All posts by Axonn Echysttas

Mentatul.
Analysis, Technology

The Virtual Reality Revolution

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Every single person that I’ve witnessed give virtual reality a try has been floored by the experience – especially the ones that didn’t see it coming. Even those who knew what it’s all about came back with amazed expressions once they took off the HMD (head mounted display) for the first time. I placed my bets on the fact that virtual reality is going to skyrocket faster than most people expect it to.

The rather expensive hardware required will definitely make some customers think twice. However, there already are plenty of gamers out there who own powerful hardware. They will be joined by early adopters who will make sure that they can properly run most of the VR experiences. They will show these programs to relatives and friends, which will feed the wave of excitement. And so, a new technological revolution will begin.

The next step in the evolution of entertainment

Virtual reality is more than most people expect it to be. This is why, when referring to VR content, I write about “experiences” or “programs”. Whoever thinks that this about games or movies couldn’t be further from the truth.

What we have here is a whole new dimension for experiencing art, one which wraps a world around us rather than showing it to us through a small rectangular window. Indeed, for now, the field of view of most HMDs is quite narrow (110 degrees), but 2nd generation devices such as StarVR^, with its 210 degrees of coverage, will bring large improvements in that regard.

Expect the 2nd generation to show up in 2017, probably along with the 1st generation HoloLens – Microsoft’s augmented reality HMD. When exactly in 2017? That, remains to be determined by the level of hysteria to be reached during the 2016 holiday season once people realize the amount of fun they can have with these things.

The first generation of HMDs faces other limitations too. One of the worst is the requirement to be plugged into the PC – with the exception of smartphone-powered HMDs, which are not nearly as convincing in terms of graphical quality as their PC-powered cousins. I expect plenty inventive solutions to address such problems in the next couple of years.

Despite any limitations, I continue to believe that VR and AR will take off faster than expected. Almost everybody that I’ve discussed with is perfectly happy to tolerate a few temporary problems, given what they’ll be getting in return. It’s hard to understand the potential of VR without experiencing it, but let’s just say that it’s a step forward at least as big as from paper to radio or from radio to TV.

Impressive potential for innovation

Today, there’s a very important difference compared to when the newspaper, radio or TV appeared. That difference is called “technology proficiency”. In this age, there are millions of people able to create digital art. And then there’s this thing called “the Internet”, which means that we are all but a few clicks away from enjoying the work of some talented young team toiling away in a garage across the ocean.

The reason why VR & AR will spread faster than expected is that the emergence of a new medium for expressing our creativity will usher in a staggering amount of innovation and original art. The transition from 2D to 3D graphics will seem like a baby step in comparison. There’s an army of engineers and content creators out there, the likes of which this Earth has never seen before.

They’ve made gloves^ that can not only allow the precise tracking of hand movements in VR, but also showcase our first try at feeling objects in the imaginary world. There’s even a suit^ with temperature controls! There’s eye tracking^. There’s spatial awareness^. There’s mobility^. And all this happened in less than three years. Such a density of innovation completely dwarfs anything we’ve seen during previous technological leaps.

By now, a lot of companies have realized what’s at stake. They are investing a lot of money into making this technological revolution happen, because if it does, it will fuel demand for entertainment and the hardware to power it. Manufacturers of video cards are especially ecstatic about this area, but pretty much all companies involved in producing PC components should probably get their champagnes ready.

Should we line ourselves up for pre-orders?

Despite my obvious enthusiasm towards this technology, the answer to this question is a definite NO. I’ve found an article that does an excellent job of explaining why. There is only one matter that the author hasn’t emphasized enough: the amount of high quality VR content is still quite low. I would recommend waiting at least until the 2016 holiday season before jumping in. By then, a lot of bugs will be worked out and more content will be available.

Don’t pre-order any HMD:

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/222843-why-you-shouldnt-pre-order-an-oculus-rift^

We’re less than two months away before tens of thousands of customers will receive their Oculus Rifts, the HMD most likely to reach retail availability first. Very soon after, the Vive Pre will follow. These first representatives of the high-end VR experience will open the door for many others. Personally, I’m probably going to order my HMD after November 2016. I haven’t made up my mind regarding the brand. I’ll be patient and read a few dozens of reviews before parting with my money.

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Weekly Song

Ozric Tentacles – Spacebase

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This almost ten minutes long melody is exactly what you should expect from such a length: a diverse and beautiful journey. It twists and turns like an untamed vibe creature, luring you with the echoes of its soundscapes.

The art of Ozric Tentacles can be best described as space-rock, but “neo-psychedelia” does it justice as well (I didn’t even know such a music genre exists before checking their Wikipedia entry). This is pure enjoyment for the ears and mind. Turn it to 11 and jam!

