This year (2003) everybody from Hash went to SIGGRAPH, the big 3D industry event of the year. Heath and James were especially looking forward to their first time. San Diego is a great venue, and I love the convention center, but SIGGRAPH itself seems to have shifted gears. Maybe the 3D market has matured: to begin with, the show floor is half the size of just a couple years ago, and booth size has reduced. In fact, a lot of attendees commented that our booth was bigger this year. “No,” I said. “It’s just that all the other booths are smaller.” As usual, it was a good show for us, and as is our custom, on the third day I ask everybody what they thought was the most interesting thing on the floor.
“It’s what’s not on the floor,” injected Ken. “There’s no SGI! I can remember when SGI was half the show – this year’s there’s no sign.”
“That’s true,” said Steve. “But this year I got a free full body massage, including deep foot rolfing.”
“And I got a free double-shot espresso at the Starbucks stand set up in the Dreamworks booth,” said Noel.
James was rubbing his upper arm. “I went to the Rhythm Touch booth and tested the Vibro computer-controlled acupuncture. They attached it to three parts of my body and sent healing shock waves throughout my sciatic neurology. It cures back pain, stress, TMJ, fibroyalgia, and diabetes."
Heath wanted to know if he could do a product swap so we went over to the Vapir booth where they had a show special price of $299 for an "organic digitizer."
“That thing looks like a bong,” I told Heath.
“Dad, there’s no water.”
“But is it some kind of bong?”
“You don’t use an open flame. Instead you put the organic material into the chamber, and the device digitizes it into flavored air that you then inhale through this straw,” Heath explained. "And it connects through your USB port!”
“So,” I suggested. “You want HASH to make a JOINT venture with the BONG company?” I smiled because I thought I was being funny but Heath was frowning at my lack of seriousness.
When I asked Will what he thought was most interesting, he told me he was just here for the free ice cream.

Yeah, SIGGRAPH was a lot different this year.