Ever since PONG, I considered myself a gamer at heart. From being an early fan of Nolan Bushnell's Atari (who produced PONG) and the actual game designer Allan Alcom, to the arcades of the '80s, my life was forever altered to subscribe to the digital vector of electronic entertainment. It used to take real committment to search out games you wanted to play. They were few and far between back then. Some arcades required membership. Others were very crowded and you had to wait your turn. Then when you finally dropped in your quarter you could relax and play for a while if you were good. Not everyone will remember there was a war going on back then between "vector display" and "raster display" (one of the main differences between games like Asteroids and Defender and bitmap sprite games like Galaxian and Donkey Kong).
Back then, the business and marketing people said there was no future in home game systems. Maybe those are the guys who brought our world economy to its knees. What a bunch of knuckleheads. They obviously had no clue. Mind you, the early systems like Commodore, Intellivision as well as early Nintendo and Sega were not good indicators of what was coming. Today, games have surpassed music and movie sales for home entertainment. They are the number one home entertainment medium.
In the late '80s and early '909s the computer totally shifted electronic entertainment away from arcades and consoles with great CD-ROM titles like Journeyman Project, Seventh Guest and MYST, but once we got into the mid '90s, the consoles came back with a vengeance. It has remained there ever since. This year's PS4 and Xbox One are actually considered 8th Generation consoles. One of the great TV shows to keep you informed of what is going on is called Reviews on the Run on G4. I still watch them faithfully even though I don't keep up and buy all the latest games anymore.
Perhaps that also has to do with the kind of games I like to play. I'm not into the violent war and crime stuff. I've always been more of a fan of quiet, thinking puzzle games. That's what the Jewels games were. The latest out this year is Quell Memento from Fallen Tree Games. with over 150 brilliant puzzles, you can take your time and re-play or retry as often as you like until you get it perfect. The game is easy to find and is available for mobile devices as an app and even on the Sony VITA.
Monday, 23 December 2013
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Character Augmentation
TV shows and movie series (like Star Trek) add characters and locations as stories and plots evolve. In some rare cases they also take characters away (they killed Brian on Family Guy). I was so sorry to hear it, because Brian was my favourite character on the show. Whatever the reason(s), I have to presume they were good ones, but the whole notion of augmentation is a really complicated and dangerous one. That's because there are so many pitfalls and ways to diminish a show's audience.
Not only can you get into dangerous territory by bringing in unanticipated celebrity actors to play supporting roles, you can also derail historical consistency. I still can't forgive Paramount for inventing the concept of a queen for the Borg (Star Trek: First Contact, 1996). How can a cybernetic collective of drones have a leader? They had been brilliant for years without one. It makes no sense to me, but I can see why they did it. They fell into the romantic trap of companionship to which all anthropomorphised, non-sentient characters are vulnerable. Look at Wall-E and EVE. What chances do those two little robots have for a longlasting relationship? Animated characters like Fred and Wilma Flintstone would have a better chance. Superhero comic book characters like Benjamin Grimm (AKA The Thing - Fantastic Four) need a love interest too. Although he was a victim of cosmic ray bombardment and turned into a grotesque superstrong lumpy, rocky freak, he still remains faithful to his blind girlfriend (Alicia Masters) - girlfriend? How romantic can that be?
On a more traditional dramatic stage, Captain Kirk has a relationship with a molecular biologist (Dr. Carol Marcus) with whom he has a son, as revealed in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982). We get to meet with her again with an all new cast in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). At least Carol is human and not an alien like Mr. Spock (although he IS half human). Would Superman and Lois Lane have generated a brilliant hybrid offspring with a compromised mental faculty? What if a Metron got romantically involved with a Gorn? I dread to think what sort of childhood that poor kid would have. The marriage would probably break up and their offspring would get adopted by two gay male wookies and turn out to be an intergalactic tribble dealer with a taste for Romulan Ale and green Orion dancing slave girls.
Come to think of it, in terms of Vulcans, would they have been OK with Spock's father marrying an Earth woman? Which one is the alien? Ambassador Sarek or Amanda Grayson? How could their relationship possibly be condoned on planet Vulcan? What about the seven year blood fever of Pon Farr (as depicted in the original series episode Amok Time). How do we rationalize that concept for Sarek and Amanda or was he having more Pon Farr than the other Vulcans? Can you imagine if he cheated on Spock's mother and hooked up with one of those girls from Orion? Then Mr. Spock would have a green half sister with pointed ears. If I was an executive at Paramount I would give her a spinoff series of her own.
Not only can you get into dangerous territory by bringing in unanticipated celebrity actors to play supporting roles, you can also derail historical consistency. I still can't forgive Paramount for inventing the concept of a queen for the Borg (Star Trek: First Contact, 1996). How can a cybernetic collective of drones have a leader? They had been brilliant for years without one. It makes no sense to me, but I can see why they did it. They fell into the romantic trap of companionship to which all anthropomorphised, non-sentient characters are vulnerable. Look at Wall-E and EVE. What chances do those two little robots have for a longlasting relationship? Animated characters like Fred and Wilma Flintstone would have a better chance. Superhero comic book characters like Benjamin Grimm (AKA The Thing - Fantastic Four) need a love interest too. Although he was a victim of cosmic ray bombardment and turned into a grotesque superstrong lumpy, rocky freak, he still remains faithful to his blind girlfriend (Alicia Masters) - girlfriend? How romantic can that be?
On a more traditional dramatic stage, Captain Kirk has a relationship with a molecular biologist (Dr. Carol Marcus) with whom he has a son, as revealed in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982). We get to meet with her again with an all new cast in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). At least Carol is human and not an alien like Mr. Spock (although he IS half human). Would Superman and Lois Lane have generated a brilliant hybrid offspring with a compromised mental faculty? What if a Metron got romantically involved with a Gorn? I dread to think what sort of childhood that poor kid would have. The marriage would probably break up and their offspring would get adopted by two gay male wookies and turn out to be an intergalactic tribble dealer with a taste for Romulan Ale and green Orion dancing slave girls.