YouTube (decent quality):

For Spotify Users (high quality):

For Deezer Users (high quality):
http://www.deezer.com/track/10967595^

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Announcements

What Does “Mentatul” Mean?

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The word “mentat” was invented by Frank Herbert and prominently used in his Dune series. The “ul” suffix in this website’s name is the Romanian definite article, added because that is my country of origin. However, I am not “the mentat”, even though my project is named this way.

Instead, the name of this website pays homage to the concept of a mentat. It is an aspiration of mine. Mentats have always inspired me. When I write analytical works, I am trying to interpret information in the same way I imagine a mentat would.

In Dune, the mentats are specially trained humans that replace computers, which have been outlawed following a devastating war against the “thinking machines”. Mentats perform strategic thinking, analysis and extrapolation of complex informational patterns. As long as the information provided to them is correct, they will be able to emit good judgments. In other words, if the information given to a mentat is inaccurate, so will be the result.

Choosing the Romanian word for this website was, in part, a logistical matter. Of course, the “mentat.com” domain name was taken while the “.org” cost two thousand dollars. It is this limitation which has pushed me to inventively make the best of the given set of circumstances. Naming my English project using a Romanian name is a tribute to my homeland, which is a place I love and respect.

I have lived 26 years in Romania and as such, it is the place which has shaped me and taught me the most. It is a beautiful country which has been through a lot in the past centuries, a subject that I will elaborate upon in some future work. Sweden has been my home for almost 7 years now. Leaving Romania brought much-needed diversity into my cultural background and has helped me in innumerable ways, but I am happy to have started my life there.

The name of this project is a perpetual reminder for being balanced and fair. In the same time, it is an incentive to acquire as much information as possible about any given subject. I select my sources of information based on reliability and fairness, through a vetting process that takes many months. Unfortunately a lot of publishers can be dangerously biased in matters to which objectivity is paramount. However, fairness inevitably arises when combining information from multiple sources and applying the process of critical thinking.

By now it’s probably clear that I’m quite determined to do my best to honor the concept of a mentat, which this website is named after. But how does that fit together with the art-related opinion writing that you can read on Mentatul.com? Fortunately (given my desires), this is not a sacrilege. Mentats are humans and they have opinions and preferences in art just like any other human. Of course, they do not allow these to interfere with their profession – which is exactly what I’m doing as well.

I hope I managed to properly communicate this domain name’s origin, meaning and what it signifies to me. I now find it quite fortunate that I was “forced” to choose the Romanian translation as the name of my project. I’m publishing these words exactly one month after launching Mentatul and already my relationship with this name, and the symbolism behind it, is strong and healthy. I feel good when publishing here and I hope you also feel good while being here.

For more information about this project, check the About Page^.

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Politics, Recommendations

Trump Will Not Win

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Later Update: This turned out to be one of my worst prognoses ever. Here’s what I learned^ from this failure.

Don’t worry, the world’s not going to end, at least not because of Donald Trump becoming the president of a nuclear armed superpower. What is worrying me is that such a statement even needs to be considered or said. When somebody like Trump takes a front seat in the politics of a superpower, there are serious questions that some people should start asking themselves.

Even so, I like to think that the current situation is for the best. Donald is a mirror in which America can take a good look at itself. Perhaps less advantageous is how he represents his country abroad. Several economic partners already expressed strong distaste towards the fellow.

Here’s what an American over at Vox has to say about Trump’s candidacy:
http://www.vox.com/2016/1/30/10873476/donald-trump-never-president^

I’m going to think positive and remain convinced that Trump has no chance of winning the election. Actually, I seriously doubt that he can even get the nomination. Even if he manages to win by numbers, I like to believe that the Republican Party won’t allow itself to sink that low as to nominate a hate-preacher to run for commander in chief of America’s vast military forces.

If they do, then I guess it’s jolly time for the party to break in two, because its members’ stubbornness is beginning to cost too much. There are many valuable people in the Republican camp and the USA simply cannot afford to lose their voice among a crowd with outdated mentality and whose electorate will eventually dwindle.

This being said, I have all the understanding for Republicans of any opinion and, by extent, for Trump’s supporters. They are all our brothers and sisters and we should not brush aside their concerns and opinions. I truly believe that the best way for Americans of all parties to move forward is to sit together and talk about their experiences and, together, discover what motivates their political choices.

Racism, homophobia, misogyny and bigotry have an impressive following in the American society and political life. If America wishes to walk proud in the 21st century, it has to take a closer look at how it uses education, religion and mass media.

But then again, maybe the entire point of Trump’s candidacy is to make sure that the corporations get their woman in front of the country, taking us one step closer towards the dissolution of this so-called democracy and the rise of corporate oligarchy.

