One of the secret pleasures of authoring a project is hiding some sort of message for only the diligent to find. There have been some legendary ones. One of the most famous is Alfred Hitchcock's subtle appearance in all his films, but in computer games, finding "easter eggs" is on a whole other level. The idea of a treasure hunt or a scavenger hunt is not a new one, but the idea of hunting for a hidden message within electronic entertainment is a contemporary phenomenon of the digital universe. Calling such messages easter eggs is supposed to have originated at Atari. Game designer/programmer Warren Robinett buried his own name in his 1979 game Adventure. Microsoft used to be notorious for application programs that included secret easter eggs until they tried to stop it in their "Trustworthy Computing" initiative (2002). One of the most famous was The Hall of Tortured Souls hidden in Excel 95. I think you can figure that one out.
Images, videos, cheat codes, special credits and all kinds of data are included today. Some can be summoned by special commands or sequences (preferrably undocumented). There are lists of them on some of the game review sites. For example, take a look at IGN's Best Easter Eggs or GamesRadar's 100 Best or ComplexMag's 50 Best.
I hid some video sequences in the first Jewels of the Oracle game back in 1995. Unfortunately, in later editions of the game some folks with no sense of humour or adventure removed them. I guess, back then, it was easier to find hidden files in basic resource directories. One of my favourites from that game was planted in the "well room." If you have the original game disc, it is still there. There was a special brick on one of the back walls. If you found on it, the Oracle appeared (larger and in the middle of the screen) and started talking about the "snake baking in the sun attends decisions already made" and then adlibs, "What the hell does that mean?" When we first put that in, we laughed until we cried. It also might have had something to do with the fact it was about 4:00 a.m. and none of us had slept for several days. I found it and posted it here.
We put a bunch more in Jewels II, but by then it had become de rigeur and maybe even a little predictable. The old adventure games and some of the early action games like Doom and Quake were clever the way they hid special items or messages. It's such a treat to find an unexpected feature. It always makes me smile. I guess that's why I was so thrilled when I first discovered the Chuck Lorre "vanity cards" at the end of the credits of Big Bang Theory episodes. At first, when I saw the original series, I noticed a screen of text that appeared for only a second. I presumed it was some legal disclaimer. Years later, when I bought the first season on DVD, I stopped the player and could finally read the messages. It blew me away! I was so pleased to see there are still people doing stuff like that.
For that very reason I placed a very tiny little man on the second Shen Kuo Magnetic Containment Laboratory (bottom left corner) page in my book The Perfect Round. Unless you look carefully, you might miss him. There are some other little text secrets hidden in the book, but I'll leave them for the diligent to find.
Monday 30 September 2013
Visual Futurist
Ever since TRON and Blade Runner I have been a huge fan of Syd Mead. I own some of his out-of-print books and still marvel at his extraordinary sense of colour, light and scale every time I look at them. From all kinds of incredible vehicles and machines to landscapes and architecture, his work is unique and instantly recognizeable. You can get online digital versions of some of them. They are definitely worth it (for a small fee).
Here's where you can get them (including preview samples): Sentinel II (one of his first books) is a general collection. Sentinel 3 has more futuristic cars. Sentury II features line work and sketches (amazing energy) and some renderings of preliminary TRON cycle concepts. Not only is Mr. Mead a "visual futurist," as he likes to call himself, he is an unbelievable artist with analog media including markers and watercolours. There is a 4 disc DVD collection of his techniques available that is not to be missed.
If you would like a quick intro, there is a great little video bio on YouTube too. Steven Lisberger (director of TRON) is in it along with some other great design and production people who talk about his incredible talent. Syd had a profound influence on the look of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. There's such a famous story about Syd showing Ridley his concept for the police "spinner" and Ridley is blown away by the background Syd created for the flying vehicle's distant future urban context. When Ridley saw it, he said that was what he wanted his film to look like.
Here's a link to the gallery on Syd's website. You can also check out what he is up to these days and where he will be appearing. As one of the world's most sought-after creative designers and artists, be sure to check it out.
