I'm pretty sure the revolution was televised. I think I've got it on DVD somewhere.

In all seriousness, when I was in college in 1989, my roommates asked me, "Why do you watch the evening news on one channel and then switch to another network and watch THAT evening news?" And I said, "Because THEY'RE TEARING DOWN THE BERLIN WALL, YOU IDIOTS. THE WHOLE FUCKING EASTERN BLOC IS CRUMBLING."

It was goddamned exciting if you were paying attention.

Fun discussion, but all these words have long-held definitions, and the new kid in town fits in pretty easily.

Art is anything made primarily to entertain rather than to educate or have other utilitarian purpose. Most art ever made was sold for commercial gain, so that has nothing to do with it. Interactivity has been a goal of artists for decades if not centuries, so that has nothing to do with it.

Therefore, video games ARE art—but that DOESN'T include Pong or computer chess or checkers because those things primarily take their form in order to play the game, which is to say they have utility. But most modern video games primarily take the form they do because that's what the makers wanted for the overall entertainment experience.

By why get hung up on "art"? Why isn't it enough for something to be a fine piece of "craftsmanship"? Craftsmen produce things that primarily have utilitarian purpose but which require artistic sensibility in addition to technical know-how (separating it from a "tradegood" made by tradesmen). Examples are technical illustrations, furniture, fine knives and handguns, and fancy clocks. Even acting is called a craft because it takes its form primarily in service to the overall work of art.

People seem to think that if something is not "art" then it's a dull, mundane tool because the vast majority of things we encounter take their form only in order to work. Being the exception to that is probably the main reason that Apple has so many fans.

Don't give in, Kyle! You can almost smell the Brooks Brothers coming off Teague already. One group project, and he's already a faceless suit, demanding people compromise their artistic integrity to meet an arbitrary deadline!

And talk about faceless suits: look at Dave's avatar!

EDIT: Dave has since changed his avatar from a skeleton in a suit to a man in a suit.

I look forward to how you guys resolve the right-hand-drive vs left-hand-drive issue and other oddities.

I cannot wait to see the results.