Introduction: The Conference
Gregory Sporton · Digital Creativity · 2015
We assemble in the conference hall and snap open our laptops or fold over our iPads and check the wireless connection is live. The speaker sorts out his computer’s VGA connection to the projector or inserts his USB drive into the one provided to ensure the smooth running of the programme. We know we are about to be assaulted because the presenter promises not to inflict on us ‘Death by PowerPoint’, before proceeding to do exactly that. Invariably at this delicate moment these sessions develop a problem with the technology. This is greeted with knowing, sardonic laughter by the assembled tech-heads, with a further edge of cynicism sharpening the reaction if I am attending a conference about technology (as they often are). Either someone has the wrong adapter, has ignored the warnings given in advance about the system’s limitations or is testing those limits by using flashy but unusual software that is by no means certain to work. They might be playing video and can’t work out why it is clearly visible and working on the monitor but not showing up on the big screen, or can’t manage the extended desktop that puts their notes in front of them whilst we see only the slides. Sometimes they have foolishly made themselves dependent on an Internet connection that doesn’t work, and the only person surprised by this is the presenter. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.