Here's where you can get them (including preview samples): Sentinel II (one of his first books) is a general collection. Sentinel 3 has more futuristic cars. Sentury II features line work and sketches (amazing energy) and some renderings of preliminary TRON cycle concepts. Not only is Mr. Mead a "visual futurist," as he likes to call himself, he is an unbelievable artist with analog media including markers and watercolours. There is a 4 disc DVD collection of his techniques available that is not to be missed.
If you would like a quick intro, there is a great little video bio on YouTube too. Steven Lisberger (director of TRON) is in it along with some other great design and production people who talk about his incredible talent. Syd had a profound influence on the look of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. There's such a famous story about Syd showing Ridley his concept for the police "spinner" and Ridley is blown away by the background Syd created for the flying vehicle's distant future urban context. When Ridley saw it, he said that was what he wanted his film to look like.
Here's a link to the gallery on Syd's website. You can also check out what he is up to these days and where he will be appearing. As one of the world's most sought-after creative designers and artists, be sure to check it out.
Friday 27 September 2013
Interface Wakeup Call
The new "tap & go" credit card terminals attached to cash registers is a great replacement for time consuming chip and pin transactions. Cash used to be faster than credit cards, but not anymore (provided transactions are low value). As consumers become more and more "cashless," this is a great way to speed up everyone's exit from retailers. Mind you, a lot of the old cards don't work with these new systems, but some of the new multi readers can handle swipe, insert or tap interactions. Take your pick.
The digital interface is changing more than pecuniary transactions. In addition to the new generation of phones and pads, navigation systems in cars use touch screens and so do all kinds of appliances. Touch technology is now cheaper to manufacture and is more efficeint and uses less electricity than traditional analog interface devices such as knobs, buttons and joysticks.
Using a combination of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crytstal Display) and sensors to monitor changes to the surface, these new devices detect where and when you touch them. Some even detect multiple contacts or touch points (for pinch zooming). I'm not going to get into transparent chemical vapor deposition, but I do want to point out how backwards and regressive interface technology appears in contemporary film and TV.
While old movies like Forbidden Planet can be forgiven for enormous handles and archaic switches in their space ships, they look absurd today. As nostalgia, such analog interface devices were lovingly celebrated in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). What can't be forgiven are those ridiculous animated email sequences in movies from the '90s - where envelopes fly around on the screen to indicate you have a message. I guess they didn't think anyone would ever have more than one email a day. Then there's those idiotic screens with colours and lights and grids and swooshes with no labels so a user has no idea what any of it does. Star Trek The Next Generation is at the top of that list, although the self-destruct sequence in Alien has to come a close second. Here's a link to a story about restoring the STNG bridge. Here is the ship scuttle interface screen from Alien.
Film and TV production designers and art directors need to wake up and see what is happening with contemporary interface development. The audience is certainly more familiar with what is going on than they are.
The digital interface is changing more than pecuniary transactions. In addition to the new generation of phones and pads, navigation systems in cars use touch screens and so do all kinds of appliances. Touch technology is now cheaper to manufacture and is more efficeint and uses less electricity than traditional analog interface devices such as knobs, buttons and joysticks.
Using a combination of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crytstal Display) and sensors to monitor changes to the surface, these new devices detect where and when you touch them. Some even detect multiple contacts or touch points (for pinch zooming). I'm not going to get into transparent chemical vapor deposition, but I do want to point out how backwards and regressive interface technology appears in contemporary film and TV.
While old movies like Forbidden Planet can be forgiven for enormous handles and archaic switches in their space ships, they look absurd today. As nostalgia, such analog interface devices were lovingly celebrated in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). What can't be forgiven are those ridiculous animated email sequences in movies from the '90s - where envelopes fly around on the screen to indicate you have a message. I guess they didn't think anyone would ever have more than one email a day. Then there's those idiotic screens with colours and lights and grids and swooshes with no labels so a user has no idea what any of it does. Star Trek The Next Generation is at the top of that list, although the self-destruct sequence in Alien has to come a close second. Here's a link to a story about restoring the STNG bridge. Here is the ship scuttle interface screen from Alien.
Film and TV production designers and art directors need to wake up and see what is happening with contemporary interface development. The audience is certainly more familiar with what is going on than they are.
Soundtrack Music
Soundtrack music tends to be my favourite ambient audio texture conducive to constructive activities. For example, right now I am listening to Robyn Miller's MYST soundtrack. Not only is it gentle and exotic, it is also full of familiar associations from playing the game over and over. Yes, I'm also a huge fan of MYST and Riven and Exile, although the first game is still my fave.
That's the beauty of soundtrack music. Not only is it wonderful to listen to, but it also sooths the mind through elicitation of memories. It can take you back into scenes and provide thoughts and feelings as well as cognitive visuals. Some of the more unusual scores I listen to regularly include Forbidden Planet (Louis and Bebe Barron), The Day The Earth Stood Still (Bernard Herrman), The Lost Weekend (Miklós Rósza) and Blade Runner (Vangelis). I just wish I could get my hands on a copy of The French Connection (Don Ellis). It is an incredible score, but unavailable anywhere unfortunately. I also have to mention Jerry Goldsmith, who is one of the great masters of all time. He was a genius at creating unique and perfect tones and textures for each film. Alien is an incredible achievement.
Today's best contemporary composers are creating more abstract textured soundscapes as opposed to overt melodies. Current faves include Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Moneyball and Breach), Marc Streitenfeld (Prometheus and other Ridley Scott films) and Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings and many David Cronenberg films).
When it comes to James Horner, I have to disagree with the Motion Picture Academy. I sincerely think his score for Avatar was the best soundtrack of the year (2009). As much as I respect the members and the need to reward accomplishments, music is just one of those categories where the Academy often does not always get it right. Don't get me started about cinematography.
That's the beauty of soundtrack music. Not only is it wonderful to listen to, but it also sooths the mind through elicitation of memories. It can take you back into scenes and provide thoughts and feelings as well as cognitive visuals. Some of the more unusual scores I listen to regularly include Forbidden Planet (Louis and Bebe Barron), The Day The Earth Stood Still (Bernard Herrman), The Lost Weekend (Miklós Rósza) and Blade Runner (Vangelis). I just wish I could get my hands on a copy of The French Connection (Don Ellis). It is an incredible score, but unavailable anywhere unfortunately. I also have to mention Jerry Goldsmith, who is one of the great masters of all time. He was a genius at creating unique and perfect tones and textures for each film. Alien is an incredible achievement.
Today's best contemporary composers are creating more abstract textured soundscapes as opposed to overt melodies. Current faves include Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Moneyball and Breach), Marc Streitenfeld (Prometheus and other Ridley Scott films) and Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings and many David Cronenberg films).
When it comes to James Horner, I have to disagree with the Motion Picture Academy. I sincerely think his score for Avatar was the best soundtrack of the year (2009). As much as I respect the members and the need to reward accomplishments, music is just one of those categories where the Academy often does not always get it right. Don't get me started about cinematography.
Melodrama & Victory
The melodramatic physical response to events in the public forum can often be very predictable. Without commenting on the cognitive or psychological aspects of a reaction, the empirical side is usually consistent, depending on the activity.
For example, golfers tend to do a fist pump when they drop a putt. The intensity of the pump depends on how important the stroke is to the golfer's score. If it is just a regular old par somewhere on the back nine with buddies from work, then a subtle and modest flex of the fist is more than enough, however, if it is the final birdie on the 18th hole that wins a tournament, then an extraordinary and unique power pump rivalling an olympic weightlifter is entirely appropriate. The golfer can even go down on one knee and roar like a wild animal. Of course, it also depends on how macho the golfer is.
Tennis players, on the other hand, are expected to collapse like a marionette with its strings cut whenever they win a match. Covering their face with their hands is optional. Of course, the traditional raising of both arms in victory is OK in any activity. I'd like to see more of that at the Oscars.
Perhaps less dramatic, but equally predictable are the hoop-hangers in basketball, the silly touchdown dances in football, the bizarre homerun handshakes in baseball and the leaping hugs in soccer. Formula 1 drivers are only capable of raising one hand and pointing a finger to indicate a win, but if less encumbered, perhaps they could do more. A race car tends to fit them like a straightjacket.
All the same, being predictable is fine by me. Such ranges of motion and response are all part of the heroic grammar of competition.
For example, golfers tend to do a fist pump when they drop a putt. The intensity of the pump depends on how important the stroke is to the golfer's score. If it is just a regular old par somewhere on the back nine with buddies from work, then a subtle and modest flex of the fist is more than enough, however, if it is the final birdie on the 18th hole that wins a tournament, then an extraordinary and unique power pump rivalling an olympic weightlifter is entirely appropriate. The golfer can even go down on one knee and roar like a wild animal. Of course, it also depends on how macho the golfer is.
Tennis players, on the other hand, are expected to collapse like a marionette with its strings cut whenever they win a match. Covering their face with their hands is optional. Of course, the traditional raising of both arms in victory is OK in any activity. I'd like to see more of that at the Oscars.
Perhaps less dramatic, but equally predictable are the hoop-hangers in basketball, the silly touchdown dances in football, the bizarre homerun handshakes in baseball and the leaping hugs in soccer. Formula 1 drivers are only capable of raising one hand and pointing a finger to indicate a win, but if less encumbered, perhaps they could do more. A race car tends to fit them like a straightjacket.
All the same, being predictable is fine by me. Such ranges of motion and response are all part of the heroic grammar of competition.
The True Hero of Adobe Systems
My first encounter with Adobe Systems was in 1987 when I purchased my first Apple computer and acquired an application program called Illustrator. This was version 1.0 and it was black and white only. The big green box it came in included a manual and a VHS video of John Warnock himself (founder of Adobe Systems). Behind him, on the desk, you can see one of the original Macintosh computers (with the 5 inch display). Illustrator was Mac only back then.
Because this was such an innovative new application, Dr. Warnock wanted to demonstrate to the purchaser what the program could do. He suggested using a scanner to capture a drawing and then convert it to vectors by tracing over it. The beauty of vector data, of course, is that it is "resolution independent." This means the coordinates described in its "page description" are relative to the device displaying the file. So if you draw a circle and print it on an ordinary piece of letter-sized paper, the proportions and attributes of the circle are still exactly the same even if it's also scaled up and printed on the side of a building or down to fit on the head of a pin. Size and scale do not affect the relative locations of coordinates.
The name "Illustrator" comes directly from the evolution of the Postscript page description language. As the developer of the original language concepts, Dr. Warnock's idea goes back to 1976 when he was working at Evans & Sutherland (I'll have to leave Ivan Sutherland for a future entry). Later, at Adobe Systems, in order to visualize the features of Postscript, Warnock's team created a user interface depicting "operators" such as gray value (percentage of black) and fill, line weight, endpoints, and lots more. When they saw how well it worked at illustrating the language, they realized the name of the program was obvious.
I am really condensing an enormous amount of history and technology here, but I don't want to get caught up in immense detail (I studied Postscript Display Programming in Boston at Adobe Systems - does anyone remember the red, blue and green books published by Addison-Wesley?) Instead, my main goal here is to include a note about the parametric curve named after Pierre Bézier who used a polynomial form to control, descibe and design curves and surfaces. This field of mathematics was made famous by Mr. Bézier and the French automakers Citroen and Renault (I'll have to save that for another future entry too). Dr. Warnock included a 2-dimensional version of Bézier's curve "control" in his vector language environment.
Around 1990 I was working full-time with Illustrator doing graphics for books and magazines and writing articles about how to print computer files commercially. Back then there were a few people who worked and shared information in the computer illustration & design field including Simon Tuckett and Louis Fishauff. These were early days. Back then we had problematic issues with gradients, colour and print resolution.
There were also no web browsers back then and very little background documentation about the curve geometry or Mr. Bezier. So I wrote a letter to Dr. Warnock to ask him about it. To my incredible surprise and delight, he sent me a personal fax about 8 pages long about how and why he incorporated parametric spline technology into Postscript.
He began his letter by saying he "did not normally do this," but I guess I must have touched a sensitive spot. I was beyond thrilled! I got the exact information I needed from the man himself! Of course, today Adobe Systems is pretty well the biggest and best software developer on Earth with programs such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Premiere and more. Dr. Warnock was Chairman and CEO until he retired in 2001. I believe he still co-chairs the corporation along with his old partner Charles Geschke. He is one of my personal heroes. Thank you Dr. Warnock!
