WIMP
'WIMP', Windows Interface Manipulation Program (2004), is VJ-software developed by Alexei Shulgin and Victor Laskin.
WIMP
WIMP (Windows Interface Manipulation Program) is a program for creating full-screen visual animations synchronized with sound in real time, based on the notion of original wimp (Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointing) devices - the prehistorical GUI of the 1970's.
Usually software and operating systems serve as the back-end in interactive installations and other computer-driven systems. Software tends to be the hidden part of the system, transparent, pretending to be nonexistent. However, we believe it is very important to reflect on software itself as its "transparency" in fact hides aesthetic, social, political biases shaping our culture. WIMP brings the operating system to the front, made visible and introduces an unexpected means of interaction. It is a given fact that software often does not work as intended. Smooth interfaces break, error messages or unwanted OS interfaces appear on screen.
The moment of system failure can become very attractive as it uncovers the way the system works and gives us a chance to witness how the system itself can become a producer of aesthetic paradigms (there is a bit of a Luddite in all of us). The WIMP installation is based on exploring and playing with this kind of moment. The only visual input WIMP utilizes is the graphical user interface (GUI) of the Windows operation system. Whichever applications, windows, icons, images, texts, etc are open on a desktop - they become the source material for WIMP. As such WIMP can also be used as a VJ tool, a screensaver, a graphics generator or as a piece of conceptual art.
