In the real world important people or special events get a statue, a building, a streetname or .... a postage STAMP.
The physical stamp has the unique capability of conveying an additional message with it. This now seems to get lost. Is there, or will there be an online equivalent?
Introducing the "mini-message" and resolving the issue of URL-shorteners (a necessary evil?) along the way.
Apart from being an interesting proof of payment for postal services, the physical stamp had the unique capability of conveying an additional message with it.
In the Netherlands, as in many other countries there's a rich history of stamp designs and many (government) causes that got attention through it (currently for example Global Warming, and yearly special Childrens stamps). With the decline of physical mail this seems to get lost.
This talk will discuss the cultural benefits of these 'stamps with a message' and make a case for re-introducing the stamp in the virtual world.
In addition a concept for realizing the use of 'e-stamps' in the form of mini-messages will be elaborated (possibly resolving the issue of URL-shorteners along the way).
Even the advent of Google Wave doesn't resolve the issue. Because messages are instantly posted by the system you no longer have to wait for the other person to finish, which is good, but this opposite doesn't sound quite right either. I don't mind being 100% online, and I can't wait to exploit the potential of Google Wave, but I would like to see some kind of pleasurable 'idle'-mode built in. Is it possible to have an in-between state of reflection next to reading an writing online?
Finally this talk will be call-to-action to all attendants: revamp your heritage, start designing your e-stamp.
Almar van der Krogt (VIRVIE | realizing la vie virtuelle)
Curious
Interesting thoughts; I'm very curious how you elaborate on this. There seems to run some different concepts in the mix. Do you transform the role of the stamp from a platform for universal values to a personal medium? In a way the psychical stamps did already go that way when you can personalize them. The connection with the URL-shorteners as personal stamps is an very interesting thought.