Reposted by Joey Chiu
Thankyou for everything you contributed to computing and science as a whole. Personal hero of mine.
Pour one out.
nytimes.com
Margaret Hamilton, Whose Software Guided the Apollo Missions, Has Died
Margaret Hamilton, the first female programmer hired to work on the space project at M.I.T., was 90.
![A screenshot from Rascal's newsletter which reads:
[Blizzard Entertainment is owned by Microsoft, which has been named a "priority target" by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement over its complicity in Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestine and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. That boycott explicitly extends to Xbox and Microsoft's gaming products. I am about to spend a few paragraphs writing about a game I love (warts and all), so go forward fully informed about the political context surrounding it.]
World of Warcraft has once again activated the siren call, luring me back to shores I've explored for the majority of my life at this point. This latest temptation is the strongest and most devious, nostalgia mixed with big promises in the form of Wow: Forever. (The essay goes on.)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:mdv6ziftrioybhhoxqztquno/bafkreicritch25idnw2brdt4nlya6mfh2jyijsmvg6z5umyyge5ymiozqy)
![It was at this point I noticed Kanno become somewhat annoyed that I had not moved on. Following a short exchange with his translator, she told me, “[So], we actually have to update this explanation, if you, uh, could… it’s all written in there [on Steam].”
I decided, maybe unwisely, not to drop this line of questioning, consulting my chicken handwriting in my notebook, “ So I do have the current Steam disclosure here- uh, which is, ‘Gen AI was used as part of the ideation process for background objects. However, no AI-generated content will be included in the final game.’ Uh–”
Before I had a chance to reiterate the parameters of the question and ask again what Gen-AI being used for ideation looked like, Kanno began talking to his translator, seemingly visibly annoyed. She then told me, “So it is as it’s written in the explanation, and today I would like to talk about Crazy Taxi: World Tour and the time is limited.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bimfv475ffwroxh77sbqsol6/bafkreihxogefi5urzcv4euihdjeinkud7mmaisxwjnjtnae2sga7djbai4)
![Guidance is a form of communication.
[Achievement from UNBEATABLE: "OHHH I GET IT. THEY ALL HAVE MUSIC NAMES - when you explain an idea, the idea fundamentally changes."]
And communication changes the player’s thought processes in more ways than merely the information being given. Guidance tells the player what to think about and what not to. It establishes safe, “brain-free” spaces. That can be useful! Especially in an overwhelming game. But it can also quietly smother thoughts that might have sprung up in its absence.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2jjromh55tf7pp7s4hsvurf4/bafkreihawao3jknub6ubajnqaqov25ijbfx3itfdnw4smddzwcdozke72e)
![Q: A couple years ago at IDFA, I saw this movie "About a Hero," which is this partly Al-generated hybrid documentary that tries to recreate the atmosphere of your films.
A: The intention of this young filmmaker was never to remake any [of my films], but making something in the spirit. And I immediately said, "You will fail. It is such a stupid idea. It's phenomenally, abysmally stupid. I will not take part in it." He wanted me to explain things and have my voice in it.
I said, "You are alone. There's such a thing as free speech, which I respect. So go ahead and fail." And it is a failure, period.
It's so standardized that Al can step in because there's not real storytelling. It's mimicry of something that has happened before. And I welcome Al to replace all the idiots who are into nothing but repeating, repeating, repeating until it's ad nauseam.
When it's ad nauseam, please, please, please let Al step in and do the job.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:v5vphilwcf6nunioeyrpxw6g/bafkreibeadpx66jtqlttglhgbgkew6g65haxqngz5yt6p3ybwyi5zney54)