Because this was such an innovative new application, Dr. Warnock wanted to demonstrate to the purchaser what the program could do. He suggested using a scanner to capture a drawing and then convert it to vectors by tracing over it. The beauty of vector data, of course, is that it is "resolution independent." This means the coordinates described in its "page description" are relative to the device displaying the file. So if you draw a circle and print it on an ordinary piece of letter-sized paper, the proportions and attributes of the circle are still exactly the same even if it's also scaled up and printed on the side of a building or down to fit on the head of a pin. Size and scale do not affect the relative locations of coordinates.
The name "Illustrator" comes directly from the evolution of the Postscript page description language. As the developer of the original language concepts, Dr. Warnock's idea goes back to 1976 when he was working at Evans & Sutherland (I'll have to leave Ivan Sutherland for a future entry). Later, at Adobe Systems, in order to visualize the features of Postscript, Warnock's team created a user interface depicting "operators" such as gray value (percentage of black) and fill, line weight, endpoints, and lots more. When they saw how well it worked at illustrating the language, they realized the name of the program was obvious.
I am really condensing an enormous amount of history and technology here, but I don't want to get caught up in immense detail (I studied Postscript Display Programming in Boston at Adobe Systems - does anyone remember the red, blue and green books published by Addison-Wesley?) Instead, my main goal here is to include a note about the parametric curve named after Pierre Bézier who used a polynomial form to control, descibe and design curves and surfaces. This field of mathematics was made famous by Mr. Bézier and the French automakers Citroen and Renault (I'll have to save that for another future entry too). Dr. Warnock included a 2-dimensional version of Bézier's curve "control" in his vector language environment.
Around 1990 I was working full-time with Illustrator doing graphics for books and magazines and writing articles about how to print computer files commercially. Back then there were a few people who worked and shared information in the computer illustration & design field including Simon Tuckett and Louis Fishauff. These were early days. Back then we had problematic issues with gradients, colour and print resolution.
There were also no web browsers back then and very little background documentation about the curve geometry or Mr. Bezier. So I wrote a letter to Dr. Warnock to ask him about it. To my incredible surprise and delight, he sent me a personal fax about 8 pages long about how and why he incorporated parametric spline technology into Postscript.
He began his letter by saying he "did not normally do this," but I guess I must have touched a sensitive spot. I was beyond thrilled! I got the exact information I needed from the man himself! Of course, today Adobe Systems is pretty well the biggest and best software developer on Earth with programs such as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Premiere and more. Dr. Warnock was Chairman and CEO until he retired in 2001. I believe he still co-chairs the corporation along with his old partner Charles Geschke. He is one of my personal heroes. Thank you Dr. Warnock!
Colour and Reliability
Although I still draw with pencils and pens and brushes, when it comes to final versions of artwork going to print, I have to go to the computer, because today it is more reliable when it comes to the integrity of colour. Last Century we used inks, watercolours and an array of emulsion techniques to create artwork that had to be scanned and separated into plates for the printing press. Today, our files can generate process colour separations automatically. It's built in! The only trouble is the display (monitor) may not be showing the colour the way it will come off the press. That's where the notion of "reliability" comes in.
After years spent in the traditional printing business, I see colours as percentages of CMYK. So when it comes to my illustrations, I still use colour mixes based on press proofs I saw 20 and 30 years ago. That's because even though the technology of the press has changed in terms of plates and inks, the notion of getting colour on paper is still the same. No one has legitimized alchemy or time travel for that matter . . . yet. Colour mixes have not changed. It's not as if you can put yellow and cyan together and get red. That's like putting gin and tonic together and expecting rum and coke.
Beginning an illustration starts with a few big shapeless blobs in a vector-based, page description language such as Postscript (that would be an application program such as Adobe Illustrator). A green, subtle gradient becomes the grass. A pale cyan gradient will be the sky. Keep them on separate layers so you can turn them on and off when necessary. Believe me. It will become necessary (some of my drawings can go into hundreds of hours). When the topographical detail of a landscape starts taking shape, I adjust the gradients for contrast.