Come to think of it, in terms of Vulcans, would they have been OK with Spock's father marrying an Earth woman? Which one is the alien? Ambassador Sarek or Amanda Grayson? How could their relationship possibly be condoned on planet Vulcan? What about the seven year blood fever of Pon Farr (as depicted in the original series episode Amok Time). How do we rationalize that concept for Sarek and Amanda or was he having more Pon Farr than the other Vulcans? Can you imagine if he cheated on Spock's mother and hooked up with one of those girls from Orion? Then Mr. Spock would have a green half sister with pointed ears. If I was an executive at Paramount I would give her a spinoff series of her own.
Friday, 22 November 2013
Starship Lunches
Lunch is no longer just a necessary meal. Sure, we all have nutritional requirements, but lunch isn't really about food. Not at all. It is far more significant than corporeal endurance. It's the only regularly scheduled meeting to which most of us truly look forward with delight. From the early days at school when you needed a security guard to protect your french fries (you may still), to college or university when you could take a break from studying, lunch was often an opportunity to relax and spend a little quality time with friends. You could discuss important topics or news or complain about situations or annoying people or you could just get silly and make people squirt milk out of their noses.
These days, just about everyone from the mailroom to the boardroom gets together with a friend or two for a bowl of soup or a gourmet sandwich or a burger or a salad at noon. There are, however, those who "brown bag it" and eat a meal at their desk and maybe catch a few games of solitaire. It might be a simple sandwich or a stinky frozen entree, but they eat it alone and miss the social aspect of the occasion. Others run out to fast food, takeout shops and grab a bite and eat it in their car (hopefully not when they are driving). Some people arrange to meet friends from other companies so they can meet up at a restaurant - but they may not be able to do that every day. There are those who watch the clock, because they only get 30 minutes and then there are those who get an hour. Some are punctual - some not so much.
Regardless of typological category, it is interesting how we are establishing a predisposition for people with similar tastes to gather in groups or cliques. For example, they may all be techy, talky, bubbly, chatty or friendly or they might be creative or brilliant or maybe just mad and introverted, but members of lunch groups tend to be individuals who share common values or opinions. Maybe they dislike monkeys or canaries or like Sci Fi movies and cartoons, but that gives them a springboard to launch into mutual tolerances or metaphysical evaluations. My core group all drive standard transmission automobiles, but we don't all enjoy the same food. The best place for us to go is the food court at the mall, because each person can get an individual serving of their favourite dish. It's almost like having one of those food synthesizers onboard Constitution-Class Starships (Star Trek), except the molecules are not replicated and the proteins are not resequenced.
Once all the diverse nourishing substances and fluids are procured, the discourse can begin, that is, unless we run out of time. The lineups at the food court can be so long we may have spent all our time just trying to get our orders in. Then we're eating in our cars or taking it back to eat at our desks. Maybe we should have made a simple sandwich or brought a stinky frozen entree. I guess we'll just have to be patient and wait for Starships for a proper lunch.
These days, just about everyone from the mailroom to the boardroom gets together with a friend or two for a bowl of soup or a gourmet sandwich or a burger or a salad at noon. There are, however, those who "brown bag it" and eat a meal at their desk and maybe catch a few games of solitaire. It might be a simple sandwich or a stinky frozen entree, but they eat it alone and miss the social aspect of the occasion. Others run out to fast food, takeout shops and grab a bite and eat it in their car (hopefully not when they are driving). Some people arrange to meet friends from other companies so they can meet up at a restaurant - but they may not be able to do that every day. There are those who watch the clock, because they only get 30 minutes and then there are those who get an hour. Some are punctual - some not so much.
Regardless of typological category, it is interesting how we are establishing a predisposition for people with similar tastes to gather in groups or cliques. For example, they may all be techy, talky, bubbly, chatty or friendly or they might be creative or brilliant or maybe just mad and introverted, but members of lunch groups tend to be individuals who share common values or opinions. Maybe they dislike monkeys or canaries or like Sci Fi movies and cartoons, but that gives them a springboard to launch into mutual tolerances or metaphysical evaluations. My core group all drive standard transmission automobiles, but we don't all enjoy the same food. The best place for us to go is the food court at the mall, because each person can get an individual serving of their favourite dish. It's almost like having one of those food synthesizers onboard Constitution-Class Starships (Star Trek), except the molecules are not replicated and the proteins are not resequenced.
Once all the diverse nourishing substances and fluids are procured, the discourse can begin, that is, unless we run out of time. The lineups at the food court can be so long we may have spent all our time just trying to get our orders in. Then we're eating in our cars or taking it back to eat at our desks. Maybe we should have made a simple sandwich or brought a stinky frozen entree. I guess we'll just have to be patient and wait for Starships for a proper lunch.
Commodity of Power
One of the most significant turning points in the democratization of knowledge has to be the Initial Public Offering of Netscape. The date of August 9, 1995 established the "Netscape Moment" where an unprofitable company jumped to a market value of almost $3 billion in a single day. As the first proprietary web browser, Netscape Navigator didn't just drop out of the sky. Former computer scientist, Jim Clark, founder of several behemoth Silicon Valley technology companies (including Silicon Graphics Computers) recruited a development team for online programming and production. If they hadn't created a browser, they were going to start an online gaming environment. It probably would have been great too (for a while).
Filing for bankruptcy protection several years ago, SGI is now all but forgotten today and so is Netscape, but the technological advancement of those days had the effect of an atomic bomb going off in terms of world communication and information. I don't think we can say the same for Facebook or Twitter or any social networking platform that might go public in the near future.
