I’ve already lost the ability to see around the edges of my monitor. It fills almost my entire field of vision, and it’s only been a day since I got it and set it up. Scary how quickly assimilation to technology aesthetics happens. My own feelings on the subject are somewhat murky, owing my livelihood to the advances and advantages of technology as I do. I mean, on the one hand, sure, okay. It’s a consumer trap. It’s a neverending cycle of buy this, buy that mentality; upgrades to fuel our desire for the latest and greatest; the loss of touch with the “real” world; etc. I could be Ludditic and appropriate frowns and shaking of my fists as a reaction to the unbridled surge of consumer technological progress, but that would be so 1990.
I’m not even sure Luddites exist anymore; the last of them was actually my dad, I think, and he succumbed to the dread march of digital photography. He now sings the praises of his Canon Powershot A70 and the deluxe colour photo printer (purchased from the interwebs, of course) whilst staring vacantly ahead, a good little Borg-nine. Next he’ll be getting DSL and downloading music from iTunes.
Me, I’m happy losing myself in whatever new toy I happen to have purchased, and believe me, I don’t buy toys often. My Christmas usually comes once every two and a half years, where I take part of the hog and invest in a video card or processor that’s been on the market for six months. By then, prices have dropped, video game selections have stabilized, and I can be happy with something that should work for at least a year before totally falling behind in the performance needs department. Then it’s Christmas again.
I received inheritance money from my paternal grandparents’ estate, and decided, after quite a bit of thought and prayer (though more thought than prayer, admittedly), to buy a new video card. That turned into an additional couple of hard drives, some new high speed memory sticks, a new processor, motherboard, sound card, case, power supply, and DVD burner. Oops. Funny how that happens. And it also happens, this time I pretty much went with the best I could find, or nearly so. I should be totally set for another two years solid, if my luck holds.
I can justify the purchases pretty easily. Video editing is a fine occupational hobby, but it can also get longwinded–more so than usual–without the appropriate hardware. I’m not saying my current rig isn’t up to the task, but it does get rather clunky when doing real-time editing of a ten or twenty minute video. Add to the fact that I keep six or seven windows open at a time, most of which are memory-chewing software like Photoshop and After Effects, and you have a bonafide shipwreck on your hands the second you try to do anything more processor and memory intensive than moving your cursor.
Then there is the gaming aspect, of which I do a small amount. I’ve yet to play a game on a system that’s been totally decked to the nines–none of my hardware could ever accomodate the special needs of video games, and it’s been a sticking point for me–almost a convincer for me–that one day I would build a computer that could handle everything thrown at it and more. This one should do the trick, for which I can say: Cool.
Because that’s what technology is for me. Ten years ago, I never imagined the amazing advances in video rendering capabilities, in wireless applications, in graphics tools, or even in high definition video and audio capabilities. All the gadgets working together, nearly seamlessly on a single operating system…it’s enough to make a fella grin with wonder at the possibilities.
Me, I’m working on my third “major” film work, of which I will be, at the end of the process, quite proud. The technology that affords me the opportunity to work on my dreams, I’ll continue to acquire from time to time, when the need arises. If that means spending a few thousand here and there…well, call it an investment in my future.
Cheers to that.