This article was more inspiring than it was able to provide me directly with knowledge about interactive media. I truly enjoyed reading this, and it made me think about the complexity of this field. I previously would not be able to credit applications like Google Chrome, Spotify or Processing to the work of someone who developed software necessary for the Apollo space missions.
Although Hamilton’s work is more in the realm of computer science and mathematics rather than something in Interactive Media, seeing that the tools we use in the classes today stem from these discoveries in somewhat different fields, made me realize how dependent I am on interdisciplinary knowledge if I am to immerse myself in this field.
Furthermore, this article demonstrated the complexity of the field by showing how daunting it can be to develop these kinds of tools. Ideally, Hamilton and her fellow scientists would have decades to develop the perfect program, with all potential bugs and errors detected and solved, but sometimes this is simply impossible due to time constraints. I will definitely keep in mind the importance of prioritizing what needs to be done so that I might work more efficiently in all my projects.