Toronto Metropolitan University
Centre for Digital Humanities
November Offerings
2023
- CDH events are open to the TMU community and beyond.
- Also, check out the workshops hosted by the Collaboratory!
Currently, the Centre for Digital Humanities (CDH) is between spaces, and will hopefully have its own space in the Library building (LIB) soon. In the meantime, for 2023-2024, the CDH will be holding some of its events virtually (on Zoom) and some in-person at the TMU Library. Some events may be hybrid.
Join us!
CDH Virtual
Drop-Ins
Tuesdays Noon-1 pm EST
Each month, weekly drop-ins will be dedicated to a specific theme. Tiny Tools Tour / DH Workbench are explorations of a digital resource or tool for research, creativity, and/or pedagogy. Unarchived is a monthly podcast associated with the Playable Stories Archive focused on discussing storytelling games. Critical Code Studies discusses coding/programming from a critical perspective informed by the humanities.
RETRO DH WORKBENCH
November 7
The History of Hypercard
Hosts: Reg Beatty and Jason Boyd
In preparation for the November 14th Tiny Tools Tour, join Reg and Jason to learn about HyperCard, an Apple Computer application (1987-1998) that was one of the first successful hypermedia systems predating the World Wide Web.
The Internet Archive has a collection of HyperCard Stacks, which can be navigated with an emulator. This collection includes poetry by bpNichols and William H. Dickey, works by eLit writers John Cayley and Stuart Moulthorp, and CM Ralph’s Caper in the Castro, said to be the first LGBTQ+ computer game.
TINY TOOLS TOUR
November 14
Decker
Host: Reg Beatty
Decker was created by John Earnest (Aka – Internet Janitor) in 2022 as a ‘contemporary’ take on Hypercard. Join Reg as he takes you on a guided tour.
From the developer: “Anyone can use Decker to create E-Zines, organize their notes, give presentations, build adventure games, or even just doodle some 1-bit pixel art. The holistic “ditherpunk” aesthetic is cozy, a bit nostalgic, and provides fun and distinctive creative constraints.”
CRITICAL CODE STUDIES
November 21
ELIZA: The Original Chatterbot
Host: Reg Beatty
Join Reg as he ‘looks under the hood’ of ELIZA, a chatbot therapist, designed by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966. At the time, Weizenbaum was alarmed at the way users responded emotionally to the program. We will also discuss the ongoing implications of the ELIZA effect and contemporary Chatbot culture.
Have a session with ELIZA!
Weizenbaum’s original paper “ELIZA — A Computer Program For the Study of Natural Language Communication Between Man And Machine.”
A closer look at ELIZA’s code.
November 21
Hideo Kajima’s Death Stranding (2019)
Listen to Season 2, Episode 3 of the Playable Stories Archive: Unarchived podcast. As the weather gets colder, join Patrick Dolan, Alexander Hurezeanu, Jeremy Andriano, and Jason Boyd as they trudge through the windy mountains of Hideo Kojima’s latest title, Death Stranding, its unique gameplay, perplexing story, and the aesthetics of its auteur developer.
On November 28th, join members of the Playable Stories Archive: Unarchived podcast collective for a roundtable to discuss the episode!
UNARCHIVED ROUNDTABLE
November 28
Roundtable on the Death Stranding podcast
Join members of the Playable Stories Archive: Unarchived podcast collective to discuss the third episode of Season 2 on Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding (2019)
Listen to Season 2, Episode 3 of the Playable Stories: Unarchived podcast here.