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199°S proves to be decade for technological advances 0 by Chris Wright The Gamecock Technology plays an important role in everyone’s lives these days. For Generation Xers, technolo gy has changed dramatically in the past 10 years, since we are the ones who use it most frequently. Game Systems At the onset of the ’90s, we saw the resurgence in popularity of the home video game system. Releases of the 16-bit Sega Genesis in 1989 and the 16-bit Super Nintendo in 1991 brought the two game system competi ^>rs to the battleground. ^ Multiple systems later, the battle rages on. Systems that have developed over the decade include Sega Dreamcast, Nin tendo’s N64 and upcoming GameCube, Sony’s Playstation and Playstation 2 and Mi crosoft’s hyped X-box. COMPUTERS Video game systems aren t the only home innovations to have changed dramatically. The IBM 286-machines, which touted the “new” operating sys tem of Microsoft’s Windows 3.1 in the early ’90s, have been replaced with 900 MHz and even 1-gigahertz ma chines, running Windows 98, Millen nium, 2000 or some flavor of Unix or Linux. Apple, then champion from the 80s, maintained a diminished but steady presence with its highly dedicated base of consumers following them through the decade. Apple’s recent release of its ub tra-sexy Power Mac G4 Cube has tried to strike against Microsoft’s laige dom ination on the operating system mar ket. Internet Definitely the largest technologi cal development of the decade has been the public release of what A1 Gore claims to have dubbed the Internet. Originally known as the military’s Arpanet, it was released in the early 1990s to the public domain—thus be ginning the revolution. Billions upon billions of dollars have 'been made (and lost) on this ultimate digital environment, through which people communicate, play games, work and learn. The Internet’s popularity grew slow ly, as consumers had a difficult time grasping the unusual protocols and com mands necessary to navigate the Web. Not wanting to be left out, Netscape Navigator displayed more features and a nice graphical display, catering well to the public. Microsoft Internet Ex plorer followed soon thereafter, starting a feud between the two browsers that still continues. The Internet has spawned a num ber of powerful and innovative ideas and companies, as well as its share of controversy, since its inception. A recent, notable innovation is Nap ster, the online service that allows users to trade MP3s, which are digital copies of songs. Since the service is mostly unmoderated, even copyrighted ma terial can be traded freely, which re sulted in lawsuits from five major record labels being filed against Napster. Competitors to Napster, which was created for “fun” by college student Sean Fanning when he was 19, include German-created Freenet and recently bankrupt Scour. The Internet also has the capability for online purchas es with credit cards, creating a multiple-billion dollar mar ketplace. A CD Players, Cell Phones J Walkman and bulky portable ' disc players are being replaced ^ by ultra-thin CD players and A tiny MP3 players that allow / people to listen to songs from extensive digital music collec- 4 tions. The MP3s can easily be created from existing CDs or traded online. Also, usage of cell phones, which jsed to be avoided by many because of rumors that they caused cancer, has ex ploded to the point that many people :an no longer function without them. A far cry from the Commodore 54’s and Apple lie’s of my youth, the ligital revolution — in computers, phones, everything—has begun, show ing no signs of stopping. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotlight@hotmail.com. -- 11 Movie Times Carmike Wynnsong 10 5320 Forest Drive, 782-8100 Dungeons & Dragons (PG-13) 1:30, 4:15, 7:15,9:45,12:00 The Grinch (PG) 12:30, 1:30, 2:45, 4:00,5:00,7:00,7:45,9:15 Little Nicky (PG-13)4:00,9:15,11:15 Pay it Forward (PG) 1:30,7:00 Proof of Life®) 1:00,4:00,7:00,10:00 Remember the Titans (PG) 2:00,4:30, 7:00,9:45 The 6th Day (PG-13) 2:00,4:30,7:15, 9:45 Unbreakable (PG-13) 12:30,1:30,3:00, 3:45,5:15,6:00,7:30,8:15,9:45,11:00 Vertical Limit (PG-13) 1:15,4:00,7:00, 9:45,11:45 Columbiana Grande Stadium Cinemas 1250 Bower Parkway, 407-9898 Billy Elliot (R) 2:15,5:00,7:35,10:00 .Dungeons & Dragons (PG-13) 12:00, 2:20,4:50,7:30,9:50 12:15 The Grinch (PG) 12:30, 1:25, 3:00, 4:00, 5:30, 6:45, 8:00, 9:30, 10:20, 12:00 Legend of Bagger Vance (PG-13) 2:00, 4:30,7:15,9:55 Little Nicky (PG-13) 1:10,3:15,5:25, 7:40,9:50,12:00 Men of Honor (R) 1:15,4:05,6:55,9:40 Pay it Forward (PG-13) 12:40,4:10, •fc 6:55,9:40 Proof of life 00 12:05,1:00,3:15,4:05, 7:00,7:55,9:55,11:45 The 6th Day (PG-13) 1:35,4:15,7:45, 10:25 Unbreakable (PG-13) 12:00,1:15,2:35, 3:45,5:10,6:20,7:55, 9:00, 10:30, 11:45 Dutch Square 14 800 Bush River Road, 750-3576 Bounce (PG-13) 12:20,2:40,5:00,7:20, 9:50,12:00 Charlie’s Angels (PG-13) 12:30,2:45, 5:20,7:40,10:00,12:10 ft Dungeons & Dragons (PG-13) 12:15, 2:30,4:50,7:20,9:50,12:10 Emperor’s New Clothes (PG-13) 7:00 Family Man (PG-13) 7:30 The Grinch (PG) 12:10, 1:30,2:40, 4:00,5:00,7:10,7:50, 9:30, 10:10, 11:45 Little Nicky (PG-13) 9:25,12:00 Meet the Parents (PG-13) 1:50,4:50, 10:00 Men of Honor (R) 1:20,4:20,7:00,9:40 102 Dalmatians (G) 12:00, 2:15, 4:40,7:10,9:10 Proof of Life (R) 12:40,1:40,3:30,4:30,' 7:00,7:30,9:45,10:15 Rugrats in Paris (G) 12:00,1:50,3:45, 5:40, 7:35 Unbreakable (PG-13) 12:10,2:30,5:10, 7:40,10:10 Vertical Limit (PG-13) 12:00, 1:00, 2:40,4:10,5:15,7:00,7:50,9:40,10:20, 12:15 Regal Cinema 7 Richland Mall Rooftop, 748-9044 Best in Show (PG-13) 12:20,2:40,4:45, 7:40,9:45 Bounce (PG) 1:10,4:00, 7:20, 10:00 Charlie’s Angels (PG-13) 12:15,2:30, 4:40,7:15,10:05 Emperor’s New Groove (G) 7:00 Sat. only Legend of Bagger Vance (PG-13)1:00, 4:20,7:10,9:55 Meet the Parents (PG-13) 1:20,4:30, 7:30,10:10 Men of Honor (R) 12:45,4:10, 7:05, 9:50 102 Dalmatians (G) 12:10, 2:25, 4:40,7:25,9:40 Rugrats in Paris (G) 12:40,2:45,5:00, 7:00 Nickelodeon Main at Pendleton, 254-3433 Chuck and Buck (NR) 7:00,9:00 plus 3:00 matinee on Sat. and Sun. 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