TY - JOUR

T1 - 01010000 01001100 01000001 01011001: Play Elements in Computer Programming

AU - Breslin, Samantha

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - This article explores the role of play in human interaction with computers in the context of computer programming. The author considers many facets of programming including the literary practice of coding, the abstract design of programs, and more mundane activities such as testing, debugging, and hacking. She discusses how these incorporate the aesthetics, creative imagination, and game play of programmers. She suggests that the seemingly intractable and unplayful elements of computers, in fact, invite playful responses and actions by programmers and that programmers use play to understand, engage with, and creatively imagine and reconfigure the complexity of computer systems. She concludes that human machine relationships and computer programming constitute fruitful areas for further play research. (Contains 6 figures.)

AB - This article explores the role of play in human interaction with computers in the context of computer programming. The author considers many facets of programming including the literary practice of coding, the abstract design of programs, and more mundane activities such as testing, debugging, and hacking. She discusses how these incorporate the aesthetics, creative imagination, and game play of programmers. She suggests that the seemingly intractable and unplayful elements of computers, in fact, invite playful responses and actions by programmers and that programmers use play to understand, engage with, and creatively imagine and reconfigure the complexity of computer systems. She concludes that human machine relationships and computer programming constitute fruitful areas for further play research. (Contains 6 figures.)

M3 - Journal article

VL - 5

SP - 357

EP - 382

JO - American Journal of Play (Print)

JF - American Journal of Play (Print)

SN - 1938-0399

IS - 3

ER -