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Smile by Steven G. Kerns, DDS Re: Coded Messages
As any programmer worth his salty snacks will tell you, one of the best parts of writing code is slipping in Easter eggs — little jokes or funny subroutines to surprise and delight users down the line. Same goes for making magazines. For example, in January's article about immersive gaming, we concealed the large-type pull quotes in the main text of the piece. And to illustrate a story on iTunes imposters, we ran pixelated pop icons that some of you took the time to ID. (Confidential to Matt in Arizona: The red-shirted quartet is Kraftwerk.) Ever think we might be getting a little frisky with the design of our page numbers? Of course we are! There may even be some shenanigans in this very issue. In fact, any time you notice us doing something sneaky, call us out. As any programmer will tell you, it's no fun writing Easter eggs if no one ever finds them.
Plane Ugly
I'm excited by the automotive X-Prize ("The Race to Build the 100-MPG Car," issue 16.01).
However, my concern with the new Typ-1 Aptera is that it lacks style and will only appeal to weekend Cessna pilots, not the masses. As a consumer, I don't feel anything for tricycles draped with landing gear wheel covers; there will have to be a compromise between two camps — automotive design (emotive aesthetics) and automotive function (aerodynamics and gas mileage) — to create a more appealing vehicle. Good design means having both beauty and practicality.
Todd J. Elliott
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Lame Game
When I realized that the article about Trent Reznor ("And Now a Game From Our Sponsors," issue 16.01) contained a code, I quickly started solving the puzzle. I soon realized that I had simply been duped. Wired's Orphan Annie decoder ring was nothing more than two pull quotes!
Scott Trudeau
Corpus Christi, Texas
Rainbow Bright
Having David Byrne interview Thom Yorke of Radiohead was brilliant ("The Radiohead Revolution," issue 16.01). The fact that Radiohead released its latest album, In Rainbows, without DRM, let people pay what they liked (which was often nothing), yet still were able to make more money than on any of their previous artistic endeavors should send shock waves through the industry.
Aaron Anderer
Pleasanton, California
Stop Making Sense
David Byrne is a genius, and much too cool to complain about music piracy. ("The Fall and Rise of Music," issue 16.01). But there's a hole in his argument. People like Byrne and Bob Dylan can get by on TV licensing and ads for Victoria's Secret. But how about the other 99 percent of musicians? Byrne tells them that owning the publishing rights to their music "is their pension plan." If so, artists better get used to eating cat food.
Martin Percy
London, England
Unplugged
I enjoyed Daniel McGinn's piece on constructing upgradable houses ("Home Sweet Gadget," Start, issue 16.01), but I take issue with his statement that "electricity will always need wires." A few months ago, this very magazine ran an item on WiTricity, the MIT project using magnetic resonance for wireless electricity transfer. While they're at it, pipeless plumbing certainly would be nice, too.
Jonathan Salkind
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Color Commentary
I was surprised to read about a new DNA test that can identify a person's "race" and thereby assist law enforcement with investigations ("Criminal Code," Posts, issue 16.01). I had my DNA analyzed and learned that markers on my Y chromosome place me within the same haplogroup as many African Americans. I'm blond (well, now gray) and blue-eyed. At the level of DNA, race is an invalid concept.
Timothy V. Chavis
Radford, Virginia
Vehicles that get 100 mpg are already here, and have been for at least 50 years. They're called scooters.
Rob Thorn
Columbus, Ohio
We Come in Peace
We're sending a nuclear-powered, percussive drill-wielding, neutron gun-firing, laser-vaporizing robot to the Red Planet ("Mars Rover, All New for 2009," Start, issue 16.01). And we thought the Martians would bring their ray-guns first!
Andy Brunker
Marion, Iowa
Music on Tap
In "The Angry Mogul" (issue 15.12), Doug Morris describes how the big labels feel about music downloading: "If you had Coca Cola coming through the faucet in your kitchen, how much would you be willing to pay for Coca Cola?" Well, Mr. Morris, guess what comes out of my faucet? Water. Why then do beverage companies continue to post record sales of bottled water? They add value to a commoditized product and give the consumers something they actually want to buy.
Universal should try that and stop moaning about how they and the other big labels are selling the best buggy whips. Consumers have had to pay $15 for one good song and nine craptastic ones for decades. That model is outdated. Give consumers what they want instead of trying to figure out how to sell them only what you want them to have.
Neal Masri
Richmond, Virginia
Fly the Gridlocked Skies
In "Are We Airborne Yet?" (Start, Atlas, issue 16.01) you say most airport delays "can be traced to antiquated air-traffic control technology." The air-traffic control system isn't the issue. The real problem is how airline operations are structured: Hub-and-spoke operations impose large demand for short periods of time because multiple departures in one direction during "rush hours" create en-route congestion. Airlines want to reduce costs, and they blame the air-traffic control system for their predicament.
Cris DeWitt
Austin, Texas
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
Frankly, digital effects often look cold, isolated, and disassociated from the rest of the action ("Formula for Disaster," issue 16.01). Crushed salt falling over a miniature cliff looks more like a real waterfall than digital water. A quarter-scale model always fools the camera. The Hollywood brass often take the digital path because it impresses investors even though there's a cheaper, far more convincing analog solution. Digital effects can only be described as "awesome" when you never realize they're effects in the first place.
Excerpted from comment posted on Wired.com by Vexxarr
