The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 08, 2000, Image 7
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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ROOMMATE SPECIAL!
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1000 Bent Tree Lane - Columbia, SC 29210
803-798-2543
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