They Rule

C.wright wrote a novel many years ago called "The Power Elite", it documents the inter-connections of the most powerful people in the USA. In today's world people who are the heads of companies often swap on and off boards from one company to another and in and out of government committees and positions. Most of this people run some of the most powerful companies on the plane, and it is difficult for us to know whom this people are. This is were "They Rule" becomes very important it allows users to browse though interlocking directories of some of the biggest American companies. The data that "They Rule" use was collected from the companies websites and SEC filings in early 2004, but as companies merge and disappear and directors shift boards, it is difficult to keep things up to date, so it may not be completely accurate.

The reason I have chosen to look at this project, as I feel it is a very corporate project, which has the influence from net. Art movement. When you look at net. art you often seeing just a lot of random text, which makes no sense to you unless you look beyond the surface. I feel that this project has a similar feel, when you first look at it you wonder why the creator would want to make this, but once you explore more of the project you realise it has a very useful and interesting meaning. It also I draws some of its influences from the net. art movement as it has been created purely for the Internet, this project would not function or have the same impact if it was not viewed on the Internet, and this is the same as with most net. art projects.

Produced by Futurefarmers

(www.theyrule.net)