I try to keep it looking clean and simple, but some of the small stuff is labour intensive. Tiny details are where the fun is. Even though they are not always caught by the glancing eye, their influence is still processed by the graphic part of the mind. The result is it still becomes broad strokes vs. small strokes. All of a sudden, we're back in the art world again with old school, traditional painting. The brush may have changed and the colour has gotten less toxic and doesn't leave a mark on the floor anymore, but light, shadow and midtone are all still there - just as reliable as the sun and the moon.
After years spent in the traditional printing business, I see colours as percentages of CMYK. So when it comes to my illustrations, I still use colour mixes based on press proofs I saw 20 and 30 years ago. That's because even though the technology of the press has changed in terms of plates and inks, the notion of getting colour on paper is still the same. No one has legitimized alchemy or time travel for that matter . . . yet. Colour mixes have not changed. It's not as if you can put yellow and cyan together and get red. That's like putting gin and tonic together and expecting rum and coke.
Beginning an illustration starts with a few big shapeless blobs in a vector-based, page description language such as Postscript (that would be an application program such as Adobe Illustrator). A green, subtle gradient becomes the grass. A pale cyan gradient will be the sky. Keep them on separate layers so you can turn them on and off when necessary. Believe me. It will become necessary (some of my drawings can go into hundreds of hours). When the topographical detail of a landscape starts taking shape, I adjust the gradients for contrast.
I try to keep it looking clean and simple, but some of the small stuff is labour intensive. Tiny details are where the fun is. Even though they are not always caught by the glancing eye, their influence is still processed by the graphic part of the mind. The result is it still becomes broad strokes vs. small strokes. All of a sudden, we're back in the art world again with old school, traditional painting. The brush may have changed and the colour has gotten less toxic and doesn't leave a mark on the floor anymore, but light, shadow and midtone are all still there - just as reliable as the sun and the moon.
My 4K Encounter
As I walked around one of my favourite retail outlets (Canada Computers), I was just checking out hard drives, wireless rodents, RC helicopters, CPU cases and domestic appliances. Deep inside the store (it's one of those big box locations), I noticed a home theatre setup - big soft couches, surround sound, and a monster TV.
Only a few feet away, I was surprised I couldn't see the subtle dot grid you normally see when you stand that close. It took me a minute to realize how incredibly high the resolution was, but even then I had no idea what I was looking at. There were these goofy vector graphics animating on the screen like a kaleidoscope, but they were zooming up and down and the edges were absolutely perfect (as vectors should be). At that point I decided to try out the couch.
Even though I wanted to look around for pricing information, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It switched to still photographs - but the kind of images they use to trick you into buying an HD TV in the first place. Only HD shot with an HD video camera looks that good. Film has that soft, lovely grain we're all used to, but a digital video image has that sharp vicious look that reveals every freckle, crease and flaw. Flowers and rocks look great, but when you can count the hairs in an eyebrow, it starts getting a little creepy.
Then a young woman in a long purple dress walked into a garden. I looked around at the green leaves and blossoms framing her. It now dawned on me this was no ordinary hi def TV. I was finally witnessing the ultimate entertainment technology our ancestors have been dreaming of for 10,000 years . . . 4K. This was an 84 inch 4K LED and it was available for me to purchase for $19,999. The only trouble is you need 4K media to play on it. So then I was looking at a Sony F65 CineAlta 4K camera and it was $65,000. So next I went looking for a Lamborghini Aventador (LP700 2 door all-wheel drive roadster) and the MSRP was $441,600. That's when I decided to fly to Italy for the VIEW Conference (October 15 - 18) in Turin. John Knoll (co-creator of Photoshop and Chief Creative Officer of ILM) is the Keynote speaker there. Other guests include the absolute royalty of digital artists and special effects. Take a look at the lineup. I would sincerely love to be there.
. . . and that's when looked down at my feet to see if I was wearing ruby slippers.
Only a few feet away, I was surprised I couldn't see the subtle dot grid you normally see when you stand that close. It took me a minute to realize how incredibly high the resolution was, but even then I had no idea what I was looking at. There were these goofy vector graphics animating on the screen like a kaleidoscope, but they were zooming up and down and the edges were absolutely perfect (as vectors should be). At that point I decided to try out the couch.
