ZX spectrum scene poetry: genre, platform, localness

摘要

Digital media are used for creative purposes, however, in various geographical and cultural contexts, different platforms are used in various ways, and this affects the shape of the works and the popularity of particular forms of expression. Technical limitations of the platform are a challenge for digital artists, influencing the artistic shape of the work. In the article, we identify and discuss scene poetry, a genre of digital expression associated with the demoscene subculture. The demoscene brings together programmers and graphic artists who are affiliated with the platforms. Creators who identify themselves with the platforms aim to bypass limitations and push the boundaries as well as the capabilities of individual platforms. Demonstration programs (so-called demos) are used for this purpose, which is to present the graphic, music and coding effects achievable on a given piece of equipment. The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit British computer, which is known for its many limitations compared to other 8-bit machines (Atari, Amstrad or Commodore 64). This computer was extensively cloned in countries behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s and 1990s (especially in Russia, but also in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and others). Computer users not only created their own hardware models, but also a number of new forms of expression. One of them is the described scene poetry. The use of a large amount of text in demonstration programs on the ZX Spectrum computer is a phenomenon, and it is the result of its technical limitations.