The I:Drive

Digital cameras are both the best and worst
thing that ever could happen for photography.
McMurdo seems to be the perfect example of
this. On the computer network here is something
called the I:Drive. This is a place where you
can share your photos with everyone in town.
In turn you can copy these photos and use them
pretty much as you wish. Some of the best
photography I have ever seen has been located
on the I:Drive. Thankfully I have copies of
these photos that otherwise would be unattainable.
However...digital photography also allows any
moron to place pictures of him or herself doing
really stupid things and having it captured
forever through photography. Last weekend there
was a 70's dance party here and of course the
next day the I:Drive was flooded with pictures
of this stupid event. I don't have that fond
of memories of the 70's and most of the people
that went to this party, weren't even alive in
the 70's, so why do I want to see pictures of
them at this party behaving badly???
Then there are the people who take themselves
and/or their jobs very seriously. They place
Powerpoint presentations on the I:Drive so that
their co-workers can glean this information off
of the drive. This is a great use of the computer
network, but please take these files off when they
are done being copied. The safe way to loosen a
lug nut off of a Caterpillar loader is only
interesting to a very few people.
Lastly there are the people that put their vacation
pictures on the drive. I love to travel. I love
travel presentations. But...I have no idea what's
going on in these pictures, who is in the pictures
and why people feel the need to share photos of them
standing with obscure strangers on an obsure road
in Indonesia. One of those have to have been there
to enjoyed it moments. If you're going to put these
photos on the I:Drive, please label them.
Thankfully the I:Drive is cleared every Sunday night.
Gone are this week's drunken photos, tantalizing
Powerpoint presentations and photos of mating lizards
in Ecuador. I'm sure they will be replaced next week
by even more interesting things.