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FLAM3 v2.7.8 released

Get it here. From the change log:

Better scalability across multiple CPUs by using compare and swap (from Tim Hockin). Fix bug in large images (>2GB). Add flam3_srandom and flam3_malloc/free to better support wrapping with python on windows, which links with a different C runtime. Add --enable-shared option to configure script (from Bobby R Ward).

Wake up and Dream

Electric Sheep and I are looking forward to this great event next Saturday in NYC:

Reality Sandwich & Jivamukti Yoga School Present...
EVOLVER: WAKE UP AND DREAM

Saturday February 2, 8pm - 4am
www.realitysandwich.com

What happens when America's most visionary city starts building a new world by living out its dreams?

Take an overnight journey into a realm of new possibilities with otherworldly music, performance, ideas, art and alchemy. Drift through a labyrinth of rooms full of enchanted activities, glowing and pulsing artwork, exotic performers, magical chill caves, futuristic playgrounds, and endless spontaneity.

Featuring: Globesonic's (Fabian Alsultany & Derek Beres) electrifying melting pot of Afro-beat, tabla, drum 'n bass, global trance, dub, hip-hop, and house. Haj (Resident DJ of Sub Swara & Freek Factory) and his "low-end monkey business that's more about journey than genre." Hercules' (Safetycan) Hobo Tech, Freshstep and Deep Electrofunk.

Glass Bead Collective's "Spaceship Inflatable," Peripheral Media Projects' {E}volutionary {E}volver Printing, Scott Draves' "Electric Sheep," Blinky Art by Fort-Da/Image Node, Dr. Brainwave's "Mind Machine," Face Painting by Kostume Kult & Friends, "Gastronome Cache-Cache: The Masked Meal," Bill Kennedy's gaggle of dream geese, Future Unincorporated's "Poll of the Future" by Cassie Thornton, "Entheogenic Plants of the World" with Nat Bletter, chakra balancing with Lisa Paul Streitfeld, "Restoring the Revelation Dream" with Rodger Kamenetz, C. Eule Dance: "Flight of Fantasy" with video by Yuliya Lanina, ecstatic drumming with Jay Michaelson, hula-hoop instruction with Stephanie Radia, "INFINITY" mannequin installation with Kundalini Couture/Wearable Art by Selma Karaca and video by John Knowles., the "kirtan rabbi" Andrew Hahn, "Chakracize" with Kiana Love, interactive light installation by Seej, Michael Robinson's "Universus" project, video art by Love Intelligence Group and The Housewives' Guide to AnatomyD… And, of course, that bold beautiful dreamer – YOU!

Evolvitorium, 8:30p: "Asanas and Ayahuasca" In this talk Sharon Gannon (co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga) and Reality Sandwich's Daniel Pinchbeck (author of "2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl") compare and contrast yoga and shamanism and how these ancient techniques might just save our world today. Opening "Body Prayer" by Jivamukti co-founder David Life.

Communion Square Cafe: Courtney Weber - MC and Astro Hour with musical accompaniment by Eric Holloway, sitar and Sufi poetry with Dawoud Kringle and Asad Khan, Divine Drum & Bass Hip Hop with Naada, fantastical storytelling by Martin Dockery, David Life live, Jessica Star's Burner-Country music, Michael Brownstein's "Must Not Sleep," and Bill Kennedy on the mike. Yummy vegan food, sumptuous smoothies, & fair trade coffee.

Dreamy Costumes Highly Encouraged! 18+ with ID or all ages with a parent. No alcohol will be served. You'll need to take off your shoes when entering the dream so don your funkiest socks or slippers.

This is the first in a series of freakishly fun experiments from Reality Sandwich. Their goal is to spread ideas, connect people and reinvigorate life with creativity and spirit. As the seasons change, expect more invitations to participate in reality-changing events.

If we can build it here, we can build it anywhere. So, let's get together, New York, and start dreaming.

Saturday, Feb 2, 8p (doors) to 4a
Jivamukti Yoga School
841 Broadway, 2nd Fl. (between 13th & 14th St. at Union Square)
$15 advance tickets, $20 door
Tickets: http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com/fms/event_fm.html www.realitysandwich.com / www.jivamuktiyoga.com

Sheep v2.7 Education/Registration/Donation plan

So as you might guess, running and developing the Electric Sheep network is a costly endeavor. Rewarding for sure, but the bottom line includes server hardware, bandwidth bills, and engineering time. One of the objectives of the upcoming version 2.7 is to let more people know how the Electric Sheep works, and how they can help it continue to work, by registration, and donation.

I plan to continue to offer this service for free to the public. These days there are 50,000 daily users, but mostly I have no idea who they are, and vice versa. Below I outline the plan to address this. Your feedback is welcome.

1) during the installation process, add an optional registration and donation step, maybe just by popping up a web browser on a server page with the information and forms. We call this "page X" below.

2) if they decline to register when they install, they may run the client anonymously then they:

a) download sheep from the lowest http bandwidth category (maybe from CoralCDN, ie the current system), except the first 4 sheep which come from a fast server.

b) periodic on-screen text on the bottom of the screen: "see http://electricsheep.org or press 'y' to join and receive more sheep free and faster". Pressing 'y' exits the screen-saver and brings up a browser with page X loaded. Other key/mouse events just exit to the desktop like normal.

c) In the config dialog there's an "about" button to pop up page X.

3) After they register on page X of the drupal:

a) part of registration is asking for donation.

b) after the email address is confirmed, their client will download from a larger bandwidth category (from dvlabs.com our corporate sponsor).

c) opt-out bimonthly newsletter consisting of your rendering stats (how many frames your computer submitted), best recent sheep, random news, reminder to donate. can roll this out slowly.

you may prefer to comment on the forum, rather than below.

Portraits of the Masterminds of Evolutionary Art

I am flattered to announce 1000 pictures of yours truly produced by Günter Bachelier who says "portraits of the masterminds are transformed in one of my evolutionary art processes and motif individuals were generated for each of them." More of his work on flickr.