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[on:]

Hi, guys, I am working on a conceptual installation, a chrome browser extension only works on Twitter site, it prevents from both accessing to the complete twitter stream and tweeting in realtime, as soon as mouse actions like, clicking the retweet button, clicking the tweet button after you type words or trying to copy&paste triggers the printer to print out some messages.

My background is fine art, to approach the project, I will hire someone to work on this, but I have little knowledge on how to design the system, specifically on the connection between the chrome extension and the arduino thermal printer.


Any clues,  Thank you.

[Reply #1 on:]

I am not sure where an arduino fits into this project. It sounds like just a software project on the PC.

[Reply #2 on:]

I am not sure where an arduino fits into this project. It sounds like just a software project on the PC.

I am using the arduino thermal printer. I was thinking as soon as the mouse actions are detected, the extension sends msg to a log(whatever you call it, locates where else in the computer), and make the printer scans the log,,, does that work? or any better solution.....

[Reply #3 on:]

and make the printer scans the log

Can you have another go at putting that thought into words. Those words don't make sense to me.

[Reply #4 on:]

for example,  a log.txt records the history of the mouse actions in realtime and it locates in some folder in local computer, and can I have some codes written in Arduino tell the thermal printer to scan the log.txt and print out the lastest item.

[Reply #5 on:]

codes written in Arduino tell the thermal printer to scan the log.txt and print out the lastest item.

No the printer will only print, it can not access a file. That must be done on your computer where the file is located. As far as I can see you are just wanting to use the arduino as a dum printer. Are there not other printers that can be connected directly to your computer?

Also I simply don't get it. In what way would this be interesting / fun / instructive or indeed even art?

[Reply #6 on:]

A little bit background information about it. I am doing a research on the Chinese censorship, which has been commonly known as site blocking. Based on my own experience, I feel like it is more than that. You actually can not tell why silent voilent it is unless you've experienced it. It takes away the rights of being informed and informing by filtering content and sending warn messages to individuals saying " Your account's been deleted/suspended, because we found that what you just posted contains sensitive terms. " and you never know what exactly are the so-called "sensitive terms" .

So the installation aims to enhance the social awareness by mirroring the frustrating experience to people who have never experienced. Audiences will be accessed Twitter (a metaphor of one of the most important daily news sources) with some of the tweets covered by un-movable black bars and all "tweet" "retweet" "copy&paste" , "enter","reply"....will be diable. Since the Internet has no room for the filtered contents, the tangible materials do, like paper. Paper has been the main medium for store information for thousands of years, and a receipt paper is a symbol of consumption, that's why the I need the printer for sure.

I would like to have the audience feel even though the computer is connecting to the Internet, but it is not working like it is supposed to be. It ignores most of the actions that the audience do and just splits out an analog warning msg  - OK. I know you did something, but since you're not allowed to this here, we just ignored.

So the realtime printed out paper will be full of the warning information.

I dont know if it could make sense to you, I just settled down the idea and am moving on the technical part. Open to any suggestion.

[Reply #7 on:]

Thanks for sharing although I must admit pieces like that leave me a bit cold, to me it would come across as a broken computer.

 

because we found that what you just posted contains sensitive terms. " and you never know what exactly are the so-called "sensitive terms" .

Just like the sites you try and sign up to which reject your password and not being secure enough without telling you why. I guess if you were in such a country you would know what you did wrong.

I would suggest you google receipt printer and get a printer you can directly connect up to your computer. Then you have a self contained software solution and you don't have to bother with the arduino bit.