It’s been just over forty years now since the unofficial birth of modern technology. From the dark ages of the data center sized, platter-fed, Mainframe came the inspired birth of the home Disk Operating System which spawned Windows and, through the rebellion of the purists under the oppression of the supreme proprietary establishment, the birth of Linux – the Unix like home equivalent – closing the loop and completing the initial cycle of what will eventually become one of the most significant chapters in the history of our Civilizations. Every aspect of the human existence has been transformed. Technological advancement has been driven by the engines of free thought. We have each fought through the greatest war of our time – the war of competition through innovation, forcing hardware technology to try and keep up with our imaginations.

Let there be no doubt – it has not been the drive to launch unmanned probes to land computerized robots on alien worlds that has led to the advancement of modern technology, but rather the insatiable appetite of the imagination of gamers that has enabled it. The collateral damage in our war has been unprecedented discovers of the hidden regions of terra firma, remarkable glimpses into the universe we are all lost in and the beginning of medical science advancements beyond the dreams of many of its’ practitioners imaginations when they first started their careers.

We as gamers have sat in the driver’s seat, without a map to navigate or a desire for a “destination” other than the enjoyment of the journey itself – and along the way have enabled our momentary passengers with visions in their own respective fields to achieve great discoveries in the real world(s). And each of their accomplishments just serves to further drive our imagination and our hunger for more. In a word – remarkable.

And as I watch some these great visionaries launch probes that will function for a decade of years (or longer) as they slingshot around our solar system, hurdling through space at tens of thousands of miles per hour, I am reminded that somewhere in the midst of the great dawn is a dark shadowy corner ~ faintly illuminated by a strobe-like flashing red light. Once again, I am broken down on this super highway, victim to the red ring of death – the appropriately named death rattle of a gaming system of an old school gamer who had failed to properly embrace the adage that those that cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. An unfortunate owner of a gaming console from the oppressive proprietary establishment.

And as I have paused for reflection, with nothing but time on my hands between funding, I’m left wondering if this 2 year lifespan of the inferior MS console has finally driven back to the exclusivity of the Sony console, and will force me to finally make the leap from my (still functioning) 6 year old PS2 console to the PS3 or if I will once again throw good money at a bad investment and try and get my game play out of the xbox360… I am left wondering if the next era in game consoles won’t be the hardware separated from the console. It would be reminiscent of the “IBM Compatible”, and death of reign of IBM from the home computing market.

Many things to think about while my gaming system is on… spring break.

I’m trying to get the image of you watching Discovery channel in giant white marshmallow looking NASA-approved cowboy boots out of my head.

Just found out my 6 y/o can hit lefty and righty when I made him switch over to left handed because I was sick of chasing the his hits around the yard. Foiled again!

Off to mow the grass myself. Apparently nice yard, nice yard, nice yard, our yard, nice yard is embarrassing to the wife. heh