Badtz Maru (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} rayhawk) wrote,@ 2006-01-05 17:59:00 |
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LEGO annnounces MINDSTORMS NXT
I saw on Jake's blog that NXT has been announced, so I've been busily alerting all the people who are always bugging me about what's going on with Mindstorms. So if you're into Lego robots, go read those press releases.
What's even more interesting to me personally, is WIRED's upcoming cover story about bringing AFOLs into the design process:
Geeks in Toyland
All the robots stuff aside, this is a pretty amazing article, it spends a whole lot of time talking about the kinds of stuff I'm always wishing I can talk about myself. To see a senior VP talking about the decisions that led to our huge losses a few years ago, or talking about the legal team actively deciding whether or not to prosecute fans, these are subjects I never thought I'd see in public discussion.
There are so many sections of this article that made me say "whoa" for totally unexpected reasons, the company has changed so dramatically since I was first picked up back in 2002. It looks like my job of sneaking AFOL values and ideas in by the back door is quickly getting obsoleted by Jake and Co.'s efforts to bring them in above-board. Good thing, too, since I'm losing my zealotry for it. I'm not as convinced lately that the AFOLs necessarily know what's best for the company as I was when I first signed on, so it's good to get some fresh blood in representing the AFOL point of view. It was a lot easier to buy into the AFOL manifestos back in 2002 when the company was doing everything wrong, but now that we've rediscovered our purpose and gotten back on track, it's easier to find places where you need to take the AFOList theologies with a grain of salt.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Martin about the status of the new-and-improved LA concept lab for 2006, maybe I'll get my groove back once I'm in the brand-new offices. I'm also eagerly looking forward to seeing the Christmas sales figures, I want to see how the different product lines performed in comparison.
I saw on Jake's blog that NXT has been announced, so I've been busily alerting all the people who are always bugging me about what's going on with Mindstorms. So if you're into Lego robots, go read those press releases.
What's even more interesting to me personally, is WIRED's upcoming cover story about bringing AFOLs into the design process:
Geeks in Toyland
All the robots stuff aside, this is a pretty amazing article, it spends a whole lot of time talking about the kinds of stuff I'm always wishing I can talk about myself. To see a senior VP talking about the decisions that led to our huge losses a few years ago, or talking about the legal team actively deciding whether or not to prosecute fans, these are subjects I never thought I'd see in public discussion.
There are so many sections of this article that made me say "whoa" for totally unexpected reasons, the company has changed so dramatically since I was first picked up back in 2002. It looks like my job of sneaking AFOL values and ideas in by the back door is quickly getting obsoleted by Jake and Co.'s efforts to bring them in above-board. Good thing, too, since I'm losing my zealotry for it. I'm not as convinced lately that the AFOLs necessarily know what's best for the company as I was when I first signed on, so it's good to get some fresh blood in representing the AFOL point of view. It was a lot easier to buy into the AFOL manifestos back in 2002 when the company was doing everything wrong, but now that we've rediscovered our purpose and gotten back on track, it's easier to find places where you need to take the AFOList theologies with a grain of salt.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Martin about the status of the new-and-improved LA concept lab for 2006, maybe I'll get my groove back once I'm in the brand-new offices. I'm also eagerly looking forward to seeing the Christmas sales figures, I want to see how the different product lines performed in comparison.
