US Patent 5255452 (or: Why Michael Jackson was a Hacker)(v3.espacenet.com)
v3.espacenet.com
US Patent 5255452 (or: Why Michael Jackson was a Hacker)
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=US&NR=5255452&KC=&FT=E
11 comments
Great share!
I didn't realize that Michael Jackson had actually patented his shoe design. I guess he really was a hacker.
I didn't realize that Michael Jackson had actually patented his shoe design. I guess he really was a hacker.
Hey, thanks. Yeah, if there's a connection between artistry and hacking, I think this has to qualify as an example. The visual effect is truly impressive.
<Old fogey alert>
I'm afraid I've never seen Jackson dance--are there some videos that demonstrate these tricks?
</...alert>
Perhaps a young fogey alert would be more appropriate. ;)
Here is the moonwalk, probably his most famous move (he wasn't the first to perform it, though): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnIDfDFqGWc
Here is the anti-gravity lean relevant to this patent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HJbGSHtFYQ
Here is a montage of many of his dance moves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKBLxh3u0tM
Here is the moonwalk, probably his most famous move (he wasn't the first to perform it, though): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnIDfDFqGWc
Here is the anti-gravity lean relevant to this patent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HJbGSHtFYQ
Here is a montage of many of his dance moves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKBLxh3u0tM
wow, even now that I know it was the shoes that's still incredibly impressive. That would take a lot of strength to get down that low.
Indeed, even though I strongly dislike this type of music, I really, really have to admit that he is an amazing dancer and was trained really, really well.
> I strongly dislike this type of music
Out of curiosity, which type of music is that?
Out of curiosity, which type of music is that?
I associate relatively light pop with Jackson.
In fact, it is quite hard to describe without metaphors. Using metaphors, you can usually say that the music just feels as if someone smashes a heavy hammer against your soul and once the music stops, it pretty much feels like you fall down, as if you were leaning against a wall and someone removed this wall. Music which gives me this hammer -> face-feeling certainly includes, but is not limited to songs by Cryptopsy, Vomitory, Berzerker and to some extent Heaven shall burn and Suicide Silence (examples can be easily found on youtube). If you listen to several songs by these bands, I think my term 'light pop'will certainly become clearer :)
In fact, it is quite hard to describe without metaphors. Using metaphors, you can usually say that the music just feels as if someone smashes a heavy hammer against your soul and once the music stops, it pretty much feels like you fall down, as if you were leaning against a wall and someone removed this wall. Music which gives me this hammer -> face-feeling certainly includes, but is not limited to songs by Cryptopsy, Vomitory, Berzerker and to some extent Heaven shall burn and Suicide Silence (examples can be easily found on youtube). If you listen to several songs by these bands, I think my term 'light pop'will certainly become clearer :)
That's all well and good, but you said/implied you dislike MJ's music.
Now you're talking about this hammer --> face -type of music, which should be unrelated to the issue at hand - 'light pop'.
Were you, in fact, not talking about 'light pop' when you said "I strongly dislike this type of music"?
If so, it would seem that you were participating in some other conversation, which would be really weird.
Now you're talking about this hammer --> face -type of music, which should be unrelated to the issue at hand - 'light pop'.
Were you, in fact, not talking about 'light pop' when you said "I strongly dislike this type of music"?
If so, it would seem that you were participating in some other conversation, which would be really weird.
Wow. So what he really was was a talented mime with some great dance moves.
Requiescat in pace, whatever his personal problems.
Requiescat in pace, whatever his personal problems.
His album "Thriller" is the most sold album in the world, to this day. I don't think "mime" is a an apt description.
Since you mentioned it, here's Marcel Marceau on Michael Jackson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj8oIrdGNiw
That's quite remarkable. I didn't think there was anyone in the developed world over the age of 20 who hasn't seen the rise, moonwalk and fall of Micheal Jackson. His name is practically bigger than Coca-Cola.
Somewhere at the height of his career, I believe he performed at some benefit concert that was broadcast on PBS. Being the only station I was allowed to watch at the time, and living in a rural community of about 2000 with very little pop culture, it was essentially the only exposure I had to him during his height of popularity.