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Weekly Song

Tzolk’in – Meztli

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It starts slow, creeping its way through echoes and dark soundscapes. Two minutes later, the percussion kicks in and you’re on your way to what Tzolk’in wants to be a journey into the ancient Mayan culture, reinterpreted by the contemporary electronic music style. Tzolk’in is a type of calendar used by the long-gone Mayan civilization.

This is a seriously introspective song, but not one that is easy to digest. Dark undertones are joined by a subdued but relentless thrashing. In my book, it’s one of the best finds of 2015.

You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Tzolk’in’s album :).

https://ant-zen.bandcamp.com/track/meztli^

YouTube (decent quality):

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/0aGoNNPkI23dvXBSAcuyIe^

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/67158664^

[ax_meta fbimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/00201-TzolkinMeztli-Thumb.jpg’ fbimgw=’250′ fbimgh=’250′]

Recommendations, Technology

Big Corporations Go After Artificial Intelligence

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The word “Go” in the title is not coincidental. Much earlier than expected, an AI program managed to defeat a human Go champion. Artificial Intelligence has had the upper hand in the game of Chess for more than a decade already. However, defeating humans at the game of Go requires a different kind of intelligence than it is the case with Chess.

Here’s the news report about Google having reached this important milestone in AI development: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/546066/googles-ai-masters-the-game-of-go-a-decade-earlier-than-expected/^

IBM, Google, Microsoft, FaceBook, Amazon and Apple are all pouring billions of dollars into this sort of research. So do other companies and, less advertised, so do many governments. Not to mention universities and even hobbyists. The jury is still out regarding whether strong (true) Artificial Intelligence is even achievable.

My worry is that once a corporation or government manages to succeed in this venture, the result might offer that entity an unimaginable economic and strategic advantage. Such an advantage will make nuclear weapons seem like a wet firecracker in comparison.

Some have said that AI will be our last invention, for better or for worse. That is because AI might overtake us in intelligence to such an extent that it could invent things that we cannot even begin to imagine. So the risk lies not only in the birth of true AI, but also in whatever new beings such intelligence might give birth to as it grows and learns how to play with its intelligence. All this may very well lead us to immortality or to extinction.

If you’d like to learn more about the topic, I recommend you to read this excellent two part article explaining what it’s all about. It’s quite long but it’s an interesting and pleasant read. At least skip through it, because a life-changing Artificial Intelligence development may be closer than you think.

Part 1:

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html^

Part 2

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-2.html^

I also find it quite interesting that some corporations are open sourcing their AI frameworks and tools. I have a fair amount of trust that a large economic entity or a scientific organization will be at least a bit careful about how they program the ethical aspects of an AI, if nothing else then for self-preservation purposes. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about hobbyists who might not even give a priority to such a vital concern.

Microsoft Open Sources Artificial Intelligence Toolkit:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2498435,00.asp^

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Weekly Song

Terry Oldfield – Dancer In The Void

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Listening to this melody with my eyes closed is like traveling to another world. This is one of those rare gems that are good any time of the day and anywhere in this Universe. You can find it, and other like it, on Terry Oldfield’s “Journey Into Space”, an album released in 2012. Terry is the brother of Mike Oldfield, another great musician, author of the famous “Tubular Bells”.

You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song (or album) from this same location. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did purchase Terry Oldfield’s album :).

https://terryoldfield.bandcamp.com/track/dancer-in-the-void^

YouTube version (decent quality, and a pretty video too):

For Spotify Users (high quality):

https://open.spotify.com/track/5wECNjSM3caqtNDlVc9s1o^

For Deezer Users (high quality):
http://www.deezer.com/track/81719386^

This Weekly Song entry has been brought from the FaceBook archive of Weekly Song^. This exploration was originally started through a FaceBook page, about 13 months prior to launching Mentatul. Actually, this is the song with which I started on this musical adventure. Slowly but surely, the entire FaceBook archive will be brought here.

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Politics, Recommendations

Is Moldova the Next Battle in the Russia vs NATO Saga?

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Russia and NATO have a problem. Trampling upon Ukraine’s territorial integrity and using it as a pawn in the geo-political superpowers war has concluded with what is pretty much a draw. The current situation in Moldova bears worrying similarity. A pro-Western government is currently leading the country, although its position is precarious. Is it now time for another state to face economic ruin while offering the mass-media a profitable side-show?

Here’s a report from a NATO-affiliated news agency:
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/amid-protests-moldova-finally-appoints-government^

Romanian is being spoken on the territory of Moldova and has been for a long time. These two states were the same country for a short while, but the dream didn’t last long because after World War II, the Soviet Union decided that they could use 34.000 square kilometers of extra territory. They argued that the land was theirs to begin with – the Ottoman Empire ceded parts of Moldova to the Russian Empire in 1812 and a process of Russification followed. Wikipedia^ has more information about all this.