For those of us who lived through the "dot gone" bubble, even that inflated bogus balloon at least still contained some breath. There was always value there and it's had a dozen years to recover a lot of it. In the world of advertising, however, we keep seeing businesses large and small dropping traditional formulae for print and media buying in favour of free social networking marketing and awareness. Isn't that kind of like being nominated for The Darwin Awards (almost)?
Knowledge and information is a commodity of power. With the tools and weapons currently available, such power can now be controlled by anyone, regardless of cognitive capacity or level of potential. Imagine Galactus with a sparkler versus a nuclear capable Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz). How do you measure the outcome? Personally, I'm on the side of Galactus. I don't care what he's using. Dorothy is a sweetheart, but I wouldn't put her in charge of my company's future.
Filing for bankruptcy protection several years ago, SGI is now all but forgotten today and so is Netscape, but the technological advancement of those days had the effect of an atomic bomb going off in terms of world communication and information. I don't think we can say the same for Facebook or Twitter or any social networking platform that might go public in the near future.
For those of us who lived through the "dot gone" bubble, even that inflated bogus balloon at least still contained some breath. There was always value there and it's had a dozen years to recover a lot of it. In the world of advertising, however, we keep seeing businesses large and small dropping traditional formulae for print and media buying in favour of free social networking marketing and awareness. Isn't that kind of like being nominated for The Darwin Awards (almost)?
Knowledge and information is a commodity of power. With the tools and weapons currently available, such power can now be controlled by anyone, regardless of cognitive capacity or level of potential. Imagine Galactus with a sparkler versus a nuclear capable Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz). How do you measure the outcome? Personally, I'm on the side of Galactus. I don't care what he's using. Dorothy is a sweetheart, but I wouldn't put her in charge of my company's future.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Adenosine Receptors and Xanthine Alkaloids
The average morning anxiety is often precipitated by an habitual visit to the coffee shop where the lineup is anywhere from 10 to 12 deep unless you’re running late. Then the lineup is out the door. If those conditions occur, you are forced to implement a formula for calculating the level of necessity divided by the validity of an alternative source multiplied by additional time:
N = l over v times T
The result is invariably the same: N = L (late).
If only customers ahead of you were just procuring a plain old cup of joe, paying for it with some loose change and jumping back in the car to get to work by nine, but oh no. Instead, each one of those very kind, generous and thoughtful people is performing the huge favour of getting a box of custom-selected donuts for co-workers plus an array of coffees with infinite variables including cream, milk, sugar or sweetener in mulltiple combinations and degrees and checking it twice, plus a steeped tea and an iced cap for the new kid in the mail room and a frozen hot chocolate for the receptionist. Payment is made with plastic identification requiring transatlantic handshaking with an anonymous, numbered bank account in Switzerland.
The alternative, of course, is to join the office coffee club. One of the advantages is you get to sleep in for an extra hour every day. One of the disadvantages is the tendency for the club to run out of supplies. The coffee shop almost never runs out of anything and no one ever leaves the empty pot on the heating element all night. The coffee shop also has an unlimited supply of clean cups.
If it's such a hassle, why drink coffee at all? One reason is coffee contains caffeine, which is a legal psychoactive stimulant affecting the central nervous system. Other psychoactive substances include cocaine, mescaline, psilocybin, meth, cannabis, hash and LSD. These are usually not available at your local coffee shop. For the most part, they are “regulated” and considered illegal here in North America (except for coffee).
Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid and is an inhibitor of adenosine receptors in the brain which suppress neural activity and blood flow. In other words, without coffee your brain slows down. Not only that, once your central nervous system gets used to the presence of this psychoactive stimulant, your system increases the number of adenosine receptors to counteract the drug. This reduces the effect of caffeine so you become more tolerant, but also, if you don’t get coffee, you will experience withdrawal symptoms including irritability and headaches. So you can see why many off-the-shelf pain relievers incorporate caffeine.
Coincidentally, all coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator, but the biggest consumers live in northern countries such as Finland, Denmark and The Netherlands who consume almost three times the amount of Canada and the USA (per capita). Latest market statistics indicate a healthy business worldwide, notwithstanding individual companies with billions of dollars in sales annually.
If you don’t want to interrupt your drive to work and you don’t want to join the office coffee club, but you still have to have your java, you could always do what past generations have done in the past...get a thermos.
N = l over v times T
The result is invariably the same: N = L (late).
If only customers ahead of you were just procuring a plain old cup of joe, paying for it with some loose change and jumping back in the car to get to work by nine, but oh no. Instead, each one of those very kind, generous and thoughtful people is performing the huge favour of getting a box of custom-selected donuts for co-workers plus an array of coffees with infinite variables including cream, milk, sugar or sweetener in mulltiple combinations and degrees and checking it twice, plus a steeped tea and an iced cap for the new kid in the mail room and a frozen hot chocolate for the receptionist. Payment is made with plastic identification requiring transatlantic handshaking with an anonymous, numbered bank account in Switzerland.
The alternative, of course, is to join the office coffee club. One of the advantages is you get to sleep in for an extra hour every day. One of the disadvantages is the tendency for the club to run out of supplies. The coffee shop almost never runs out of anything and no one ever leaves the empty pot on the heating element all night. The coffee shop also has an unlimited supply of clean cups.
If it's such a hassle, why drink coffee at all? One reason is coffee contains caffeine, which is a legal psychoactive stimulant affecting the central nervous system. Other psychoactive substances include cocaine, mescaline, psilocybin, meth, cannabis, hash and LSD. These are usually not available at your local coffee shop. For the most part, they are “regulated” and considered illegal here in North America (except for coffee).
Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid and is an inhibitor of adenosine receptors in the brain which suppress neural activity and blood flow. In other words, without coffee your brain slows down. Not only that, once your central nervous system gets used to the presence of this psychoactive stimulant, your system increases the number of adenosine receptors to counteract the drug. This reduces the effect of caffeine so you become more tolerant, but also, if you don’t get coffee, you will experience withdrawal symptoms including irritability and headaches. So you can see why many off-the-shelf pain relievers incorporate caffeine.
Coincidentally, all coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator, but the biggest consumers live in northern countries such as Finland, Denmark and The Netherlands who consume almost three times the amount of Canada and the USA (per capita). Latest market statistics indicate a healthy business worldwide, notwithstanding individual companies with billions of dollars in sales annually.
If you don’t want to interrupt your drive to work and you don’t want to join the office coffee club, but you still have to have your java, you could always do what past generations have done in the past...get a thermos.
Friday, 8 November 2013
The Business of Possession
It wasn't that long ago that no one actually owned their own copy of a movie. Back in the 1980s, I managed to get the name of someone who worked at a film distributor in the hopes of obtaining a personal copy of a 16mm version of an Alain Resnais film (Providence from 1977). At the time, there was no other way to own it.
Although VHS video came out in the 1970s (and many people still own a player today), they stopped releasing pre-recorded tapes years ago. In the early days VHS was considered a luxury. Mind you, the Ampex VRX-1000 from a few decades earlier cost $50,000 and could only record 16 minutes at a time (per tape). You needed a forklift if you wanted to take that hardware to a party.
When affordable home video technology finally arrived, movie studios went to Congress to fight it, because they considered recording a violation of copyright. Jack Valenti (head of the Motion Picture Association of America at that time) compared the video recorder to the "Boston Strangler" for the “savagery and ravages of this machine” on the film industry.
When superior, digital versions of movies (DVDs) appeared in the ‘90s, studios still resisted releasing content from their vaults for fear of piracy. While stealing has always been a crime (even prior to the invention of money), it is just part of the human landscape - like dishonesty. There is no limit on the creativity individuals will go to in order to gain objects of value without paying. It's practically a film genre.
Ownership of intellectual property is at the centre of patent law and copyright. We need ways to protect the creators of popular entertainment. Restricting or limiting viewing is an archaic concept today. A single viewing of any great performance or achievement is a crime in itself. but it is impossible to present a work to everyone simultaneously, although television has made fairly successful attempts at it. Greatness needs to be shared to be appreciated.
Hundreds of years later, we are still listening to Mozart Chopin and Stravinsky. We go to galleries and libraries to view the work of great painters. We still buy editions of books from centuries past (paper or e-version). It's because we have a hunger to possess and devour the work of our favourite innovative and creative individuals and enoy it over and over. The ultimate is to own an original piece of work or an object once owned by your favourite creative person.
One of the worst examples is what tourists have done in The Valley of the Kings. The Egyptian government is currently trying to protect its ancient tombs from people who want to chip off pieces to take home. Then there are the collectors who buy million dollar comic books or movie props or rare items at auction. This ancient appetite for possession is part of the movie business just like any other and should be recognized as that. Since the rampant and pervasive arrival of DVDs and Blu-rays, the home movie library business has exploded. We can now own almost any movie we want (although I still can’t get that Resnais film).
The point is, the studios need to recognize the potential earnings possible by making the latest films available for sale as soon as possible. They could sell disc copies right in the movie theatre where the films are playing. They should understand we decide whether we want to own a movie as soon as we see it. By making us wait several months, they take the risk of our enthusiasm declining. Besides, a lot of the people who buy disc copies of movies don't even go to the big screen theatres. Then there's the audience who don't buy copies and just do the VOD (video on demand) version. As long as they pay, any method of viewing is OK.
It's like ice cream, alcohol and car repair. If you don't pay, you can't have it, but if you do, you can have as much of it as you want.
Although VHS video came out in the 1970s (and many people still own a player today), they stopped releasing pre-recorded tapes years ago. In the early days VHS was considered a luxury. Mind you, the Ampex VRX-1000 from a few decades earlier cost $50,000 and could only record 16 minutes at a time (per tape). You needed a forklift if you wanted to take that hardware to a party.
When affordable home video technology finally arrived, movie studios went to Congress to fight it, because they considered recording a violation of copyright. Jack Valenti (head of the Motion Picture Association of America at that time) compared the video recorder to the "Boston Strangler" for the “savagery and ravages of this machine” on the film industry.
When superior, digital versions of movies (DVDs) appeared in the ‘90s, studios still resisted releasing content from their vaults for fear of piracy. While stealing has always been a crime (even prior to the invention of money), it is just part of the human landscape - like dishonesty. There is no limit on the creativity individuals will go to in order to gain objects of value without paying. It's practically a film genre.
Ownership of intellectual property is at the centre of patent law and copyright. We need ways to protect the creators of popular entertainment. Restricting or limiting viewing is an archaic concept today. A single viewing of any great performance or achievement is a crime in itself. but it is impossible to present a work to everyone simultaneously, although television has made fairly successful attempts at it. Greatness needs to be shared to be appreciated.
Hundreds of years later, we are still listening to Mozart Chopin and Stravinsky. We go to galleries and libraries to view the work of great painters. We still buy editions of books from centuries past (paper or e-version). It's because we have a hunger to possess and devour the work of our favourite innovative and creative individuals and enoy it over and over. The ultimate is to own an original piece of work or an object once owned by your favourite creative person.
One of the worst examples is what tourists have done in The Valley of the Kings. The Egyptian government is currently trying to protect its ancient tombs from people who want to chip off pieces to take home. Then there are the collectors who buy million dollar comic books or movie props or rare items at auction. This ancient appetite for possession is part of the movie business just like any other and should be recognized as that. Since the rampant and pervasive arrival of DVDs and Blu-rays, the home movie library business has exploded. We can now own almost any movie we want (although I still can’t get that Resnais film).
