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PYTHON PROCESSING / Better late than never!

Only the other day, I started to look at Processing again. And I just realized it has Python mode!

MOMENT OF REALIZATION

I really SHOULD have taken Processing thing more seriously years ago. I practice and study Processing ON and OFF, depending on interest. Processing was particularly very popular around 2010. Still not dying today, not sure whether people are still using it or not. Lots of good books were written back then.

As Visual Artist, my attempt to start getting serious with programming started when I was looking at works from John Maeda. I have one of his digital art book, still inspiring and brilliant. I think his book and tool titled Design By Number (DBN) is one of books that encourage myself to try on programming. DBN is simple and interesting and the book is worth looking before one jumps into Processing. There is also another book about "Basics Programming" with lots of cartoon drawing of dragons, etc. It helps me to say to myself: "Ok, I should learn to code".

For beginner programmers, without any computer science education, Processing language might be a little bit hard to start, however, there are some really good books that help you.

Jump over the fear of programming and the language syntax, programming can be quite fun, especially with Processing. Without knowing the richness of Processing, one can start to:
- Draw some vector sketches, playing with shapes, fill, and stroke color --- just like Adobe Illustrator or Flash, but drawing using code.
- Have a bit of interactivity
- Create some generative "animations".

Along the way, I met (online) quite interesting and inspiring programmers such as:
- Daniel Shiffman
 http://shiffman.net

- Andrew Glassner
https://imaginary-institute.com/faqs.html

- aBe
http://funprogramming.org

PROCESSING AND PYTHON

Python language is my other attempt to do programming. Zed's "Learn Python The Hard Way" helps me to progress slowly. There are many other books too.

Python is also great for me, because I happened to use 3D softwares like Blender, Maya, Houdini, that has Python in it. More or less, I have to know a bit of Python.

Blender's Python is especially fantastic, I get a bit more familiar with it. I tried this Python and Processing thing today and it feels very familiar in every way!

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It's rather nice to have simpler language like Python to do Processing sketch. Let see if that's making much differences in Processing learning and actually draw some interactive stuff.

I am currently doing lots of Blender Noding and there is this part about OSC and I like how Processing handles "interaction" and "data piping". Processing can be very fast and interactive and lots of examples available. So it is going to be really helpful.

FUTURE OF FUTURE: PROCESSING AND SWIFT?

I think, before long, Swift language (from Apple) can be the language that everyone uses everyday. It feels very friendly somewhat, it feels a bit like Python and the old Processing language.

Having Swift Playground on iPad is a good start. But still need to rely on MacBookPro. There are already few apps that can do Processing on iPad like ProCoding.

ONE MORE THING: NODING AND CODING

Anyways, coding is still sometimes weird blank canvas on my head. Still a bit alien.

Sometimes, I wish that programming in Processing can have node interface as well. The best of everything. There is tool like NodeBox that is kind of having this, but NodeBox is not as popular as Processing.

I actually found NODING to be a good side learning. Add-On for Blender like Sverchok and Animation Nodes, written in Python, for doing procedural 3D modeling, animation in Blender, is actually great.

These days, we really have lots of open source programming tools like:
- Super Collider
- ChucK
- Scratch

Wolfram Language is also fun and can be powerful, unfortunately proprietry and paid language.

Oh well, I think I'll continue both NODING and CODING.

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