Like a loyal NATO member, Romania wants Moldova to join the European family, something that is sure to anger Putin. It feels like 2014 all over again, featuring NATO-affiliated countries doing funny business dangerously close to their Cold War archenemy. It may very well be in Moldova’s best interests to side with its Western neighbors, but judging by what happens in Ukraine, the small country might become yet another unfortunate pawn in the dealings of superpowers.

I can only hope that Russia won’t be as brutish with Moldova as it was with Ukraine. After all, the bordering break-away republic of Transnistria, which has little international recognition, serves as a pro-Russian buffer zone in the area. I also hope that Romania itself won’t face Russia’s wrath because of the loan it has decided to offer to Moldova. Both countries rely on natural gas imports from their nuclear-armed neighbor.

About the loan and the attempt to bring Moldova closer to NATO’s sphere of influence:
http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Romania-offers-Moldova-60-million-loan-to-spur-6784049.php^

And because I like to offer you both sides of the story, here’s what TASS (Russian news agency) has published regarding the situation:
http://tass.ru/en/opinions/851363^

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Weekly Song

Arbre Noir – Roam

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Didgeridoo? Yes please! “Roam” is a cool psybient song which works great for creating an atmospheric mood. Arbre Noir sure know how to orchestrate their music because this melody ebbs and rises in a beautiful celebration of sound and pattern. The didgeridoo is very well integrated into the music and enriches it through the tribal dimension it adds.

You can listen to the song for free, in good quality, on BandCamp, which is one of the best websites when it comes to supporting artists. You can also purchase the song from this same location.

https://musicmosaic.bandcamp.com/track/roam-arbre-noir^

YouTube (decent quality):

For Spotify Users (high quality):

For Deezer Users (high quality):

http://www.deezer.com/track/52447961^

[ax_meta lnimgurl=’http://mentatul.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/201601-0156-ArbreNoirRoam-Thumb.jpg’ lnimgw=’250′ lnimgh=’250′ title=’Arbre Noir – Roam’ desc=’Didgeridoo? Yes please! Arbre Noir sure know how to orchestrate their music  because this melody ebbs and rises in a beautiful celebration of sound and pattern.’]

Recommendations, Society

Denmark to Confiscate Valuable Belongings From Immigrants

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The Recommendations section begins on a sour note with this highly disturbing report coming from Denmark. The Danes will now confiscate the valuable belongings of immigrants, so that they can cover the costs required to accommodate and feed them.

Here’s a news report from CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/26/europe/denmark-vote-jewelry-bill-migrants/^

In their infinite and noble clemency, the Danes will allow the immigrants to keep items of “sentimental value”. Initially, I wanted to say that this is similar with what the Nazis were doing with the Jews. But then I realized that it’s not similar at all. It’s actually identical, except for the fact that it takes place seven decades later. This means that there’s a bit less barbarism, which is probably the least that we could demand from the human race at this point in time.

From such a country, which has been a stalwart of free speech and liberalism, I expected more than sinking to the lowest ethical standards of contemporary civilization. Even though I am able to understand the economical reasoning behind the decision, I’m painfully aware that there were so many other decent ways to solve this.

It looks like Denmark went with a resolution that should appease the far-right, a political cult which is not exactly renowned for its reliable long-term thinking. I wonder how much respect the current immigrants will have towards their adoptive country some years from now. At a time when Europe tries to contain extremist tendencies, the actions of Denmark appear to me like a sort of social suicide.

I find it sad that this is the best answer a European country can come up with. Apparently they will confiscate things like laptops too. To me, this sounds like they’re denying opportunity and reducing the chances for these people to start a new life using the belongings they undoubtedly struggled and risked to bring with them. To me, this sounds like slavery. In the past we went and kidnapped slaves, now we just destabilize their countries and make them cover the expenses and risks to get here; neat huh? The fact that the Danish citizens are sitting rather quietly while this happens raises uncomfortable questions.

Here’s an analysis of the situation:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andras-simonyi/perhaps-something-not-so-_b_9081238.html^

Ultimately, it’s any country’s right to manage this sort of crisis as it sees fit. I agree that refugees should do their best to cover their costs. But this should only come later, when they’ve been integrated and trained in the ways through which they can contribute to the society they’re part of.

One last thing I’d like to add. I can’t easily understand how the Danish government wants to monetize laptops and other valuable technology taken off the refugees. Will they use pawn shops? Who would like to buy these devices? I think Danes can afford pretty much whatever hardware they wish for. This draconian maneuver reeks of ulterior motives.

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