All this talk about convergence is making me thirsty.
Seriously folks, we've heard it all before — digital lighting, media servers, lighting versus video, video versus lighting, easy-bake projections, crossbreeding lions and tigers to make the almighty liger. And we're getting really tired of it, aren't we?
Or are we?
Now that I've cleared the air, welcome to our issue dedicated to convergence. That's right, convergence. I apologize in advance for anyone who is having convulsions at the thought. Maybe we can just find a newer, gentler term for this word that has become so trite in our industry. We have probably beaten the convergence issue with a figurative stick to the point that the trend will go out before it is ever fully realized.
I'm open to suggestions, by the way. I think we all are. What on earth would you call it? One might say symbiosis (defined by Merriam-Webster as “the living together of two dissimilar organisms in a mutually beneficial relationship”), but there are those who would argue it is not necessarily mutually beneficial. Some might more readily refer to it as closer to a collision or hostile takeover. Maybe it is just a meeting, junction, or union (thank you, Microsoft thesaurus).
No matter how you slice it, something is happening to our industry, and we are taking notice. Just check out this month's gear guide to see how many products out there blur the line between lighting and video technology. It's happening, and I think it's better to be on the forefront than left behind, but that's just me.
What do you, the readers, think of convergence? How much does it affect your job? Email me, and tell me your opinion.
Until October, please converge responsibly.