Codex Documentation
Updated November 20
The Codex Project
Project Codex is an investigation into the nature of information and knowledge.
As a scholarly project, it adopts a novel methodology that combines imaginative
exploration through the creation of web-based artifacts with more traditional
scholarly writing intended for publication within the academic community.
The project purposely crosses styles, that in itself being a focus of investigation
into the nature of communication.
The project was begun in the Fall of 1997 upon the reading of Snow Crash,
although its antecedents predate the Codex web site. Initial work on the
story was undertaken in 1993, and then abandonned for a number of years.
Research focus on information design during 1997, on the heels of 2 information-oriented
articles in the past few years, have led me to shift away from learning
per se and tackle the bigger picture of information. In parallel, personal
investigation of wisdom within a Buddhist framework has contributed to
the perspective being investigated in the Codex project.
Codex operates on many levels:
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the adventure represented by the story and the involvement of the reader
in the site
-
a learning experience for the serious viewer, in terms of information design
and perhaps more
-
a communicative innovation weaving storytelling into the new web medium
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an investigation into information, utilizing a novel methodology
-
a blending of genres, academic and edutainment, in furthering the project
One of the ploys of the adventure and one of the aims of the investigation
into information calls for deliberately confusing the external validity
of the information encountered in project Codex. This will undoubtedly
lead to much confusion and questioning, although the more adventurous will
likely stay the course and charge on.
The Codex Site
The codex project is web-based, opearating out of a site that is fairly
autonomous. The site contains 2 spaces:
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the project design space (pale green background - this one)
-
Codex Hall (dark blue backgound)
Codex Hall is the external interface for most people. It is being designed
as a building within the Metaverse described by Stephenson in 'Snow Crash'.
Codex Hall remains far removed from a true metaverse building of course,
although that is what is will hopefully evolve towards over time.
Documentation |
Codex Design Site |
Design Issues