At the time I remember thinking, "Who is this guy? I guess his song is kinda catchy." I don't remember which one it was.
I am sure I was in the minority.
At the time I remember thinking, "Who is this guy? I guess his song is kinda catchy." I don't remember which one it was.
I am sure I was in the minority.
He also inspired a number of dancers.
Here's a clip of DoKnock (of Battle Monkeys, he's a famous breaker, I guess most people would know him cause he won American Idol I think) who grew up dancing along to MJ stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYaIXi1cNc0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYaIXi1cNc0
It looks like he's an impressive acrobatic, but that video doesn't really show him dancing.
Okay then, mainly dancing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2tZcGL55to&feature=relat...
The piece at 6:50 is especially awesome. The main reason I posted the original link was due to the MJ tribute half-way through.
I hasten to point out that he's a breaker that does acrobatics to the music. Acrobatics can be musical and the very best on the scene time their power and flips to work with the music and it is teh AWESOMES.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2tZcGL55to&feature=relat...
The piece at 6:50 is especially awesome. The main reason I posted the original link was due to the MJ tribute half-way through.
I hasten to point out that he's a breaker that does acrobatics to the music. Acrobatics can be musical and the very best on the scene time their power and flips to work with the music and it is teh AWESOMES.
Here's another relevant "MJ was a geek" link:
http://gizmodo.com/5303026/michael-jackson-gets-his-geek-on
http://gizmodo.com/5303026/michael-jackson-gets-his-geek-on
MJ was also a very crafty viral marketer. He could hack the media easily. He invented most of the stories or did them for shock (Bubbles, Oxygen tube bed, Elephant man bones), after a while the media started making up their own.
I had always wondered how MJ'd done "The Lean". I can't believe I never thought to look it up after the advent of the the internet.
The wording in the patent is somewhat stiff and ambiguous. Could someone explain in a different way exactly how these shoes work?
Basic principle: imagine a screw and a T-square.
The inner-elbow of the T-square represents a receptacle on the modified shoe. The screw represents the retractable post that protrudes from the stage.
Slide the screw into the very corner of the T-square's elbow, so that the head is above the square. viola! The square (and thereby the shoe and thereby the performer) are now fastened to the stage.
As an added bonus, in the linked anti-gravity lean video above, you can actually see MJ slide his feet backward at the end of the stunt to disengage his shoe from the stage.
The inner-elbow of the T-square represents a receptacle on the modified shoe. The screw represents the retractable post that protrudes from the stage.
Slide the screw into the very corner of the T-square's elbow, so that the head is above the square. viola! The square (and thereby the shoe and thereby the performer) are now fastened to the stage.
As an added bonus, in the linked anti-gravity lean video above, you can actually see MJ slide his feet backward at the end of the stunt to disengage his shoe from the stage.
Not sure why the OP linked to the European Patent Office. Here is the link to the USPTO's site: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sec...
It's part of my secret plan to drain Europe's resources and maintain US dominance. Seriously, I thought of changing it to the US link, but apparently HN doesn't let you edit the URL in your submission. Fortunately, it's the same information anyway.
Besides the USPTO link isn't any better. Here is the patent on Google Patents: http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=MAUgAAAAEBAJ&dq=U...
I heard some celebrity couple got a divorce today. Can someone maybe link one of them to having used a computer at some point in their life? I'd love to see a story on it.
I saw your comment in the other MJ thread, so I get it -- you're pissed off about him being discussed here. But do you really not see why this is more impressive than simply using a computer?
Erm. Wow. That's really cool and all.
I mean, the guy was obviously amazingly talented and everything. And this is a really cool tidbit of information that lets me look back on his career as a performer in a new light.
But really, folks, is it a good idea to claim Jacko as an ideal to which people in this community might aspire?
I don't want to speak ill of the dead here. The guy lived a hard life, and had been an object of scorn and derision for a long time. I hope he had found some kind of peace of mind before he died.
But I gotta ask -- don't hackers already get enough grief for being thin, pale, eccentric, socially awkward, obsessed with artificiality, and bizarre in how they relate to women?
Let the downmodding begin.
I mean, the guy was obviously amazingly talented and everything. And this is a really cool tidbit of information that lets me look back on his career as a performer in a new light.
