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RE: Anticipating the future
I'm not sure if Moore's Law is still current. (Moore's law: every 18
months, processing power doubles while cost holds constant.) Computer's are
what you make of them. They're tools. I would counter Judy's pessimism
about the decline of the "quality" of the computer by mentioning my own
experience: Two years ago, I used a store-bought computer and I had never
made a gum print. But then, I picked up a copy of the Post-Factory Journal
and started making gums. The need for more processing power in order to
make digital negatives drove me to learn how to build my own computer. Not
a bad investment in time, as computers will continue to advance rapidly in
what they are able to accomplish. Certainly I will continue to upgrade the
damn thing as long as the payoff is there. As I write this, I'm copying a
CD, listening to NetRadio.com, testing some of Dan Burkholder's curves on 30
MB images (thanks, Dan, so far so good), and carrying on a conversation in
IRC, ALL on the same machine.
So, for those not satisfied with the notion of "junkier" computers, apply
that same spirit that caused you to take up Alternative Photography: thumb
your nose at the industry and do it yourself.
Presently, it takes minutes to apply that Photoshop curve to an image. I'm
waiting for the day it will take seconds.
How's that, Judy? Because of your Journal, not only am I a competent gum
printer, I've also become an expert it the art of CPU overclocking!
-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Seigel [mailto:jseigel@panix.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 1:14 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Re: Anticipating the future
On Tue, 7 Mar 2000 FDanB@aol.com wrote:
> But all this digital stuff is in its infancy. Eventually (the sooner the
> better) the computers and software will become "mature products" like
> refrigerators (you don't get a new one of those every year because the
> door shelves are a tad deeper on the new model). Until then, your options
> are to bear with it or ignore all the excitement and possibilities.
Dan, don't count on it. Consider the possibility that THIS is the golden
age of computer equipment -- at least if you make the analogy to
refrigerators. I bought the first refrigerator with modern square shape,
flat top, designed by Raymond Lowy, 1957. It was a marvel... full
suspension metal shelves, full suspension pull out baskets in bottom
freezer, roomy on the inside, compact on the outside, etc. etc. etc. And
it was charcoal gray with chrome trim. Gorgeous.
We nursed and patched it as long as we could, until after nearly 40 years,
circa 1995, the door latch went & could NOT be replaced. I taped it shut
all summer while I went into mourning, but we did finally have to buy a
new one. Modern refrigerator-freezer combos were now a *mature*
appliance, ie, routine, not highly profitable, and the manufacturers had
lost interest.
We bought the best we could find of a bad lot -- cost less than twice what
the earlier one had cost, which, given the time lapse, made it much
cheaper, but it is the refrigerator from hell, so ugly I had to spend $500
for a "kit" to cover it up (it cost $900), and so clunky to use I curse it
every time I open the badly designed door, onto the non-slide out shelves,
and the stupid badly configured drawers and the freezer with one basket
that slides out 4 inches, then if you keep pulling lands on your toe. It's
also bigger on the outside smaller on the inside, sticks way into the
kitchen. But at least I didn't have to rip out the kitchen cabinets around
it as I would for the other models.
Which is to say, "mature" computers will, I promise, be junkier than now,
the softwear sloppier, the "manuals" dumber, and tech support will be 12
year-olds who know less than you do (well that's now, but even worse).
Also, they will be so full of useless features, ie., sales gimmicks, they
will be actually harder to use.
> Best advice: buy smart, learn new stuff only if it's really important,
> use a Mac. Ha!
Well, my advice is learn gum printing -- that's REALLY a mature process
and will love you back. For *negatives*? Guess we'll have to muddle
through with digital, but maybe lay in a supply of lith film. It keeps
WONDERFULLY, maybe 20 years or more -- because it tends to lose contrast
with age & since the whole deal making lith for contone is to tame the
contrast, out of date tends to be better, easier to use.
Judy
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| Judy Seigel, Editor >
| World Journal of Post-Factory Photography > "HOW-TO and WHY"
| info@post-factory.org >
| <http://rmp.opusis.com/postfactory/postfactory.html>
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