What is in this article?:
Farewell
After more than a decade, this is my last regular column for Broadcast Engineering. I have delivered columns and features totaling more than 150 articles. My hope is that I have been able to put some perspective on the technological change that has swept over our industry again and again during that time period. To be certain, 1000 words does not allow an in-depth exploration of any topic, and I have sometimes struggled to smash longer musings into limited space.
My hope is that readers have taken my work a step further, thinking critically about what drives change and how they can take advantage of it. One thing is certain, and that is that change cannot be stopped, and thus must be embraced headlong. I used to tell clients in my design and consulting practice that I had no problems, only their problems begging for our solutions. By applying experience gained in many facets of our business over decades, I was able to synthesize solutions that solved thorny technology and business problems for them. For me, that has always been one of the most rewarding things one can do. Presented with confusion and complication, I choose change and embrace temporary anarchy in the interests of seeing patterns and
finding solutions.
Occasionally, when researching an article, I have searched the Internet and found links to articles I wrote years ago, and was pleased that my thinking has evolved as technology has swept out the old and in the new. I have worked on monochrome video recorders stuffed with tubes and HDTV playout centers. How much fun it has been!
My personal thanks to the editors who have challenged my grammar and occasionally my “facts,” and to Brad Dick for the opportunity to connect with many of you who wrote to me asking for opinions and help after reading BE. I’ll miss that interaction, but I welcome your e-mail and calls at any time. You can reach me at john.luff@HDConsulting.tv or at 724-318-9240.
Be well.
—John Luff is a television technology consultant.
