origins | development | releases
FAQ released April 13, 2004.
Icon galleries released April 11, 2004.
Ascii version 01 of the code released April 11, 2004.
Version One of the code was released April 8, 2004.
The code was created in response to a panel at Escapade 2004, Slashing the Slashers. The panel concerned the homosexual underpinnings to much slasher interaction, in that there are women, often straight, creating sexual experiences for other women, also often straight. I sat in the panel and thought, "All y'all hos are teases." It's very difficult to know, in the homosocial, homoerotic atmosphere of much slash interaction, when a sexual or romantic proposition would be welcome. The code was designed to alleviate some of that confusion.
The code was developed in a panel at Connexions 2004. I, zvi, led the panel. I don't remember everyone who attended, although I know that MP, TBQ, Sharkie, and Regina were there. Anyone else who was there, drop me a line for credit.
The development goals were
II. Requirements A. Easily Read 1. Clear Shapes 2. Not Spatial (i.e. no left-right distinction) 3. Simply memorized B. Easily Produced 1. Usable in multiple media a. Con badge b. Icon c. Door decoration d. T-shirt 2. Reproducible with at-hand materials 3. Based on Common Symbols a. Shapes b. Letters c. Numbers d. Colors III. Represents A. Timeframe* 1. In context of current event 2. Long term 3. Immediate B. Activity 1. Physical a. Cuddling b. Kissing c. Above the waist touching d. Below the waist touching 2. Romantic 3. Nudity/Skin contact 4. ? C. ?as developed by me before the con. My focus was always on greater simplification, and ease of creation. However, there was a large amount of confusion at the convention in response to our explanatory poster.