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http://www2.ari.net/ajr/rtty/9710rl.html
Another interesting web site that focuses on radio teletype artwork from the 1960's and 1970's can be found at the Jefferson Computer Museum web site. The subtopic, Ancient Alphabetic Art, highlights teletype artwork from the1960s and the 1970s. The webmaster, John Foust, has collected and posted numerous works from this era. You can also find information regarding outdated computer systems. It is definitely worth a look!
A copy of an early text art transmission (perhaps RTTY?) was submitted by
Charles Struble <strube@inetnebr.com>. He states:
> "In 1969, as a young Marine, I was stationed in a CommCenter on Okinawa (3rdFSR) and we composed and sent this out to a slug of military installations. I decided to reproduce it and put it up hoping maybe someone remembers it or even better, is listed on it. If so, I'd sure like to hear from ya." -Charles Struble strube@inetnebr.com
See "USMC" for the entire message
Here is another early computer art image. To be honest, I don't know if it is RTTY or not -- supposedly it is. To me, it llooks as though it might be too wide for teletype paper. But what do I know? This image was found at Jim's Computer Garage Museum (http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw/jcgm-vcfii.html (URL no longer active 8/00) and is copyrighted© to James Willing: Mona Lisa image
=> ./ascii_history_jgs/asciimona.jpg Mona Lisa image
(Thanks Jim for letting me use it!)
## PAPER TAPE / PUNCH CARD ART
Punch cards and punched paper tape were ways that information could be stored and rebroadcast. Teleprinter messages could be received on tape and then be resent to other teleprinters by using a taper reader. I haven't seen artwork created from punched paper tape, but I do remember seeing pictures made with punched cards. The holes were punched in strategic locations so that when held to the light, the cards displayed an image. The card I recall seeing was that of a Christmas tree. Alas, it wasn't mine and it has long since disappeared. I welcome e-mail from people who remember this art and might have an example of punch card art in their attic or basement!
=> ./ascii_history_jgs/papertape.jpg example of computer punch tape
> "Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate"
## ASCII and ANSI CODE
There are many sites on the Internet that thoroughly describe what ASCII is all about. I will not go into great technical detail. However I will list a few web pages that have additional and detailed information about ASCII.
To begin, ASCII is an acronym for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII was created in the early 1960s but did not become a United States government standard until 1968. In the 1960s, there were many data communication codes that were competing for the US Standard. In 1962, IBM created and promoted a coding standard known as Extended Binary-Coded-Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC). This was an 8-bit code which allowed up to 256 characters. However it lost out to ASCII as a "PC standard". EBCDIC is still used on many mainframe systems even today.
ASCII was defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1968 as "ANSI Standard x3.4". It has also been described as ISO 636. It is a 7-bit code that has a maximum of 128 characters/controls. ANSI is the Institute that defines American National standards. ASCII code is one of these standards. So, technically speaking, ASCII is an ANSI code. Got that?
There is another ANSI standard, ANSI Standard x3.16, which is an 8-bit code. This expansion was defined in 1979 in an effort to standardize graphic character representations and cursor control. It is based upon a 256 character set. It includes the 128 characters/controls of ASCII and an extra 128 characters/controls. It is sometimes called "extended ASCII" or "high ASCII", but it is really neither. It is a different ANSI Standard -- but not the "American Standard Code".
Have I totally confused you?
For more reading on ASCII and other computer codes, look to the following:
* http://czyborra.com/charsets/iso646.html
* http://telecom.tbi.net/history1.html
To view the ASCII Code Charts.
( 7-Bit ASCII codes with Even parity, 7-Bit ASCII codes with Odd parity, 7-Bit ASCII codes with Space parity, 7-Bit ASCII codes with Mark parity, ASCII Control code details): ( http://telecom.tbi.net/ascii1.html )
To view the "Extended Character" set.
( http://telecom.tbi.net/asc-ibm.html )
## EARLY ASCII ART
Perhaps the real start of ASCII art is with the beginning of the Internet. The Internet began in the 1960's as a means to communicate if nuclear war broke out. Military authorities created a network called ARPANET which connected 37 computers and several defense departments. No war came (thankfully) and the computer system expanded to include universities and other educational institutions. For many years the Internet belonged to the military and to the schools.
In the early 1990's, the World Wide Web was developed in the Switzerland. It was there that Hyper-Text Mark-Up Language (HTML) was first used. HTML is what allows documents to have 'hyperlinks'-- those links which cause a surfer to jump from web page to web page.
Many people use the Internet for e-mail. Initially, the Internet was pure text - no graphics and certainly no animations. E-mail was the same. ASCII art was used to create diagrams and charts. It was also used for "fun" and to enhance and liven up the plain text messages.
Besides digrams and charts, probably the earliest ASCII art from the Internet are the "Spy at the Wall" collection and the "Silly Cows" collection. David Bader, an ASCII art enthusiast and editor of the 'Cows", recently sent me the COMPLETE, UNCUT, ORIGINAL, and OFFICIAL Silly Cow collection! These cows can be seen all over the Internet and are truly considered to be "classic" ASCII art..
## BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEMS & UNDERGROUND ART
ASCII art has also been used in the BBS (computer bulletin board systems) scene and in the underground art groups.
BBSs were developed in 1978 and became quite popular in the early 1980s.. MUDs (multi-user dungeons) and MUGs (multi-user games) also became quite popular in the early years of the Internet. These are all text based applications. So, if someone wanted to include a picture or diagram, it had to be created from text. Even today, BBSs, MUDs, and MUGs exist -- many are still text based.
For more info on BBS and Multi-User Dungeons/Games:
Basic uses of Computer Bulletin Boards (includes History)
http://www.secretstuff.com/Contents/ComputerInfo/BBS_Uses.htm
Local Bulletin Board Systems
http://www.naples.net/remote/zrbbs.htm
Educational MUDS/MOOS
http://tecfa.unige.ch/edu-comp/WWW-VL/eduVR-page.html
There is another group of people who have used/created ASCII art from the early days. These are the "underground art groups" who create and package zipped files of art which can be downloaded from the. Some of these groups have been around for many years and create ANSI, ASCII, "Extended ASCII" text pictures, and VGA animations.
Here are some relevant sites:
* http://www.remorse.org (REMORSE)
* http://artpacks.acid.org/ (ACiD)
Other art groups involved in the underground art scene include iCE and CHAOS.
## RELATIVES OF ASCII ART
### ANSI ART
ANSI art is a cousin to ASCII art. It is often used on BBS (bulletin board systems). It also includes color and animation codes. ANSI art is still created today.
ANSI / ASCII Information
http://hem1.passagen.se/haakshem/asciians.html
ANSi Maker extreme
http://www.pagesz.net/~mhare/ansi.html
includes ANSI related links/software (including "TheDraw")
### AOL MACRO ART
America Online (AOL) is one of the few Internet/e-mail programs that did not allow for a fixed-width font. Up until the release of version 4.0, all AOL users had one font. -- yes, ONE font. That one font was Arial-10. Arial is a proportional font. The ASCII art of the Internet looked totally skewed to AOL users. In response, AOL users modified the spacing (by hand) so that the ASCII art would look good in their Arial proportional font. There are many AOL text artists who specialize in creating the Arial font pictures. Because their audience is solely other AOL users, "extended" characters are often used and seen without problems. These AOL Arial-font text pictures have been called "macros". Some misinformed people call them "ASCII Art" - they are not. Obviously, the AOL macros and ASCII art are 'cousins'. They are not the same. Many of the AOL macros are quite good. Unfortunately, they are not often seen or used by people outside of AOL (due to the font/spacing/character issues).