Even though I wanted to look around for pricing information, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It switched to still photographs - but the kind of images they use to trick you into buying an HD TV in the first place. Only HD shot with an HD video camera looks that good. Film has that soft, lovely grain we're all used to, but a digital video image has that sharp vicious look that reveals every freckle, crease and flaw. Flowers and rocks look great, but when you can count the hairs in an eyebrow, it starts getting a little creepy.
Then a young woman in a long purple dress walked into a garden. I looked around at the green leaves and blossoms framing her. It now dawned on me this was no ordinary hi def TV. I was finally witnessing the ultimate entertainment technology our ancestors have been dreaming of for 10,000 years . . . 4K. This was an 84 inch 4K LED and it was available for me to purchase for $19,999. The only trouble is you need 4K media to play on it. So then I was looking at a Sony F65 CineAlta 4K camera and it was $65,000. So next I went looking for a Lamborghini Aventador (LP700 2 door all-wheel drive roadster) and the MSRP was $441,600. That's when I decided to fly to Italy for the VIEW Conference (October 15 - 18) in Turin. John Knoll (co-creator of Photoshop and Chief Creative Officer of ILM) is the Keynote speaker there. Other guests include the absolute royalty of digital artists and special effects. Take a look at the lineup. I would sincerely love to be there.
. . . and that's when looked down at my feet to see if I was wearing ruby slippers.
Inventions & Predictions
You should always be skeptical when listening to experts, because their opinions may be the most egregious (outstandingly bad). For example, Charles H. Duell (an official at the US Patent Office) said back in 1899, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” I guess he didn't see the microchip coming.
Twenty-three years earlier, after receiving a personal demonstration of the telephone, Rutherford B. Hayes (the 19th President of the United States) remarked, "It's a great invention, but who would want to use it?" He went on to be the first President to have a phone at his disposal in the White House.
William Thomson, ist Baron Kelvin, who was a mathematical physicist and engineer is best known for determining the value of absolute zero (-273.15 Celsius). In 1895, he said, “Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” I guess he didn't see the turbine jet engine coming.
A few years later, a lawyer for Henry Ford visited the Michigan Savings Bank regarding investing in the Ford Motor Company. The President of the bank told him, "The automobile is only a novelty - a fad." I wonder what he would have thought of the Apple iPhone? In 1946 Darryl F. Zanuck said television “won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” Little did he know they would put televisions and telephones into heavier-than-air flying machines and automobiles.
Although Thomas Watson (Chairman of IBM) said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers” back in 1943, it was Ken Olson (President, Chairman & Founder of Digital Equipment Corporation) who said in 1977, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” I guess he didn't see the Internet coming (or Grand Theft Auto).
All I can say is, pay no attention to anyone dismissing innovation or radical new ideas. Who knows? Maybe someday there will be robots who can play golf better than humans . . .
Twenty-three years earlier, after receiving a personal demonstration of the telephone, Rutherford B. Hayes (the 19th President of the United States) remarked, "It's a great invention, but who would want to use it?" He went on to be the first President to have a phone at his disposal in the White House.
William Thomson, ist Baron Kelvin, who was a mathematical physicist and engineer is best known for determining the value of absolute zero (-273.15 Celsius). In 1895, he said, “Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” I guess he didn't see the turbine jet engine coming.
A few years later, a lawyer for Henry Ford visited the Michigan Savings Bank regarding investing in the Ford Motor Company. The President of the bank told him, "The automobile is only a novelty - a fad." I wonder what he would have thought of the Apple iPhone? In 1946 Darryl F. Zanuck said television “won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” Little did he know they would put televisions and telephones into heavier-than-air flying machines and automobiles.
Although Thomas Watson (Chairman of IBM) said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers” back in 1943, it was Ken Olson (President, Chairman & Founder of Digital Equipment Corporation) who said in 1977, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” I guess he didn't see the Internet coming (or Grand Theft Auto).
All I can say is, pay no attention to anyone dismissing innovation or radical new ideas. Who knows? Maybe someday there will be robots who can play golf better than humans . . .
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