Monorepo for Aesthetic.Computer
aesthetic.computer
1# Aesthetic Computer: A Creative Platform
2**El Cid Lecture - 45 Minutes**
3*Jeffrey Alan Scudder*
4
5---
6
7## What is Aesthetic Computer?
8
9Aesthetic Computer is a place to make art with code. You type commands into a prompt, and things happen. Sometimes you paint. Sometimes you program. Sometimes you just explore what's there.
10
11I started building it in 2021 because I wanted to make creative coding more accessible. No downloads, no setup - just open a browser and start making.
12
13---
14
15## The Basic Idea
16
17You go to `aesthetic.computer` and see a prompt. Type `paint` and you get a canvas. Type `notepat` and you get a musical instrument. Type anything else and you might discover something new.
18
19Everything runs in your browser. Your phone, laptop, tablet - doesn't matter. The same tools work everywhere.
20
21---
22
23## What People Actually Make
24
25Looking at the database, people have created:
26- 2,778 paintings
27- 2,723 programs in KidLisp (our programming language)
28- 212 custom tools and experiences
29- 16,197 chat messages (people like to talk while they create)
30
31---
32
33## The Technical Bits
34
35### How Code Becomes Art
36```javascript
37// A simple piece that draws when you touch the screen
38function paint({ wipe, ink, pen }) {
39 wipe("blue");
40 ink("white");
41 pen(64); // thick brush
42}
43
44function act({ event, sound }) {
45 if (event.is("touch")) {
46 // Draw where you touched
47 sound.synth("c"); // play a note too
48 }
49}
50```
51
52Each "piece" is just a JavaScript file. Save it, run it, share it. The system handles the rest.
53
54### KidLisp: Programming as Play
55```lisp
56(wipe gray)
57(ink red)
58(write (* 2 3 4))
59```
60
61KidLisp is our attempt at making programming feel immediate. Type an expression, see it happen. No compilation, no ceremony.
62
63---
64
65## Some Things People Built
66
67**notepat** - A tone matrix that went viral on Hacker News. Grid of buttons, touch them to make melodies.
68
69**baktok** - Records your voice and plays it backwards. Surprisingly useful for pronunciation practice.
70
71**wand** - Draw in VR space. Works with WebXR headsets or just mouse/touch.
72
73**tracker** - Serious music composition tool with 12-tone support.
74
75**tape** - Records whatever you're doing and exports to GIF/MP4. Frame-accurate.
76
77---
78
79## Real Classroom Use
80
81Last year I taught UCLA students using VS Code with an Aesthetic Computer extension. They could write code in their editor and see it run instantly in a browser panel.
82
83The students made pieces like `ucla-1` (basic graphics) through `ucla-7` (bouncing balls). These pieces now serve as examples for other learners.
84
85Having real students use your tools teaches you things no amount of solo development can.
86
87---
88
89## How Jeffrey Works
90
91I develop this every day on:
92- Intel laptop (16GB RAM, nothing fancy)
93- Fedora Linux in a Docker container
94- Fish shell, Emacs, VS Code
95- The same VS Code extension my students use
96
97The platform runs on:
98- Netlify (main site, uses Deno)
99- Google Cloud (chat system, Node.js)
100- MongoDB (user data, @handles)
101- Auth0 (login stuff)
102
103Everything auto-deploys when I push to git. Simple.
104
105---
106
107## Real Numbers
108
109As of today, the platform has:
110- 2,576 people with @handles
111- 1,919 verified email addresses (people stick around)
112- 5,501 total creations
113- Daily chat activity (someone's always making something)
114
115Not huge numbers, but genuine engagement. Quality over scale.
116
117---
118
119## The Social Bit
120
121Everyone gets an @handle. Your creations link to your profile. There's a chat where people share techniques and debug problems together.
122
123The community formed naturally. I built tools for making things; people started helping each other use them.
124
125Some active folks: @ida, @georgica, @sage, @yearoftheocean, @tina, @dollmath. Plus me (@jeffrey).
126
127---
128
129## Code History
130
131Started December 2022. 3,784 commits so far:
132- 2022: 47 commits (getting started)
133- 2023: 1,724 commits (core platform)
134- 2024: 1,426 commits (UCLA class, VS Code extension)
135- 2025: 587 commits (KidLisp language)
136
137The git history tells the story of what mattered when.
138
139---
140
141## Why This Matters
142
143Creative coding shouldn't require a computer science degree. You should be able to have an idea and express it quickly, whether you're 8 or 80.
144
145Most creative tools either assume you're a complete beginner or an expert. There's not much in between. Aesthetic Computer tries to grow with you.
146
147---
148
149## User Authentication & Data
150
151We use Auth0 for login (aesthetic.us.auth0.com). MongoDB stores everything else - your @handle, your pieces, chat messages, paintings.
152
153Cross-tenant system works on both aesthetic.computer and sotce.net (my other project).
154
155The database shows people actually use this stuff. 74.5% email verification rate means people care enough to confirm their accounts.
156
157---
158
159## Tech Architecture (The Real Stuff)
160
161**Client side**: Vanilla JavaScript + WebGL in browser. No frameworks, just web standards.
162
163**Server side**:
164- Netlify Functions (Deno) for main platform
165- Google Cloud (Node.js nanos unikernels) for chat
166- JamSocket for real-time collaboration
167- MongoDB Atlas for data
168- Digital Ocean Spaces for assets
169
170Auth0 handles authentication. MongoDB handles everything else. Simple division of labor.
171
172---
173
174## Demo Time
175
176Let's see what happens when we...
177- Open aesthetic.computer
178- Try some basic commands
179- Look at what others have made
180- Maybe write some code together
181
182---
183
184## Questions?
185
186*[Leave time for discussion and hands-on exploration]*