Why do you read Pasta and Vinegar?
Time for a quick address: it’s been 5 years that I keep this blog and things have changed over time. Topics discussed here vary but revolves around ubiquitous computing, tangible interactions, innovation and foresight, user experience and research. My situation also evolved from the one of a master student to the one of an independent researcher with a PhD. Of course I know some of the readers and got some feedback about what they find here but I wanted to know more about it from people I do not necessarily know.
So two questions: (1) Why do you read Pasta and Vinegar? and (2) What do you find here?
Not sure whether the answers would have an influence but I am curious about it.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
To me, P&V is the collision of random observations with a wide research background. It results in original insights that contribute in fueling my inspiration.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I read P&V for inspiration and culture about interfaces.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I read P&V cause I am interested in how the world is changing. Which is what I find here is how we are reinterpreting the world.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I came across Pasta and Vinegar fairly recently via Near Future Laboratory’s blog. I have a strong interest in urban computing and interaction design, and I’m always looking for inspiration to fuel my own thinking.
June 24th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I read P&V as it provides a really interesting perspective of the world of ubiquitous computing, tangible interactions, innovation and foresight, user experience and research.
And In answer to your second point as a research student and with my general interest P&V provides me with a further perspective. That makes me think about your own points on blog posts and in reflection for my own work. I have found this incredibly helpful, many thanks.
June 24th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I read P&V because you’re following an interesting thread for me, that I might summarize from my point of view as “seeing the human creativity within physical and digital boundaries”, where “boundaries” are a positive thing, like the limits of a paper for an artist. Boundaries makes creativity!
Also, I’m a person with multiple and varied interest, sometimes with focus issues… so it’s very interesting for me to see how a focused research (even if it’s wide, interesting, deep) is being evolved.
Your style is also very interesting: “Why do I blog this” is one of the most amazing solutions I’ve seen so far: very brief, very clear, very human.
So, that’s why.
(looking forward for you at Frontiers of Interaction IV :D)
June 25th, 2008 at 8:30 am
What I’ve found here:
http://del.icio.us/search/?fr=del_icio_us&p=liftlab&type=user
Though those are just where I’ve directly bookmarked your post, there are likely many more where I bookmaked the destination.
Why I read.
- It’s in my RSS reader (escaping deletion because content is varied, not too frequent and covering design broadly through specific examples)
- “Why do I blog this” explanation
- Short form posts mostly
June 25th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Actually, just realised that link won’t show you my bookmarks but your own if you are a logged in user. I can’t find an easy way to share my bookmarks by domain with you on my “social bookmarking” ap of choice (unhappy face)
June 25th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Your posts are quite interesting for me, as they bring information/discussions on social/real life/community .. .and not only showing the technology/virtual aspects.
Thanks, and keep posting
June 25th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I find that you have a knack of finding some of the more obscure and left-field articles on ubicomp. As a result, the stuff you blog about doesn’t always appeal, but there are many nuggets of interest that I don’t find elsewhere.
And I enjoy the reports of exhibitions and shows that you attend. I wish I was as conscientious as you in writing up the events that I make it along to!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
(1) Why do you read Pasta and Vinegar?
You provide inspiration and new ways of looking at things. There’s only so much we can do in our physical locations (work, home, play, vacation…). I can’t decide to move to a new city every year to discover how other people do things. You (and about 20 other sites) are like my mini-newspapers of what the rest of the world is doing.
(2) What do you find here?
A constant reminder that what I do is part of a larger whole, and everyone has their unique way of solving a problem.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Hi Nicolas, opening yourself up for some critical user feedback, hein?
I read your blog because I am interested in the topic(s) of mobile/ubicomp/locative in relation to urban space and culture, and particularly the ‘playful’ aspects of it.
The posts I like best are the human, almost anthropological observations you make almost casually in everyday circumstances. These do not necessarily involve technology - let alone ubicomp -, or at least make this secondary to the way /people/ use, interact and give meaning to the physical (urban) environment through their use of various media.
As for the technology, your approach seems to me a good middle-way between being technology-centered, focussing on design and user-interaction, and looking at ‘domestication’ by users.
And, as someone above already says, your brief reflections via the “why do I blog this?” are a great way to impose some quality-control on your own observations.
Keep up the good work I say!
June 25th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I read your blog because I study the area of ubicomp, particularly it’s impact beyond mere technical issues. Your blog consistently delivers interesting ideas in that area.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I read P&V out of plain old curiosity. While I don’t necessarily think all the topics you carry one about are really relevant to the day to day goings of ppls lives, unless your a collage student or something. I find it just plain interesting.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Hi Nicolas… two main reasons:
1) because the topics interest me as well and you often have interesting viewpoint that you share (your blog is not only about “propagating” information it is also about how you process it… (like others I like the “Why do I blog this?” part… I figured I would try to do the same, at least mentally, when blogging something)
2) to keep in touch with your work!
Cheers!
June 26th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
What I find most interesting in P&V is a sort of mix between different ingredients (order irrelevant): a curious way to look at nook-and-cranny details of the urban environment and the patterns its inhabitants create in different situations, in unawareness mostly; the high level of research with which this look at the city is done; the way you combine topics and issues from ubicomp, information, usability and how the most digital and non-digital elements in the modern city live together.
All of this stirs my curiosity.
Keep going. I really enjoy your updates in my blogroll.
June 27th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
i don’t read i am a visual person.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:18 am
(1) Why do you read Pasta and Vinegar?
Because you present a perspective I see nowhere else - yours is a totally unique blog, which is also totally cohesive and accessible. And almost always fascinating.
(2) What do you find here?
I find comfort and inspiration here. And respite from a difficult job situation.
Please keep the observations, ideas, musings and research coming!
July 4th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I love the name of the blog (what’s not to like, hein?) … I think it’s wonderful; I mean: the title and the varied content… I do not understand how, or even if, I can ever use any of the posts I find in your blog, but they boggle my mind wonderfully…
July 5th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Thanks for all the comments!
July 6th, 2008 at 11:04 am
1) I don’t. I just found P&V, but since…
2) it seems to be an interesting collection of stuff which lie in my interests too, I’ll add P&V to my feed reader.
July 6th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Yes, as with others. Your thread of posts is invariably interesting to me, whether professionally or “just” personally. Reading pasta&vinegar is like having a conversation with a fascinating friend, where interest is real, not feigned.
Your blog is one of the few I read nearly daily.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I am a research student in Urban Informatics at QUT, Australia. I read P&V to keep up to date with all things urban computing. Between you, Julian and Fabien, I get my tech-fix for the day. I love the Why I Blog This feature - a super efficient way to get your point across. Thank you for all the useful pointers you provide. Hopefully our paths will cross at one conference or another in the future.