But really, folks, is it a good idea to claim Jacko as an ideal to which people in this community might aspire?
I don't want to speak ill of the dead here. The guy lived a hard life, and had been an object of scorn and derision for a long time. I hope he had found some kind of peace of mind before he died.
But I gotta ask -- don't hackers already get enough grief for being thin, pale, eccentric, socially awkward, obsessed with artificiality, and bizarre in how they relate to women?
Let the downmodding begin.
But really, folks, is it a good idea to claim Jacko as an ideal to which people in this community might aspire?
The man took something that was considered to be geeky and odd - dancing - practiced it feverishly and from a young age, and almost singlehandedly made his own brand of dance mainstream, sexy, and cool. To the end he worked hard at trying to keep himself at the peak of his abilities.
If he's a hacker, he was the ultimate hacker - despite being a bizarro geek in nearly every way up to and including the gradual draining of his skin pigmentation, he did what he loved, became famous for it, was the best at his line of work, and was a sex icon for two decades. If that's not hacking I don't know what is.
The man took something that was considered to be geeky and odd - dancing - practiced it feverishly and from a young age, and almost singlehandedly made his own brand of dance mainstream, sexy, and cool. To the end he worked hard at trying to keep himself at the peak of his abilities.
If he's a hacker, he was the ultimate hacker - despite being a bizarro geek in nearly every way up to and including the gradual draining of his skin pigmentation, he did what he loved, became famous for it, was the best at his line of work, and was a sex icon for two decades. If that's not hacking I don't know what is.
You have to admit that Michael Jackson was just plain weird. But then many of the greatest innovators were also considered weird in their time.
I don't think that anyone would want to emulate every aspect of his strange lifestyle, but he definitely came up with a few ideas that were worthy of a hacker. He found new ways to entertain people, and whatever strange personal identity crises he may have had he still hacked together an identity that most people are at least slightly familiar with.
To my way of thinking, that is relatively successful, even if he did end up dying young.
I think if there is anything worth emulating it would be persistence.
I don't think that anyone would want to emulate every aspect of his strange lifestyle, but he definitely came up with a few ideas that were worthy of a hacker. He found new ways to entertain people, and whatever strange personal identity crises he may have had he still hacked together an identity that most people are at least slightly familiar with.
To my way of thinking, that is relatively successful, even if he did end up dying young.
I think if there is anything worth emulating it would be persistence.
You have to admit that Michael Jackson was just plain weird. But then many of the greatest innovators were also considered weird in their time.
I think that in particular is what I'd want to emulate: He was weird because he did a lot of stuff that he liked that nobody else really understood. I don't know if it was courage on his part or if he just didn't care, but I hope that I'm one day able to do the same.
I think that in particular is what I'd want to emulate: He was weird because he did a lot of stuff that he liked that nobody else really understood. I don't know if it was courage on his part or if he just didn't care, but I hope that I'm one day able to do the same.
he did what he loved
But was he really doing what he loved, or was he partially an automaton doing what his parents engineered him to do, eventually becoming the only things he knew how to do? It seems like he almost had no choice in the matter, and all his eccentricities were his way of coping with destiny.
But was he really doing what he loved, or was he partially an automaton doing what his parents engineered him to do, eventually becoming the only things he knew how to do? It seems like he almost had no choice in the matter, and all his eccentricities were his way of coping with destiny.
I don't know enough about Michael Jackson to be able to respond well to this, but he made his career out of it, invented his own moved, and genuinely seemed to love what he did. That's not enough to say it was of his own accord, but I'd like to think it was.
> But was he really doing what he loved, or was he partially an automaton doing what his parents engineered him to do
Someone with that much musicality in him will make music no matter what. He's right up there with Stevie Wonder and Prince. They make music.
Someone with that much musicality in him will make music no matter what. He's right up there with Stevie Wonder and Prince. They make music.
Who here is asking for hackers to copy all of Jackson's traits?
> Let the downmodding begin.
I expect your wish will be granted...
> Let the downmodding begin.
I expect your wish will be granted...
Okay then.
Which of Michael Jackson's traits do you think are worthy of emulation? Did he have any traits that people should be discouraged from emulating?
