Update submitted by Jenny Bergstrà¶m at Troika, July 3, 2009:
The Newton Virus has been launched and is available for download. Here’s how it works:
Named after the father of modern mechanics, it introduces Newton’s principle law to your laptop, literally causing your desktop to behave exactly as it would in the real world. Using the Mac’s onboard motion sensors, the virus translates the users movements; causing your desktop icons to fall, roll and tumble in whatever direction your laptop is held.
But not to worry, the non-destructive virus will not replicate itself, mail itself to your friends or destroy any of your files, but instead provides you with moments of blissful surprise and magic. Perfect for spicing up your colleagues day or simply enjoying the marvels of Newtonian principles at work.
And, here’s a new video:
Original post from March 29, 2008:
Newton Virus, along with two other Troika works — SMS Guerrilla Projector and the voice-surround sound-machine Exploded Monologues — is on exhibit at the ‘Design and the Elastic Mind’ show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York February 24 through May 12, 2008.
From Troika Art and Design Studio, London:
In the beginning were harmless computer viruses. Viruses born out of the wit of early computer adopters, viruses whose sole purpose was to surprise and amuse. A non-destructive form of artificial life.
We wanted to revive this golden era, and went on to create our first computer virus. We chose to do it for mac as the platform is still a virgin territory 😉
Spice up your colleagues’ day with our Newton Virus, the first virus to introduce gravity to your laptop, causing the desktop icons to fall down as if subject to the gravitational pull from the real world.
Watch the video!
Newton Virus comes on a USB key for manual infection. Simply plug the key into a computer and the virus will automatically copy itself on the hard drive.
The virus will then hit at random, but only once. It will not replicate itself, mail itself to your friends or destroy any of your files, but instead provides you with moments of blissful surprise and magic.
Credits:
Concept & Design: Troika
Programming: Mauritius Seeger – Dr Mo
Troika Profile
Troika is a multi-disciplinary art and design practice founded in 2003 by Conny Freyer, Eva Rucki and Sebastien Noel, who met while studying at the Royal College of Art in London.
With backgrounds in graphic and communication, art, product design and engineering, we develop a variety of self-initiated and commissioned projects that are both engaging and demanding to the user, from printed matter to product design and custom art installations. Our approach focuses on the contamination between the arts and design disciplines and is born out of the same love for simplicity, playfulness, and an essential desire for provocation.