Make cool stuff. If you're a designer or artist without a lot of programming experience, this book will teach you to work with 2D and 3D graphics, sound, physical interaction, and electronic circuitry to create all sorts of interesting and compelling experiences -- online and off.

Programming Interactivity explains programming and electrical engineering basics, and introduces three freely available tools created specifically for artists and designers:

• Processing, a Java-based programming language and environment for building projects on the desktop, Web, or mobile phones

• Arduino, a system that integrates a microcomputer prototyping board, IDE, and programming language for creating your own hardware and controls

• OpenFrameworks, a coding framework simplified for designers and artists, using the powerful C++ programming language

BTW, you don't have to wait until you finish the book to actually make something. You'll get working code samples you can use right away, along with the background and technical information you need to design, program, build, and troubleshoot your own projects. The cutting edge design techniques and discussions with leading artists and designers will give you the tools and inspiration to let your imagination take flight.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

A "from the author" review - 2009-09-01
Reviewer Rating:
I can review my own book, right? Sure, why not? There's quite a few things I'm pretty happy with in this book: the breadth of it, the interviews, and the general tone of it, and that it's covering some territory that's not entirely adequately covered elsewhere. There's a things I wish were better as well: a few of the images are cropped wrong, one of them is actually printed twice, and there's a lot of typos. I'd encourage people to check the errata page on the O'Reilly site (oreilly.com/catalog/9780596154141/errata/), you'll find a lot of corrections there that will give you a way better experience with the book. With all the corrections that have been made over the past few weeks taken into consideration, my rating is 4 stars, the "I like it". Without those taken into consideration I would go with a "it's ok".

New overview for a complex field - 2009-08-13
Reviewer Rating:
When you are beginning Interaction Design it can be hard to know where to start in terms of learning tools. This book provides an excellent overview of many of the tool available and simple examples to get you up and going. It's power is in its diversity. Though I have worked with many of the tools, techniques, and concepts in the book I think that everyone will learn something from this book. As a teacher, this will be my go to book for teaching programming concepts in interaction design.

As a new media lead at the LAB at Rockwell Group ([...]) I love the generalist nature of this book and how it can help to show conceptual overlaps between the different tools.

This is a "must have" book for the bookshelf in our lab and at home.

Joshua Walton
New Media Lead
[...]

A MUST for those learning Arduino, Processing, or oF - 2009-09-01
Reviewer Rating:
What I great book! I was surprised to see how thick this book was.

I am learning the Arduino and have found this book such an in-depth and invaluable reference. It's a well written book that presents each language from the ground up so that even the complete beginner isn't lost. This book is for all, no matter what stage of learning.

If you're just started with the Arduino, or already have some experience with the Arduino and want to learn more you will NOT be disappointed.

For those who want to explore a greatly creative field - 2009-10-18
Reviewer Rating:
This is a very good treatise about interaction among computers, microcontrollers, human beings and the outside world. In particular it explores Processing, Openframeworks and Arduino.
Absolutly clear on how to make things work, both hardware and software. Those who are not too familiar with electronics or programming will find the practical examples in this book easy to reproduce. Some problems may be encountered with "Openframeworks" though, having it up and running at the beginning. There are some links and forums where any unskilled individual can find help anyway.
This is a "must read" for the creative artist, designer, architect, etc.

Cream of the Crop - 2009-10-13
Reviewer Rating:
I've purchased a variety of books on physical computing, arduino, and processing but this one is probably the best of the best. Lots of info with lots of code, probably not for absolute beginners but a great read at any level.

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