Sunday, August 06, 2006

Siggraph 2006: Where's the Tech?

Siggraph Side Note...Where's the Tech?

Okay, I got an email asking, well, where's the technology? If Siggraph is the ultimate in CG tech fairs, how can I spend so many words without praising this new software or that new prototyping machine? It's fair question, so here's the answer:

The whole of Siggraph is greater than the sum of its technology.

Gasp in shock all you want, fellow nerds, but you read me right. No matter how revolutionary the new developments might be, the importance of Siggraph lies not in the technology displayed but the people who attended and the gestalt we formed. The technology is simply the thread that tied us all together.

Don't believe me? Would you pay $800+ to go to Siggraph if you were going to be the only living, breathing person in the conference center? And before you jump into a "yes" answer, think about this....many manufacturers will let you try a 30-Day demo of their software. From home. For free. Many manufacturers will let you volunteer as a beta tester for the latest and greatest in development. From home. For free. ILM, Pixar, SonyDreamworks, etc. all post job openings on their public websites. Which you can read about and apply for....drum roll, please... from home. For free.


So the underlying reality, the driving force behind the experience that is Siggraph, the reason we pay $800+ is so we can spend a week immersed in an intense, visceral, physical connection with our peers. We crawl out of our isolated caves, push pause on our virtual relationships, and interact face-to-face with real humans. We re-engage the real world that must be the underlying construct for the virtual ones we create.

Which means, yes, Virginia, going to a Siggraph party is just as important, if not more, than stopping by the Emerging Technologies exhibit. And that's why I'm blogging 'bout the party! :)

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