The point is, the studios need to recognize the potential earnings possible by making the latest films available for sale as soon as possible. They could sell disc copies right in the movie theatre where the films are playing. They should understand we decide whether we want to own a movie as soon as we see it. By making us wait several months, they take the risk of our enthusiasm declining. Besides, a lot of the people who buy disc copies of movies don't even go to the big screen theatres. Then there's the audience who don't buy copies and just do the VOD (video on demand) version. As long as they pay, any method of viewing is OK.
It's like ice cream, alcohol and car repair. If you don't pay, you can't have it, but if you do, you can have as much of it as you want.
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Supernatural Tricks
The
harvest season is here and it’s time to put on a scary face to
keep away evil spirits. As part of a primitive superstitious tradition,
Hallow’s Eve is a treasure trove of stories from the “dark side” of our
imagination. Masks, skeletons, witches, jack-o’-lanterns and ghosts
have given children nightmares for countless centuries, but it is our
ignorance of the afterlife that creates such a grim cornucopia of
horror. At least, that's what it used to be.
Although considered a topic within the domain of organized religion, Hallow’s Eve has become more of a secular, holiday time for crazy parties and decorating. In the past, people put on rags and smeared ash on their faces to disguise themselves - in order to hide from supernatural creatures. It was believed there was only one night of the year when the spirits of the dead were allowed to cross over into our world and spend time with the living. The only way to escape these spirits was to trick them into thinking you were not one of the living.That was the theory.
There's a common folk tale, of which there are many versions, about a greedy man named Jack who tricks the devil into letting him live even though it's supposed to be “his time” to depart this world. When Jack’s trick goes wrong, however, he is trapped between Heaven and Hell - doomed to wander the Earth for eternity looking for a place to rest.
We also used to celebrate classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman, but today the Zombie rules when it comes to the most disturbing side of horror. Most major cities now have zombie walks or parades where huge crowds of people dress up and stagger along toward a cemetery or pub. Of course, the object of their desire is no longer the soul of victims, but their brains.
In the cinema, Zombie films have descended from a long tradition of horror that deals with our fear of “the undiscover’d country, from whose bourn no traveller returns.” Perhaps the most creative latest example has to be R.I.P.D. (Blu-ray just released yesterday) with Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The film was a financial disaster. Its total domestic box office was only $33 million with $42 million (foreign) for a total Worldwide of $76 million. The production budget was almost twice that. Personally, I loved the film. The frozen time scene at the beginning was astonishing! Jeff and Ryan were great. The story is a bit of a buddy movie with afterlife cops looking for dead people who didn't want to leave the world of the living. I thought it was great.
It still doesn't explain, however, how "dressing up" has evolved to the point where horror is no longer part of the event. No. Now it can be any concept at all including inanimate objects like pianos, kitchen appliances or slot machines. Then there are the normally shy and bashful women who put on fantasy adult costumes portaying sexy pirates, hot cops or scantily clad cute rodents. Such portrayals may not trick the dead, but it's bound to make them wonder.
Although considered a topic within the domain of organized religion, Hallow’s Eve has become more of a secular, holiday time for crazy parties and decorating. In the past, people put on rags and smeared ash on their faces to disguise themselves - in order to hide from supernatural creatures. It was believed there was only one night of the year when the spirits of the dead were allowed to cross over into our world and spend time with the living. The only way to escape these spirits was to trick them into thinking you were not one of the living.That was the theory.
There's a common folk tale, of which there are many versions, about a greedy man named Jack who tricks the devil into letting him live even though it's supposed to be “his time” to depart this world. When Jack’s trick goes wrong, however, he is trapped between Heaven and Hell - doomed to wander the Earth for eternity looking for a place to rest.
We also used to celebrate classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman, but today the Zombie rules when it comes to the most disturbing side of horror. Most major cities now have zombie walks or parades where huge crowds of people dress up and stagger along toward a cemetery or pub. Of course, the object of their desire is no longer the soul of victims, but their brains.
In the cinema, Zombie films have descended from a long tradition of horror that deals with our fear of “the undiscover’d country, from whose bourn no traveller returns.” Perhaps the most creative latest example has to be R.I.P.D. (Blu-ray just released yesterday) with Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The film was a financial disaster. Its total domestic box office was only $33 million with $42 million (foreign) for a total Worldwide of $76 million. The production budget was almost twice that. Personally, I loved the film. The frozen time scene at the beginning was astonishing! Jeff and Ryan were great. The story is a bit of a buddy movie with afterlife cops looking for dead people who didn't want to leave the world of the living. I thought it was great.
It still doesn't explain, however, how "dressing up" has evolved to the point where horror is no longer part of the event. No. Now it can be any concept at all including inanimate objects like pianos, kitchen appliances or slot machines. Then there are the normally shy and bashful women who put on fantasy adult costumes portaying sexy pirates, hot cops or scantily clad cute rodents. Such portrayals may not trick the dead, but it's bound to make them wonder.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
The Digital Void
In the 21st Century we're all pretty used to job websites with huge databases full of tempting postings requesting electronic résumés and portfolios online. Some of them look perfect as if someone wrote a description just for you where you are the obvious ideal candidate. The truth is, however, no one ever hears back from anyone anymore. It's like there's this giant black vortex out there that just flushes our personal data into a parallel dimension called The Digital Void.
What happens to all the data you spend hours writing and formatting that represents years of your life? What happens to all that binary code when it gets overwritten on a hard drive or deleted from a database? Is it really gone forever? We've all heard stories about recyclers who pick up a hundred used, expired lease CPUs from a satellite office of a national government or some gigantic corporate kaiju of a company and somebody forgot to erase the drives. Thousands of memos and volumes of secure information is available to anyone who wants to sift through millions of files. Maybe WikiLeaks could put it online. At least it would get some attention from someone (even if it might only be a lonely, single, perverted field officer of a clandestine secret agency).
