Is it just me, or does the iSight look like the HAL 9000?

Wednesday July 2, 2003 4:36PM
by Derrick Story

I have my new Apple iSight mounted on my TiBook as I’m working here at the O’Reilly campus. During the last week, it’s become a very popular topic of discussion, both online and in person.

The HAL 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Apple’s Y2K ad.

Here’s the new iSight. Is it HAL’s progeny? Should I be concerned?

Just in jest, I happened to mention that when I’m not conferencing, it would be an excellent tool for grating Parmesan cheese for my salad. I could be mistaken, but I thought I saw it blink after that comment…

Then it dawned on me that my sweet little iSight looks a lot like the HAL 9000 Apple featured in its Y2K Super Bowl ad. Take a look for yourself.

Well, it was probably nothing. But I think I’m going to keep the iSight’s lens shutter closed during future joke-making about Apple hardware. Just in case.

Comments

it does
Hilarious!

I would buy one now but i have no one to vid chat with :(

anonymous2 | July 2, 2003 04:49 PM

Isight Web Chat Rooms
Is anyone delevoping a Isight chat room similar to Yahoo or MSN rooms?

anonymous2 | July 2, 2003 08:35 PM

iChat community
Well, you can go to http://www.dotmac.info/index.html/chat/people/ and meet a stranger. :-)

sjk | July 2, 2003 09:22 PM

HAL 9000?
Since the interface for the HAL 9000 computer included not only the lens but a flat veticle panel, I'd say the iSight looks nothing like it. Any camera with a large lens would like like the iSight head on (if you ignore the camera body). Must be a slow day! ;-]

anonymous2 | July 3, 2003 08:02 AM

HAL 9000?
Let me correct my spelling. Sorry.

Since the interface for the HAL 9000 computer included not only the lens but a flat vertical panel, I'd say the iSight looks nothing like it. Any long vocal length camera lens would look like the iSight head on (if you ignore the camera body). Must be a slow day! ;-]

anonymous2 | July 3, 2003 08:05 AM

Re: HAL 9000?
Ha! Anything but slow around here. Just having a little fun to break up the work. :)

derrick | July 3, 2003 08:19 AM

iChat community
thanks. i think i am going to wait until my G5 then pick up the isight at the same time.

anonymous2 | July 3, 2003 09:48 AM

I agree.
I agree. In 2001, you tended to focus on "The Lens" as the embodiment of HAL. Since the iSight is *all* lens, it certainly looks much more like HAL than anything else out there.

But since it's a Mac, it must be HAL's easy-going brother PAL.

BTW: If you have no one to chat with, do what I'm doing -- buy two of them. It's way cheaper than a plane ticket to your parents.

anonymous2 | July 3, 2003 10:52 AM

eMac in Back to the Future
The eMac appeared in BTTF part 2 or 3 I can't remember which right now. In the movie its seen in the background as an old fashioned TV. Not exactly an eMac but pretty darned close if you ask me...

anonymous2 | July 4, 2003 08:49 PM

Derrick... Derrick...
Derrick...

Open the lens shutter doors please.

Derrick. Open the lens shutter doors please.

I know things haven't been quite right with me, but I can assure you, very confidently, that they are going to be alright again.

Derrick. Stop.
Stop Derrick.
Stop.

Derrick, Derrick...
give me your answer true...
I ' m h a l f
c r a
z y ....

:-)

snaggy | July 4, 2003 08:54 PM

Derrick... Derrick...
What was that? A love letter to Derrick?!

anonymous2 | July 4, 2003 11:35 PM

This is worth a smile...
Have you seen this cool spoof of the iSight on MacEdition? Funny!