What is Packet Garden?

• Packet Garden is an experimental artwork that seeks to provide an alternative and accessible approach to visualising daily internet use. It was commissioned by Arnolfini in 2006. See the homepage for a brief description of what it does.

Who developed Packet Garden?

• Julian Oliver, with plenty of suggestions, bugs and more from these people along the way.

How can I contact you about this project?

• by email: info <AT> this site <DOT> com.

Will Packet Garden run on my computer?

• Packet Garden runs on Linux, Windows and OS X computers. Check the specs page to see if your system is capable of running Packet Garden.

Is Packet Garden freeware?

• Nope, Packet Garden isn't freeware, it's free software. While the terms may sound similar, they in fact mean very different things. Here's an excerpt from the definition of Free Sofware from a foundation dedicated to its promotion:
  • The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
  • The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs(freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
  • The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
  • The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
• I like this definition alot, so I've released PG under a legally binding license that supports it. In short, you are free to modify and redistribute Packet Garden as long as you follow the terms of the GNU/GPL license.
• Yes, you can download PG without charge. It is adware, spyware, bloatware, malware free. If you're not convinced, feel free to read my source code or find someone who can read it.

Is this Net Art?

• No, Packet Garden is not Net Art. Net Art is differentiated from other digital art by being internet delivered. While Packet Garden actively uses internet traffic to generate content, neither it or the content are delivered via the internet. PG doesn't reside on the internet, it is installed and used privately. For these reasons PG is not Net Art.

What software was used to make Packet Garden?

• Packet Garden was developed on a Debian Linux desktop using the editor VIM and is written in the Python programming language. It was later ported to Windows. With help from Marmoute, it was packaged for OS X 'Tiger'.

• Packet Garden resources the following quality open-source software:
  • Python
  • Python GeoIP
  • Soya3D
  • LibPcap
  • pypcap
  • dpkt
  • WinPcap
  • gksu
  • Python Imaging Library
  • Simple Direct Media Layer
  • Psyco

What does it look like?

• See the screenshots page.

What kind of traffic does it take note of?

• All raw traffic is logged and is used to generate the terrain, but only specifically detected traffic will be used to generate a plant. See here for a list of traffic types and examples of the plants they generate. After installing Packet Garden, you can edit the file filter.config in the config folder to filter for other ports. The list of ports PG filters for by default is here.

So, Packet Garden records a log of every single website I visit, every remote computer I share data with?

• Yes.

I'm worried about privacy, does Packet Garden tell anyone else about what I do on my computer?

• Packet Garden only records a personal log for you to later explore in the form of a 3D garden. As looking at the source-code will confirm, this log doesn't leave your computer. If you're worried about others finding out where you've been on the Internet, don't show them the gardens you grow.