I think that the main thesis in “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” by Beverly Jones is that Gaming and graphics are like any other form of technology, they are constantly adapting to our times but are still have aspects of the past, or that they contain elements of the past. The historical example I am going to choose is the electricity one. When electricity was discovered there wasn’t really a use for it, but slowly things stated to get developed like the light bulb then eventually a computer came about then games for the computer and so on. “Electricity had been considered theoretically interesting but of little or no practical value” (Jones 21) as any great technological discovery the uses might not be known for some time but the technology formed from something can sometimes change the course of history like electricity did. I think a good example from today of Jones’ thesis would be apps. Phone apps are changing the way we view gaming, instead of having to be in front of a tv to play a game you now can be playing anywhere you have cell service and even sometimes you dont need cell service. I also think a good example would be from the TedTalk that Jane McGonigal gave about how gaming needs to change to be educational, I think that the future of our society depends on how well the gaming industry can make games that are not only fun to play but are educational to kids because kids are more interested in video games than school so if the two were formed as one then kids would learn a lot more. Another example would be the change from board games to online games. You can now play scrabble or chess anytime you want to because you can go online and find a site that offers you a chance to play a random person. So the fact that board games can now essentially be played alone is a way the gaming industry is changing for the times.

Bibliography

Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 21-30.

McGonigal, Jane. Gaming Can Make A Better World. TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA