Interesting Tidbits
tid·bit
/ˈtidˌbit/
noun
- A small, interesting fact or anecdote.
- A morsel or bit of delicate food.
A tidbit is not necessarily important in itself, but can be a source of entertainment or education.
Financial Frenzies Propagate Technological Revolutions
This financial frenzy is a powerful force in propagating the technological revolution, in particular its infrastructure, and enhancing – even exaggerating – the superiority of the new products, industries and generic technologies. The ostentation of success pushes the logic of the new paradigm to the fore and makes it into the contemporary ideal of vitality and dynamism. It also contributes to institutional change, at least concerning the 'destruction' half of creative destruction.
— Carlota Perez
From Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages
This quote highlights how financial bubbles, despite their potential negative consequences, play a crucial role in driving technological progress. They accelerate the adoption of new technologies and reshape societal norms, even if sometimes to an exaggerated degree.
For a more in-depth exploration of this concept, check out these excellent articles:
In 1995 Netscape had to convince people that the Internet was going to be economically important
... At least, we thought everyone wanted online stores. There was a lot of talk in the press about e-commerce then, because Netscape was doing a big PR campaign for their IPO. They had to convince everyone that the Internet would be economically important, and they picked the most literal example they could think of. Actually most merchants didn't want to sell online, not yet.
— Paul Graham
From Founders at Work, pp. 206.
I reached out to Paul Graham and he was kind enough to respond and confirm that the story was true.
Prince of Persia's Revolutionary Animation Through Rotoscoping
In 1989, Jordan Mechner created one of the most fluid and realistic character animations in video game history for the original Prince of Persia. His secret? He filmed his younger brother running, jumping, and performing acrobatic moves in a parking lot, then used a technique called rotoscoping to trace over the footage frame by frame.
This painstaking process resulted in movements that were remarkably lifelike for the era, with the prince's running, jumping, and sword-fighting animations flowing naturally in ways that hand-drawn pixel art simply couldn't match. Each animation cycle took hours to complete, but the result was a character that moved with weight, momentum, and realistic physics.
Rotoscoping, originally developed for traditional animation by the Fleischer Studios in 1915, had rarely been used in video games before this. Mechner's innovative application of this film technique to game development set a new standard for character animation and influenced countless games that followed.
For a more in-depth exploration of this concept, check out these excellent articles: