The singular aspect of Shang civilization  

 is their invention of writing.   

Almost all the written records of the Shang   

have disappeared, for the court records   

were kept on strips of bamboo.   

However, inscriptions on bronze   

and on the oracle bones   

still survive so we have specimens   

of the very first Chinese writings.  

--Ancient China   

The new application, a Glide oracle, integrates the language translation and manipulation pieces into a game of interpretation, in the form of an oracle. 

Why an oracle?

·      In the novel, Glide language is used as an oracle.  The AI character, Óh-t’bee Outmind, serves up three random glyphs which are then arranged and interpreted by the person consulting the oracle.  These incidents of consulting the oracle happen at critical moments during the story, foreshadowing the future, and teasing out the character’s intentions.  Bill added a simple random generator to the glyph editor, and I used it every time the story came to an oracle consultation.  I agreed with myself to use and interpret whatever came up--no changes, no asking again.  So the oracle was key to the unfolding of the plot, sometimes in broad terms, sometimes in detail.

·      I’ve been a student and user of the I Ching since the ‘60’s.  The connection to the developmental form of Glide is obvious to anyone familiar with I Ching.  It is a “next step” kind of visual language system, somewhat different mathematical base.  Interpretations of oracles is the oldest recorded interpretative activity I know about.  The development of writing systems and oracle are intertwined in Chinese history’

·      Tarot, another instance of a visual symbol system, has also been a study and practice. (pic)

·         Oracles, to me, are a higher level game, a game of interpretation. Needless to say, many use them as fortune telling toys. 

·         The interpretation of interpretation—which has everything to do with our metaphorical minds—is a central interest.

·         Oracles are embedded in concepts of time that include synchronicity—another lifelong interest of mine.  Trying to understand synchronicity and time.

·         An oracle offers the opportunity for creating dialogue—prime interaction—between human and “cyber-spirit”, between chance and choice, in a matrix of interpretation—meaning making.  The given, and what you do with it. The hand dealt, and how you play it, interpreting both the situation and the context (including other players, environment, etc., each their integration of chance and choice.)