Friday, October 24, 2008

Beginning of the Consortium and the Cassagnes Rating

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSORTIUM for REALLY AMAZING PERIPHERAL DEVICES
(CRAPD)

So Brian (a gifted and talented gadget guru/BIM expert) and I got to thinking it would be a good idea to take a break from talking about BIM for a moment and delve into how we got where we were and whose shoulders we are now perched upon.

Thus, we are going to begin a satire filled series on Fridays called Technology vs. Man.
This analysis will take an in depth look at how,(in the history of mankind) technology has helped, hindered, hurt, humiliated or in the rare case delivered a moment of hopeful euphoria. As such we have create the CONSORTIUM for REALLY AMAZING PERIPHERAL DEVICES. We hope you understand this consortium is open to the public for commenting and further non-gratis studies.
In this session we will look at the very beginnings of technology...the Etch a Sketch:

Simplicity+Function=Beautiful Device


Say what you will about technology, without the introduction of the Etch a Sketch into the area of "kick-ass" technology, we at the Consortium doubt very seriously we would be where we are today.

Invented in 1950 by André Cassagnes the Etch a Sketch was originally called the Telecran ("tele-screen"). As a dedication to Cassagnes and his life changing invention we will rate all further technologies on a Cassagnes scale. This scale will be rendered out of 512 and will indicate the level of "kick-ass"edness, thus inherent in the device.

Image of "Kick Ass" Cassagnes..





Moving on, Cassagnes' device receives a 511 out of 512. The -1 one rating is because the name "Telecran" should have been used and thus fully and completely "kicking ass". That said 511 is still way beyond any rating thus far...clearly and thus elates us everyday we get to use this wonderful device.


THE INNER CIRCLE


The Etch a Sketch works by having the inside surface of the glass screen coated with aluminum powder which is then scraped off by a movable stylus, leaving a dark line on the light gray screen.
The stylus is controlled by the two large knobs, or "Knobbies" one of which moves it vertically and the other horizontally.

To erase the picture, the artist turns the device upside down and shakes it. Doing this causes the styrene beads to smooth out and re-coat the inside surface of the screen with aluminum powder. The "black" line merely exposes the darkness inside the device.
While many might question the rating we at the "Consortium for Really Appealing Peripheral Devices" or simply CRAPD; we stand firm behind Andre's glorious device. One because we used it as kids and secondly we couldn't think of any other device that perfectly balances form, function and simplicity quite like the EAS.

TOP SECRET


Filling in large "black" areas will allow enough light through to expose parts of the interior. This is of course top secret information and available to only the true students of the EAS (Etch-a-Sketch).


NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGY
Many people fail to realize that the Etch-a-Sketch was father to another device, the Animator.



Visionary Machinery for the Space Age...or Animating Peeling a Banana.


Released in 1986, the Animator reaches a level of "kick assedness" rarely seen from the Consortium. Walking a fine line of yin and yang, form and technology, and unadulterated pleasure the animator defines the form and function of the modern day laptop/mobile device.


While single handedly wowing the industry the Animator burst onto the scene only to be quickly taken off as scientists scratched their collective heads in awe and disbelief and scrambled to develop laptop technology....A coincedence?




Scientists diligently finding the innerworkings of the Animator
We think not.Literally...

The EAS and Animator essentially defined to laptop designers everywhere what their product is supposed to do and how it is to function.


TWENTY TWO YEARS!!!

That's how long before the modern day the animator existed for this reason we compare the following:


VS.















Sure the modern animator has some more bells and whistles than the Original Animators functions as follows-

- ON/Move

- Animate

- Save

- Draw

- Next

- Reverse

- Recall

- Erase

But these functions pretty well sum up the functions of our modern day laptops and tablet PC's anwyays! So here here!! To the Animator and its Cassagnes rating of 511.544!

Congratulations! You sir are an innovator, a pilgrim and a true champion of modern technology!




1 comment:

Erik said...

Here, Here! As counterpoint to the ever admirable EAS I would like to submit the Sit-and-Spin for consideration by CRAPD. After hours and hours of producing square "spirals" (if you had one, you DID this) on my EAS, my mind and soul would ache for the comforting circularity of my Sit-and-Spin.

After a mere 10-mins (I think the record in my 'hood was 40, with no regurgitation) of single direction (going anti-clockwise was right out) circular meditation put me the correct frame of mind to continue my quest for the zen like perfect sqiral (square spiral, you know) with just the least amount of light grey screen humanly possible showing between the lines with NO overlap. (Hint: the perfect Sqiral just might be your ticket to the Top Secret Club of the inner workings of the EAS.)

That said I humbly submit the Sit-and-Spin as the perfect counter technology to the EAS.

Now, if you used your EAS for the plebian purposes of DRAWING pictures this makes NO sense and I can't help you.