Which of Michael Jackson's traits do you think are worthy of emulation? Did he have any traits that people should be discouraged from emulating?
I think you might have misunderstood. It was you who brought up the idea of claiming MJ as an ideal, but I don't believe anyone here has done that.
Obviously, not an ideal like Gandhi or MLK.
But if Michael Jackson was a hacker, he was a nearly ideal one. He was recognized as a musical prodigy when he was 5. After that, because of his domineering, exploitative, and probably abusive father, music was basically all he thought about [1]. These are the same childhood circumstances that produced Mozart and Beethoven.
The experts all seem to agree that he was an absolute master musician and dancer. At the very least, he made some of the most popular albums of all time. It's hard to imagine anyone achieving that kind of success without a lifetime of dedicated practice. I can definitely see the shoe thing as the product of someone who spent a lot of mental energy thinking about new ways to push the envelope in a song-and-dance act.
So, to sum up, if Michael Jackson was a hacker, he was a great one. And the trouble is, if Michael Jackson was a Great Hacker [3], he's the only one I know [4]. I happen to agree with Paul Graham's take on Greatness:
So if you ask a great hacker how good he is, he's almost certain to reply, I don't know. He's not just being modest. He really doesn't know.
And none of us know, except about people we've actually worked with. Which puts us in a weird situation: WE DON'T KNOW WHO OUR HEROES SHOULD BE. (emphasis is mine)
I'm really not comfortable with this conclusion, because I'd like to be a Great Hacker myself someday, and it's pretty obvious that Michael Jackson's troubles were partly caused by his success.
Of course, I'd love to find a way to escape this line of reasoning...
[1] Obviously, this isn't something anyone would want to live through, but it did have the effect of making Jackson focus on music the way a great hacker would. If music was the only way for him to earn his father's love when he was five years old, then he definitely would have wound up loving music [2].
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1059324...
[2] Yes, this is pretty twisted. Hard to believe. Most of the reporting I've read about the Jacksons says something to similar effect, though. I'm inclined to believe it's true just because it would be such obvious libel otherwise.
[3] http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html
[4] Or more precisely, if we're going to call MJ a hacker, I have more evidence that he's a great hacker than I do for anyone else.
But if Michael Jackson was a hacker, he was a nearly ideal one. He was recognized as a musical prodigy when he was 5. After that, because of his domineering, exploitative, and probably abusive father, music was basically all he thought about [1]. These are the same childhood circumstances that produced Mozart and Beethoven.
The experts all seem to agree that he was an absolute master musician and dancer. At the very least, he made some of the most popular albums of all time. It's hard to imagine anyone achieving that kind of success without a lifetime of dedicated practice. I can definitely see the shoe thing as the product of someone who spent a lot of mental energy thinking about new ways to push the envelope in a song-and-dance act.
So, to sum up, if Michael Jackson was a hacker, he was a great one. And the trouble is, if Michael Jackson was a Great Hacker [3], he's the only one I know [4]. I happen to agree with Paul Graham's take on Greatness:
So if you ask a great hacker how good he is, he's almost certain to reply, I don't know. He's not just being modest. He really doesn't know.
And none of us know, except about people we've actually worked with. Which puts us in a weird situation: WE DON'T KNOW WHO OUR HEROES SHOULD BE. (emphasis is mine)
I'm really not comfortable with this conclusion, because I'd like to be a Great Hacker myself someday, and it's pretty obvious that Michael Jackson's troubles were partly caused by his success.
Of course, I'd love to find a way to escape this line of reasoning...
[1] Obviously, this isn't something anyone would want to live through, but it did have the effect of making Jackson focus on music the way a great hacker would. If music was the only way for him to earn his father's love when he was five years old, then he definitely would have wound up loving music [2].
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1059324...
[2] Yes, this is pretty twisted. Hard to believe. Most of the reporting I've read about the Jacksons says something to similar effect, though. I'm inclined to believe it's true just because it would be such obvious libel otherwise.
[3] http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html
[4] Or more precisely, if we're going to call MJ a hacker, I have more evidence that he's a great hacker than I do for anyone else.
I'm not sure if I understand exactly what you're saying. Are you asking how one can become a great hacker without having troubles similar to Michael Jackson's? It's obvious you've put a lot of thought into this post, so I'm just trying to understand...
"you don't become a great hacker by trying to be a great hacker"
for sufficient intensities of "try" I would have thought that is exactly how one becomes a great hacker. How else does one become a great hacker?
for sufficient intensities of "try" I would have thought that is exactly how one becomes a great hacker. How else does one become a great hacker?
Think about the people PG mentions in his essay. Do you think any of those ever formulated the goal to become a "great hacker"?
Well, effort isn't everything. See Eric Raymond, for example.
I think it's pretty certain that you don't become a great hacker by trying to be a great hacker.
But the irony here is that you're whining about how "hackers get grief" for being totally dense socially but your comments seems to be totally socially dense. It's really interesting to see how someone can be ironic about being ironic.
You're right. There's a good chance I'm totally socially inept, especially in this medium with no vocal cues or facial expressions to carry the emotional shading that I'd like to attach to what I write.
But is it really so surprising that my thoughts are internally inconsistent? So long as we're playing self-reference games, is it socially savvy to expect an absence of hypocrisy?
But is it really so surprising that my thoughts are internally inconsistent? So long as we're playing self-reference games, is it socially savvy to expect an absence of hypocrisy?
Do you need a shovel?
But I gotta ask -- don't <creative people, innovators, scientists, artists, pioneers> already get enough grief for being <different>?
Yes. Yes they do. But thanks for adding to it anyway!
Yes. Yes they do. But thanks for adding to it anyway!
You know who gets even more grief for being different than the creative people, innovators, scientists, artists, and pioneers?
The mentally ill. Is that wrong?
The mentally ill. Is that wrong?
There was some discussion about the relevance of Michael Jackson's death to Hacker News. lyime mentioned the moonwalk as a "dance hack", and this reminded me of the patented anti-gravity lean -- a genuine hack. Look at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Smooth_crimina... and http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Smooth_cr... to quickly see why this is cool.
The moonwalk actually existed years before MJ used it.
Here is a clip of a guy doing it in 1955: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VbPd2iu4bg
Later, street dancers in California incorporated the move into their style known as "popping." It was these same street dancers that taught MJ the move. And I mean these people were literally hired as teachers, not that he just saw people doing it.
But none of that takes away from what Michael accomplished as a dancer and as a singer. Clearly the man was a special talent.
Here is a clip of a guy doing it in 1955: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VbPd2iu4bg
Later, street dancers in California incorporated the move into their style known as "popping." It was these same street dancers that taught MJ the move. And I mean these people were literally hired as teachers, not that he just saw people doing it.
But none of that takes away from what Michael accomplished as a dancer and as a singer. Clearly the man was a special talent.
He used the hack, that makes him a 'dance-hacer if such concept exists. No need to be the inventor of the hack itself.
The moonwalk was at best an exploit as it was a well known move in the popping scene at that point. MJ just took it into the mainstream.
The shoes though appear to be a fresh concept.
The shoes though appear to be a fresh concept.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe he was also known for perfecting the move, wasn't he?
I would doubt this. Popping isn't my speciality (i'm more a breaking geek). There were probably people more dedicated to specifically that dance style that would have outshone him at the time.
Dance that is exposed in the mainstream is a very thin slice of what is actually out there. Nor is it usually the "best".
I will confess that his moonwalk is pretty damn good though.
Dance that is exposed in the mainstream is a very thin slice of what is actually out there. Nor is it usually the "best".
I will confess that his moonwalk is pretty damn good though.
I have watched a ridiculous amount of popping in my life.
I've been to several of the premier popping events and I
have also been to many underground jams. I also have
watched a ton of video.
And while I will say that there are a large number of people that dance "better" and certainly more technical than MJ...
I have never seen anyone TOUCH his moonwalk. As far as I am concerned he was the greatest there ever was at that move by far.
And while I will say that there are a large number of people that dance "better" and certainly more technical than MJ...
I have never seen anyone TOUCH his moonwalk. As far as I am concerned he was the greatest there ever was at that move by far.
These shoes have nothing to do with the moonwalk.