CC Not the Photo

[daveoo]

I passed by this junk pile in my neighbor's back yard and was compelled to study the scene. And I took one photo thinking I would return during better light.

Sometimes interesting is what a person does and what they leave in place after their activity. Sometimes it is interesting to try and understand their intentions and accomplishments. Their mission and accomplishment are obvious in the photo.

More interesting to me is the why. Why did this person want to roast their computers? So I simply asked him and my surmise was correct, having lived near him 15 years.

This photo is not about splendid composition, noteworthy subject and certainly not about light. It is not really a pun. This is the simple JPEG kicked out of Cap 1 with no adjustments by myself. The idea of this photo is the unanswered question.


Light of Sorrow275 by Dave Olson, on Flickr

And even though I know the answer I am still in wonder, as in not knowing the thinking of this person. I will not know those thoughts of months to years ago that resulted in this scene. I do not want to know. Sometimes unknowing is precious. It is a form of awareness. Sometimes unknowing is more beautiful than certainty. It connects us all.

 

[xayraa33]

It has been a weird year, I would just leave it at that.

 

[Freakscene]

It’s pretty hard to recover data from a burnt hard drive.

Or maybe they just hate computers, or felt the need to rise up against the machines.

Maty

 

[Ko.Fe.]

People are going nuts during c19. Even more nuts comparing to those who are going nuts on dope regularly. This photo is good illustration for it.

 

[daveoo]

That's cool Freakscene, and yes this was a data destroying effort. Completely legitimate and understandable. This is the back yard of a retired accountant.

However, even knowing his intent, I still find how he decided upon this method fascinating. The answer there might be mundane or quite interesting. I do not need to know. Maybe this photo's intent is interesting only to me, however there is also a story present which I hope is fun to imagine.

For me this is a kind of portrait of the person from which I can remember him. He is elderly and has kidney disease. I have a picture of him. Yet this photo tells me more, it transcends language.

Sorry I spoke too soon, many other interpretations are possible.

 

[agentlossing]

You'd think it would have been easier to remove the hard drives and only barbecue those. Nice, poetic image of modern times.

 

[daveoo]

Yes agentlossing and Ko.Fe. Lots of interpretations. People giving up on social media?

 

[Freakscene]

You'd think it would have been easier to remove the hard drives and only barbecue those. Nice, poetic image of modern times.

Yes, that’s what I do with old drives with sensitive data on them - remove the hard drive, recycle the computer, then burn the hard drive with thermite, and send what’s left to a recycler.

Marty

 

[agentlossing]

Yes agentlossing and Ko.Fe. Lots of interpretations. People giving up on social media?

Man, I do wish that would happen. Having algorithms serve us what the machines think caters to our preferences has created such a dystopian system of echo chambers, people are so tribal and hostile it's sickening. And now you never know what fanatical tribe the person you meet on the street might be a part of, nor what you should do to keep him/her from being triggered.

 

[Rob-F]

I had forgotten all about it until now, but I used to have a data destruction program. I remember it said to run it three times if you want US government security level. I may still have it.

It would seem a more reasonable and less crazy way of doing it.

 

[Dogman]

I've just smashed them with a hammer to kill any data left on the hard drive. Or I've taken them to the woods and shot holes in them with a handgun.

The second method is more fun.

 

[daveoo]

Rob is correct, better than DOD secure erase.

Then burn and finally toss them into a car crusher.

 

[robert blu]

The problem how to deal with old hard disks is still around, many suggestions in this thread as well https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=171549

Back to the photo, I find it a good photo. Nothing special in it, subject or light but a good witness of our times...interesting to see a photo of ...almost nothing...well done Daveoo

About social media, I'm not on FB but I like to watch Youtube videos and hate when I see YT suggesting me "this could be interesting for you" ! I do not need suggestions from youtube! I like suggestions from my friends ! Nor from an algorithm ! Anyway I prefer Vimeo...

 

[Darthfeeble]

"Burned my computers to see what they would look like as ashes" ??

 

[JoeV]

I passed by this junk pile in my neighbor's back yard and was compelled to study the scene. And I took one photo thinking I would return during better light.

Sometimes interesting is what a person does and what they leave in place after their activity. Sometimes it is interesting to try and understand their intentions and accomplishments. Their mission and accomplishment are obvious in the photo.

More interesting to me is the why. Why did this person want to roast their computers? So I simply asked him and my surmise was correct, having lived near him 15 years.

This photo is not about splendid composition, noteworthy subject and certainly not about light. It is not really a pun. This is the simple JPEG kicked out of Cap 1 with no adjustments by myself. The idea of this photo is the unanswered question.


Light of Sorrow275 by Dave Olson, on Flickr

And even though I know the answer I am still in wonder, as in not knowing the thinking of this person. I will not know those thoughts of months to years ago that resulted in this scene. I do not want to know. Sometimes unknowing is precious. It is a form of awareness. Sometimes unknowing is more beautiful than certainty. It connects us all.

I'm slow to understand the title of tbis thread. What's "CC" mean? Closed Caption? Carbon Copy?

 

[Dralowid]

I'm looking for a logic in the way the grass has been cut, or not. The objects mean little to me. At art school in the '60s we were encouraged to draw the space around the subject.

 

[dof]

The OP's question brings my favorite Diane Arbus quote to mind:

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know."

 

[Sonnar Brian]

After about 35 years if you plug a computer in and boot it up, chances are it will smoke. Usually the high-voltage side of the power supplies.

I've had that happen a couple of times. Bums me out everytime. Now I have no way to read the 5.25" CP/m floppies.

 

[daveoo]

CC means critique and comment I think. But not CC the photo which Robert Blu easily did and was fairly polite. I say ugly to some degree.

CC instead what is my thinking, the accountant's thinking, the why of the photo, the why of the charred computers and why could a poor to adequate photo work be of rich meaning or story to one or more persons.

Nice quote dof.