The Phoenix Developer Consortium is proud to welcome a new member: Nolan Bushnell. Nolan founded Atari and brought the first video games to the consumer market. Phoenix and Genesi are proud to work together with Nolan.
First of all, Bill and Raquel have supported Phoenix plans and ideas with action. They've helped rebuild it back up from the days of having a poor partner (you all know who I am talking about). This improvement in situation makes it possible to have the honor of meeting another legend - to rub shoulders with someone who is to be reckoned with as an innovator, and as a business person. Which means this is really about getting involved in some audacious cool things! Because when it comes down to it Nolan is an incredibly strong developer.
With people like him we can help build the Pegasos platform faster and better.
I told Nolan a little about Phoenix; that its blueprint is much more impressive than its current furnishings. But PEOPLE are really the most important component. At times it's been tough to show developers and would-be developers that enlightened cooperation - ie working together to define and build markets and products for various OSes, to make fullest use of contacts and ideas and talent without stifling initiative - is the way. This is how we maximize resources and learn and build what alone we could not build.
I also mentioned to Mr Bushnell that a core Phoenix concept and ideal is the expanded definition of DEVELOPER: we include coders, management, entrepreneurs, graphics and music people, web and print publishers, talent pools of all types and not specifically just coders - really, anybody who can contribute to the growth of the platforms involved. Lots of ideas can be spun off into Initiatives and projects when there is not such a divisio between this category and that category.
There is also more of a sense of mentors and helpmates, and less a sense of the elite and the un1337. (In fact Dave Haynie has again stepped up to the plate with some research papers he wrote while at met@box which should provoke thought and be of great use, which we will share soon too!) ...In such an environment people have a chance to find their way into some form of development, get some encouragement and education, investgate their interests, hook up with others with common or complimentary interests, and get more of a sense that the same process is shared by everybody else too. There is a strong component of community in all this.
Being around successful models and examples of development encourages newer people to understand the business aspect of doing this - and how to champion one's own personal vision and simultaneously how to become a good team player - one with the willingness to perspire at new scary things as well as working the things one already has mastery over. With an engine like Genesi, and players like Nolan involved, there is definitely a good risk factor while we are all building and exercising skills, making contacts, formulating plans, and taking our projects to the next level.
Anyway: enough blah blah blah woof woof - just as I am excited to see those with legendary status like Nolan about to get involved, I want to say that we always welcome any of you who have some dream of taking it further - because you are the future legends!
