or aesthetic impact, not just as a channel for delivering media, entertainment and the other usual applications.

There’s also a linkboard I’m pretty happy with, and using to collect links on whatever interests me from some part of my life or work that overlaps with technology in some way.