Art Nouveau≡

“The goal is to allow purchased video content to play seamlessly on any device or screen that the buyer owns and to allow access to a “virtual library” of purchased content accessible from anywhere on the ‘Net.” — Mitch Singer, CTO of Sony Pictures, via ars.

Wait, what? I thought you told us DRM would allow all this and more. It would keep us safe and enable all manner of online content. The industry is only now just starting to think about online content distribution?

Mark the date in your calendars, this is the date the industry admits it was a) entirely wrong about DRM, and b) is seeing writing on the wall (perhaps truly for the first time) for physical distribution.

·· { Sunday, 14 September } ··

Silent Cruise≡

Silent Cruise, by Fish — from the Manga series Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I happened upon this surprising find — all nine minutes and fifty one seconds of it — during my morning commute.

A haunting yet beautiful blend of vocals, electronica and orchestral movements.

·· { Saturday, 30 August } ··

Sexy Back≡

“We’ve done some pretty cool work on Habari’s administrative interface, and I’d like to take a few minutes to walk you through it.” — Heilemann on the latest iteration of the habari admin design.

Initial thoughts? Elegance through simplicity, simplicity through design. Habari has indeed come a long way — the real challenge will be sustaining that momentum going forward.

Benny Wars≡

Vader: Search your feelings — you know it be true.
Lucas: Nooooooo! That’s impossible!

That this is funny serves as yet another sad — yet timely, given the most recent effort — reminder of just how far the originally renegade director has fallen.

·· { Sunday, 27 July } ··

Dead Already≡

Lucas needs to pass on Star Wars to someone else. Or kill it, permanently. Cameron Hunt puts it best:

“After this movie, it’s ensuing tie-in TV-series, and the upcoming live-action show (which might as well be titled Days Of Our Jedi), the cash cow will be beaten, dead, buried, rotten, yet exhumed on Lucas’ egotistical whim.”

This is the droll, tired and life-sucking crap Star Wars has become. You’ll find more life in your refrigerator.

George, shut it down. Now.

·· { Friday, 27 June } ··

Building Roads≡

The advantage of ignoring market research and massaged studio numbers on ‘everything’ is that you get to build something that you want to build.

“Interesting how influential people like Henry Ford, Steve Jobs and Andrew Stanton all ignore their audience or customers.”

It’s not a new concept and Pixar certainly aren’t the first to shun industry numbers — although I’m sure it helps that they can afford to do so — Kevin Smith has managed to do it more than once on a shoe-string budget.

·· { Thursday, 29 May } ··

Stolen!≡

So much comedy gold packed into such a short story — what happens to Jesus when there is too much poop? Via Kath.