{"id":122,"date":"2025-03-05T02:59:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T02:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/?p=122"},"modified":"2025-03-05T03:14:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T03:14:22","slug":"hack-3-desmos-diary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/artist-statements\/hack-3-desmos-diary\/","title":{"rendered":"Hack 3: Desmos Diary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.desmos.com\/calculator\/labcdtqr6h?embed\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" style=\"border: 1px solid #ccc\" frameborder=0><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quasar-action-48d.notion.site\/Hack-3-183d7072fcfc8086b963cfb620cda04d?pvs=4\">Read My Full Diary Entry<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good software is designed with specific purposes in mind, but its constraints and affordances can shape user interactions in unexpected ways. In this project, I repurposed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.desmos.com\/\">Desmos<\/a>\u2014a graphing calculator software\u2014as a medium for journaling. Rather than using it for purely mathematical visualization, I encoded diary entries as linear and nonlinear equations to subvert its intended purpose and question the assumptions embedded in its design. Initially, I was concerned that this approach might lack an element of surprise or critical engagement, given that using equations to \u201cdraw\u201d is not entirely novel. However, as I worked through the process of journaling, I discovered deeper insights into the nature of digital writing, storage, and accessibility in this unique medium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The core of this project is the challenge of translating written language into mathematical equations. I initially attempted to replicate my handwriting, incorporating curves and varying slopes, but the difficulty of encoding these features led me to adopt a more digital-clock style, composed primarily of horizontal and vertical lines. This simplification introduced inconsistencies; for instance, my \u201cA\u201d characters differ in structure, which I found to reflect the tension between personalization and the rigid mathematical logic imposed by the software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-duotone-unset-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.43.33-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"76\" height=\"126\" data-id=\"123\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.43.33-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-123\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My first &#8220;A&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-duotone-unset-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.44.21-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"298\" data-id=\"124\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.44.21-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-124\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My second &#8220;A&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-duotone-unset-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.44.42-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"156\" height=\"286\" data-id=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-04-at-9.44.42-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-125\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My second &#8220;A&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Creating each equation was slow and meticulous. Though these types of transformations transformations are not inherently \u2018complex\u2019 mathematical concepts, their manual application proved time-consuming, even with the aid of graphing calculators. This experience underscored the necessity of more advanced computational tools like Mathematica, which automate such transformations, in contrast to Desmos\u2019 more constrained functionality. Desmos, while user-friendly and widely accessible, does not support batch processing or dynamic transformations, requiring users to input equations individually. This limitation, while frustrating, highlighted the software\u2019s underlying design philosophy: it prioritizes accessibility and visualization over advanced computational manipulation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the act of writing, the challenge of storing these diary entries revealed another layer of intervention. While Desmos allows users to save graphs, it does not provide a mechanism for annotating or contextualizing saved equations. The true artifact of this project is not a single equation nor Desmos \u201csheet,\u201d but rather the ordered collection of equations, yet there is no clear way to archive this evolving assemblage within Desmos itself. Instead, I resorted to manually documenting the equations in Notion equation blocks. However, the process of transferring equations between platforms proved cumbersome\u2014copying and pasting was not seamless, often requiring manual re-entry.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Speculative Design: Questioning Function and Accessibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dunne and Raby\u2019s speculative design framework suggests that designers can engage in \u201cproblem-finding,\u201d using design as a tool for critique and provocation. My intervention aims to raise several key questions about the nature of digital writing, secrecy, and accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who Is This Useful For?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One speculative application of this system is encryption. While each equation encodes a meaningful message, looking at them in isolation does not reveal their content. Unlike conventional text, which relies on direct visual recognition, reading these equations demands significant effort\u2014the reader must manually plot each line to reconstruct the message. This characteristic makes the system effective for secrecy but impractical for conventional journaling, where ease of access and retrieval are essential. The paradox of this approach is that while it could function as an obscure method of communication, it undermines the very purpose of a personal diary, which is meant to be revisited and reflected upon over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who Can Read This?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach to writing is inherently exclusionary. While graphing is a standard component of U.S. mathematics curricula, it is not a skill most people retain for everyday use. Moreover, even individuals with mathematical literacy are not trained to \u2018read\u2019 equations as they do words and sentences. Deciphering a message in this format requires not only knowledge but also a significant investment of time and cognitive effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This exclusivity parallels historical examples of technological elitism, such as the Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) at MIT (Levy). Early computing culture was built around small, insular communities where technical knowledge was only accessed by those who could afford it. Moreover, the insulated nature of this helps serve as a gatekeeping mechanism. Similarly, my hacked journaling method creates an implicit intellectual barrier\u2014only those with specific expertise can engage with it. This raises critical questions about who has access to knowledge and whether certain forms of writing privilege specific groups over others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultural Interventions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By using Desmos as a medium for journaling, my project engages with multiple layers of digital media, each with distinct cultural implications. In particular, the exclusivity of this system becomes apparent at the &#8220;Form and Function&#8221; and &#8220;Reception and Operation&#8221; levels. Encoding text as equations creates a communication system that is both unique and highly restrictive, requiring specialized knowledge to interpret. Unlike traditional text, which is immediately recognizable and readable, this system demands significant effort from the audience, reinforcing barriers to accessibility and limiting who can engage with the content in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project not only serves to repurpose software\u2014it is an exploration of how digital tools shape knowledge production, accessibility, and communication. The constraints of Desmos reveal the underlying assumptions about how software is meant to be used. My intervention aims to challenge these assumptions, questioning the ways in which digital platforms mediate self-expression and who gets to participate in these mediated forms of writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, this speculative hack raises larger questions: How do digital tools influence what we consider to be legitimate forms of writing? Who gets to access and interpret information? And how might we rethink the possibilities of digital communication beyond the constraints imposed by existing software? By hacking Desmos into a medium for journaling, I invite viewers to critically consider the technologies they regularly encounter and imagine alternative interpretations of our ways of writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Works Cited<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, \u201cA\/B\u201d and \u201cDesign as Critique\u201d from\u00a0<em>Speculative Everything: Design Fiction and Social Dreaming<\/em>\u00a0(2013), pages\u00a0<em>vii<\/em>\u00a0and 33-45<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steven Levy,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1RR69JoY6o9vwQeJh-CdfZqv2wAVi4r26\/view?usp=sharing\">chapters 1 and 2<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0<em>Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution<\/em>\u00a0(1984), pages 1-31<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Good software is designed with specific purposes in mind, but its constraints and affordances can shape user interactions in unexpected ways. In this project, I repurposed Desmos\u2014a graphing calculator software\u2014as a medium for journaling. Rather than using it for purely mathematical visualization, I encoded diary entries as linear and nonlinear equations to subvert its intended [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artist-statements"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions\/131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lexifletcher.dcreate.domains\/DIG401\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}