Recurse Center Week 3: Wed Jan 17

Creative coding

• theme: "with great power comes great responsibility"
• attempted spiderman web shooter in three.js with Alex
• didn't get far but learned stuff:
  • intro to setting up three.js, the docs are nice!
  • a physics engine: ammo.js, built on c++ physics engine called bullet
  • I probably spent too much time getting distracted with different possible avenues, like the gui editor on three.js
    • would have helped to plan more before diving in
• also enjoyed chatting with Alex
• the other projects were v cool, esp. Ivy and Reed's drag-and-drop webpage modifier
• learned about the multibrot set and the global power plant database from Julian

Chat with David

• he's trying to make the prison realm in three.js
• ran into the same issues getting started as me, solved them by using webpack
• enthusiastic about synthia, wants to test
• discussed synthia audience: niche nerds or maximally accessible?
  • decided on accessible
• wants to pair on tone.js
• working on bittorrent client

Learned more about open source stuff

• Zulip stream #oss-at-rc is a goldmine
• Sumana Harihareswara's articles:
  • 2014
    • "The rhythm of help": you ask someone, they send a doc, you read the doc and find you have a new question, you collaborate with the person on improving the doc
  • 2022
    • don't start with PRs, start with testing old open issues, and reporting back
• Started reading Open Advice
• Made longlist of possible projects, will investigate tomorrow and narrow down to shortlist based on languages, beginner-friendliness, and general vibe