Of all the
projects examined here, Mark Napier's Shredder is
perhaps the candidate par excellence for membership in COLmm.
The Shredder is a programme that can roam the Internet for any URL and
then digest the code and contents to create something quite different
than was initially intended by the source site. Like any fine
anthropophagic meal, this is done with respect for the source food as it
does not cause any unnecessary harm to the original site, but merely
assimilates its qualities and properties for other purposes. The
aesthetic and political stance of a programme such as the Shredder is
based on calling our attention to the transparent illusion of
representation still prevalent in most Web sites. By transforming code
itself into aesthetic material the programme invites users to question
their diet of transparent, user-friendly, fast food generally served up
on the Internet.