I've even seen jobs where you have to do tests and competitions where you write and design a project as if it was real. You can take a shot and spend a lot of time on it if you want to. It all depends on how much you want to work without getting paid. Then you upload it and wonder, "What if I started a company and got all the work done by unpaid freelancers who are just trying to get a job this way." You just don't mention it's real work, but that would be unethical. Sometimes you think stuff like that.
I won't even mention the heartache of interviews. Finding out you've been selected for an interview is like hearing a rumour you might be nominated for an academy award. Don't get your hopes up. Chances are when you read the HR minimum requirements they want a Knighthood, a Medal of Honour and a Nobel Peace Prize. The only trouble is, they're only offering 50 cents above minimum wage.
Of course, there is also the opposite situation where the former CEO of Ulti-Mega-Corp is trying to get hired by the local coffee shop, because the family doctor told him or her to find a job with less stress for health reasons. In that case, the applicant gets the same treatment as everybody else - TDV - and that's why we have lotteries, casinos and racetracks.
What happens to all the data you spend hours writing and formatting that represents years of your life? What happens to all that binary code when it gets overwritten on a hard drive or deleted from a database? Is it really gone forever? We've all heard stories about recyclers who pick up a hundred used, expired lease CPUs from a satellite office of a national government or some gigantic corporate kaiju of a company and somebody forgot to erase the drives. Thousands of memos and volumes of secure information is available to anyone who wants to sift through millions of files. Maybe WikiLeaks could put it online. At least it would get some attention from someone (even if it might only be a lonely, single, perverted field officer of a clandestine secret agency).
I've even seen jobs where you have to do tests and competitions where you write and design a project as if it was real. You can take a shot and spend a lot of time on it if you want to. It all depends on how much you want to work without getting paid. Then you upload it and wonder, "What if I started a company and got all the work done by unpaid freelancers who are just trying to get a job this way." You just don't mention it's real work, but that would be unethical. Sometimes you think stuff like that.
I won't even mention the heartache of interviews. Finding out you've been selected for an interview is like hearing a rumour you might be nominated for an academy award. Don't get your hopes up. Chances are when you read the HR minimum requirements they want a Knighthood, a Medal of Honour and a Nobel Peace Prize. The only trouble is, they're only offering 50 cents above minimum wage.
Of course, there is also the opposite situation where the former CEO of Ulti-Mega-Corp is trying to get hired by the local coffee shop, because the family doctor told him or her to find a job with less stress for health reasons. In that case, the applicant gets the same treatment as everybody else - TDV - and that's why we have lotteries, casinos and racetracks.
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Coordinate Systems
A common set of coordinates here on Earth is longitude, latitude and elevation. The Prime Meridian and The Equator
establish cartesian zero values. The conformally projected grid imposed
on the surface of Earth can then be divided into bands of 6 degress
(longitude) to project a series of 60 ellipsoids (pointed at each ends)
which is the Universal Transverse Mercator.
Measuring the distance from the Earth's centre is how we establish the
geodetic height of any topographical location above the surface
(although there is some ambiguity regarding the precise value of centre
from country to country).
There is also the Galactic Coordinate System which is a celestial system in spherical coordinates using the Sun as the centre and the galactic plane or galactic equator to measure positive and negative values relative to it. The fundamental plane was defined by the International Astronomical Union in 1958. Of course, we also have to allow for anisotropy in cosmic microwave radiation to account for the alignment of galaxies rotating on their axes as well as polarisation angles, but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
In the Star Trek universe they don't use any of those coordinate systems. They use the Grid, Quadrant, Block and Sector system to define the locations of planets. So for example 43.89.26.05 represents the coordinates of Qo'noS (or Kronos - homeworld of the Klingons). I think it used to be 09.68.27.70, but that was before the "alternate reality" where they have portable transwarp beam devices to perform long-range transportation across multiple lightyears. Really?
Try looking up 23.17.46.11 which is supposed to be the coordinates for Jupiter (according to Khan - played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie Star Trek Into Darkness). He speaks the numeric address beautifully, but if you look those values up as an IP address, it is actually registered and hosted by Telus Communications and refers to their geographic location in Canada, British Columbia, Burnaby and you can even reverse lookup the postal code and phone number . . . Latitude 49.250000, Longitude -122.949997. Yes, really.
I've got to disable the pause button on my Blu-ray player.
There is also the Galactic Coordinate System which is a celestial system in spherical coordinates using the Sun as the centre and the galactic plane or galactic equator to measure positive and negative values relative to it. The fundamental plane was defined by the International Astronomical Union in 1958. Of course, we also have to allow for anisotropy in cosmic microwave radiation to account for the alignment of galaxies rotating on their axes as well as polarisation angles, but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
In the Star Trek universe they don't use any of those coordinate systems. They use the Grid, Quadrant, Block and Sector system to define the locations of planets. So for example 43.89.26.05 represents the coordinates of Qo'noS (or Kronos - homeworld of the Klingons). I think it used to be 09.68.27.70, but that was before the "alternate reality" where they have portable transwarp beam devices to perform long-range transportation across multiple lightyears. Really?
Try looking up 23.17.46.11 which is supposed to be the coordinates for Jupiter (according to Khan - played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie Star Trek Into Darkness). He speaks the numeric address beautifully, but if you look those values up as an IP address, it is actually registered and hosted by Telus Communications and refers to their geographic location in Canada, British Columbia, Burnaby and you can even reverse lookup the postal code and phone number . . . Latitude 49.250000, Longitude -122.949997. Yes, really.
