Happy / Sad Computer

Alt click to download "Happy Sad Computer" ( 140kB ) Mac OS X - internet connection required.

A computer program is wandering aimless around the pages of the internet, looking at a virtual environment of the passages of text it comes across, and searching for links so it can wander to another place. The text it finds is scanned for words relating to the emotional states of being happy or being sad, comparing each word of the text to a Thesaurus of words related to happy and sad.. If happy words are found it becomes more happy, and if sad words are found it becomes more sad. Its current emotional state is expressed through a simple animation of facial expressions, and when its too sad it will shed tears in dispair.

For the happy/sad computer the internet is an endless psycho-geographical space to explore and be affected by. You can not see the spaces in the internet it is currently exploring but do see how its sensitive, wide-eyed face is expressing its emotional reaction to where it is and where it has been.

This simple computer program is exploring themes related to our existence, and how we find ourselves thrown into a world we don't control and didn't choose The program is unable to affect its overall environment, apart from aimlessly move through it, but is continually being influenced by this environment at an "emotional" level.

Is the internet a world full of happiness or sadness?

Presentation for exhibition.
Just a monitor on wall.