| This interesting web site uses new ‘Nine9 social software’, which was developed as a tool to enable people with little or no computer experience to experiment with new means of expression via the Internet. Participants place a series of nine images within a grid, connecting audio, text, still image and video files together to tell stories and share aspects of their lives through links to other communities. The completed grid is transferred to the Nine9 website, where it links to other grids, creating a non-hierarchical map of individual experiences. The grids can be explored without any control over direction – like wandering round a city without a map. The initial page is made up of a large grid of images, grouped into smaller grids or ‘sets’ of 9 images. The user can scroll in any direction by moving the mouse. Groups of images can be zoomed in on by clicking the mouse. Some images link to further information or pieces of text. The contents of the grids range from home photos and portraits, to documentary and artistic statements. Clicking on the ‘Map use overview’ in the top left corner of the page displays a grid of coloured squares, each representing a ‘set’ within the larger grid, click these squares to reveal info about the group or individual who produced them. Currently there is content produced by participants in Huddersfield, Amsterdam, Delhi, Jamaica and Southend-on-Sea. An interesting experiment, portraying a variety of contrasting points of view from diverse individuals and communities. An extensive amount of browsing time may be necessary to appreciate the full extent of the site’s content. Please be aware that there may be some controversial views expressed. |