I've got to disable the pause button on my Blu-ray player.
Monday, 7 October 2013
To Infinitively Split
The
good old split infinitive is at a point of endemic insertion. Many
writers are not even aware anymore when they include one. The most
famous example can be heard in both series of Star Trek and STNG
where the phrase "to boldly go" is heard in the Captain's opening
speech. Of course, that first line of the speech isn't even a sentence,
so I don't know why I'm even going into this. "Space: The final
frontier" does not have a verb. So I guess it might be considered an
interjection. By way of illumination, I could introduce the view of my
washing machine by putting on some ambient music and talking into a
microphone and saying, "Water: The laundry habitat. These are the
adventures of my vest and pants."
After declaring it's going to be either a five year or continuing mission, the next three lines all begin with infinitives, "to explore, to seek and to go." Aren't they all kind of the same? Exploring and seeking are pretty similar. I know there is a difference between discovering North America and looking for car keys, but in the Star Trek speech their search refers to "new worlds, new life and new civilizations." Wouldn't they all be found in the same place? You find one and the rest are just foregone conclusions.
The trick is the Captains don't say "to painstakingly explore" or "to vigorously seek." No. The infinitives remain intact there. They are not modified or corrupted. They remain simple, direct and effective, but then again, they aren't really sentences either. They sound like they were written by Yoda. "To explore strange new worlds, we will." is the way he would say it if he was captain of the Enterprise. At least he doesn't split his infinitives.
Kirk and Picard could also have said "to explore enthusiastically or assiduously or diligently." They could have said "to seek eagerly, ardently or energetically," but no, they don't abuse those particular bare infinitives. They save that until the end. My suggestion would be to fix, to modify and to improve the last line by having them say, "To go courageously beyond grammatical boundaries and explore, our quest is."
After declaring it's going to be either a five year or continuing mission, the next three lines all begin with infinitives, "to explore, to seek and to go." Aren't they all kind of the same? Exploring and seeking are pretty similar. I know there is a difference between discovering North America and looking for car keys, but in the Star Trek speech their search refers to "new worlds, new life and new civilizations." Wouldn't they all be found in the same place? You find one and the rest are just foregone conclusions.
The trick is the Captains don't say "to painstakingly explore" or "to vigorously seek." No. The infinitives remain intact there. They are not modified or corrupted. They remain simple, direct and effective, but then again, they aren't really sentences either. They sound like they were written by Yoda. "To explore strange new worlds, we will." is the way he would say it if he was captain of the Enterprise. At least he doesn't split his infinitives.
Kirk and Picard could also have said "to explore enthusiastically or assiduously or diligently." They could have said "to seek eagerly, ardently or energetically," but no, they don't abuse those particular bare infinitives. They save that until the end. My suggestion would be to fix, to modify and to improve the last line by having them say, "To go courageously beyond grammatical boundaries and explore, our quest is."
Friday, 4 October 2013
Black Ops Synth
The hero of my illustrated book The Perfect Round is a highly conjectural robot. I call him a "black ops synth," because he is extremely valuable and requires high levels of secrecy and security, but he can walk and talk like a (synthetic) human. We all anticipate future robots will be able to do that. In terms of abilities, he has extremely delicate sensors - far beyond the organic capacities of mortals.
His name is Kele (pronounced the same as "Kelly") and his name comes from a long tradition of science fiction and physics fiction that includes chemicals to make baseballs repel wood and substances deflect gravity. I consider those to be tall tales. Kele actually has a greater potential for credibility. He is theoretically able to predict the weather accurately (based on infinitely superior measurements and analysis).
His suit is composed of an electronic grid combining titanium thread impregnated with conductive diamond particles in a seamless, flexible carbon fibre surface. Beneath his suit, multiple processors are protected within an interdependent, silicon micro-chassis for tensile strength and durability. The array of microdish antennae around his head allow him to scan in 360 degrees. Combined with the millions of sensors in his suit, Kele is capable of recording an almost infinite number of measurements in air pressure, temperature, velocity, vapour and molecular suspension density.
He is even capable of extrapolating coordinates using geometrical optics and isotropic deviation with coherent pulsed doppler signal processing. His goggles provide data representations to substitute visual capturing technology (like cameras or human eyes). The only trouble is, with all this sensitive technology he is not intended to make contact with the Earth. He must not be contaminated, corrupted or exposed by organic surfaces, living organisms or any other external electronic devices. That's why he has a self-destruct mechanism. Unfortunately, the self-destruct sequence did not work and that's how all the problems started. It also explains why he has to take up the game of golf . . .
His name is Kele (pronounced the same as "Kelly") and his name comes from a long tradition of science fiction and physics fiction that includes chemicals to make baseballs repel wood and substances deflect gravity. I consider those to be tall tales. Kele actually has a greater potential for credibility. He is theoretically able to predict the weather accurately (based on infinitely superior measurements and analysis).
His suit is composed of an electronic grid combining titanium thread impregnated with conductive diamond particles in a seamless, flexible carbon fibre surface. Beneath his suit, multiple processors are protected within an interdependent, silicon micro-chassis for tensile strength and durability. The array of microdish antennae around his head allow him to scan in 360 degrees. Combined with the millions of sensors in his suit, Kele is capable of recording an almost infinite number of measurements in air pressure, temperature, velocity, vapour and molecular suspension density.
He is even capable of extrapolating coordinates using geometrical optics and isotropic deviation with coherent pulsed doppler signal processing. His goggles provide data representations to substitute visual capturing technology (like cameras or human eyes). The only trouble is, with all this sensitive technology he is not intended to make contact with the Earth. He must not be contaminated, corrupted or exposed by organic surfaces, living organisms or any other external electronic devices. That's why he has a self-destruct mechanism. Unfortunately, the self-destruct sequence did not work and that's how all the problems started. It also explains why he has to take up the game of golf . . .
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
The Internet Figured Out
There was an article in Wired recently by Ryan Tate @ryantate that got a huge number of hits, because the headline suggested Ev Williams had figured out the Internet. Ev helped create Twitter and Blogger so the comment made everyone sit up and pay attention. To turn his words into a synopsis, it was all about giving people what they want. It's that simple. Isn't that the same as Ryan's story about Ev? It's exactly what people want to know. For example, how do you invent the next Twitter? How do you get the attention of people? How do you go viral? What on Earth do people want?
This is one of the shaggiest old stories! Go back to the great Tom Hanks 1988 movie BIG. That scene in the boardroom, where he says, "I don't get it" illustrates how the research people are trying to prove that popularity can be defined by statistics. Of course, they are wrong. As an innocent, unsophisticated child, Josh (Tom) is just being honest when he says the building that turns into a robot isn't fun. The adults who run the toy company (where he works) no longer know what fun is. They have to rely on marketing reports.
Most business strategies are based on research out of necessity. What people want seems to be a baffling mystery to them. Look at the movie business. It is one of the most volatile industries where we can see the evidence publicly from week to week. How can you spend $200 million on a project no one wants to see? As a matter of fact, it happens all the time. From Green Lantern to John Carter to R.I.P.D., those films left a lot of people in financial flames. On the other hand, there are little films that only cost $5 to $15 million and earn $200 million. Go figure.
No wonder the NSA is trying to find out what all of us are doing. It's why market research companies keep track of everyone's credit card activity in order to predict what they are going to buy next. I wish they would pay attention to my requirements. I can never find my favourite sandwich when I go the to coffee shop or my favourite fruit smoothie when I go to the grocery store. They are always sold out of those, because they are too popular. Too popular? Doesn't anyone notice when one item is constantly out of stock while all the others hit their expiry date?
Of course, it's all about "delivering what people want." That's a secret? We need the co-creator of Twitter to tell us that? It's so obvious it's almost absurd. Apparently, Ryan Tate's article got more hits than Wired's home page yesterday! The only people to whom it may not be obvious is the US Republican Party.
This is one of the shaggiest old stories! Go back to the great Tom Hanks 1988 movie BIG. That scene in the boardroom, where he says, "I don't get it" illustrates how the research people are trying to prove that popularity can be defined by statistics. Of course, they are wrong. As an innocent, unsophisticated child, Josh (Tom) is just being honest when he says the building that turns into a robot isn't fun. The adults who run the toy company (where he works) no longer know what fun is. They have to rely on marketing reports.
Most business strategies are based on research out of necessity. What people want seems to be a baffling mystery to them. Look at the movie business. It is one of the most volatile industries where we can see the evidence publicly from week to week. How can you spend $200 million on a project no one wants to see? As a matter of fact, it happens all the time. From Green Lantern to John Carter to R.I.P.D., those films left a lot of people in financial flames. On the other hand, there are little films that only cost $5 to $15 million and earn $200 million. Go figure.
No wonder the NSA is trying to find out what all of us are doing. It's why market research companies keep track of everyone's credit card activity in order to predict what they are going to buy next. I wish they would pay attention to my requirements. I can never find my favourite sandwich when I go the to coffee shop or my favourite fruit smoothie when I go to the grocery store. They are always sold out of those, because they are too popular. Too popular? Doesn't anyone notice when one item is constantly out of stock while all the others hit their expiry date?
Of course, it's all about "delivering what people want." That's a secret? We need the co-creator of Twitter to tell us that? It's so obvious it's almost absurd. Apparently, Ryan Tate's article got more hits than Wired's home page yesterday! The only people to whom it may not be obvious is the US Republican Party.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Les Temps Perdu
There are only specific situations or occasions where we might observe history repeating itself. Readers of Oswald Spengler (Decline of the West) will recognize what I am talking about. If we look at democracy as part of the final stage of our culture and the inherent corruption at the heart of it, we can see similarities in other cultures from the past. Instead of comparing our everyday existence to the lives of people from the past, we should compare our values and desires - those, we have in common.For example, who wouldn't want to own a Bugatti Veyron? Currently priced around $4 million, it is a 1200 hp automobile with a top speed of 431 kmh (268 mph). It will go from 0 to 60 in about 2 seconds. By comparison, back in the 1920s, everyone wanted an Isotta-Fraschini - especially the Tipo 8 Castagna Transformable. It was the most powerful and luxurious car of its day. A 1929 coupe de ville limo version is the car featured in Billy Wilder's 1950 film Sunset Boulevard.
That particular automobile originally belonged to Peggy Hopkins Joyce who is considered the first tabloid celebrity. She was a Jazz Age diva who married a bunch of millionaires and claimed to be engaged 50 times. She also had affairs with King Gustav VI of Sweden, Charlie Chaplin, Irving Thalberg and Walter Chrysler (who bought her the Isotta-Fraschini). Apparently, his own Chrysler Imperials weren't good enough. Mr. Chrysler also bought her a 127 carat diamond (known as The Portugese Diamond, which is currently in the Smithonian Institute). Joyce was later forced to sell it out of necessity.
You can still buy an Isotta-Fraschini. They come up for sale sometimes. A few years ago one was offered by the Blackhawk Collection Exhibit held at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was priced at $1,450,000 but I don't think anyone bought it. You can also acquire the recently-released Blu-ray of Sunset Boulevard if you just want to look at one. The film provides a superb example of the decline and separation of the present from the past. For example, as far as Peggy Hopkins Joyce is concerned, although she may have been the most famous woman of her time, she is all but forgotten today.
Monday, 30 September 2013
Undocumented Treasures
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.
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.
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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