The Useless Machine video has just cracked four million views! For me, this is a big thing. I know it’s no David After the Dentist, but still my mind boggles.
Four million is such a big number you need to break things down to something the mind can grasp: four million views times 19 seconds = 2.4 years of Useless Viewing. Good thing I didn’t make the video any longer!
Now that’s just taking into account the video. What about the time folks have spend building and playing with Useless Machines?
I have no idea how many people have actually built machines but it must be in the thousands…
Building the machine takes at least a couple hours. And then who knows how many hours spent flipping the toggle switch the first couple days after you get one working. Then sharing it with unsuspecting friends and family as well as uploading the required YouTube video. Followed by intensive psychiatric intervention, group therapy and some jail time thrown in for good measure…
I take no responsibility for all the chaos caused by the Useless Machine. It’s all Claude Shannon and Marvin Minsky’s fault.
.
Tags: Shannon, video, viral, youtube
#1 by Annon on December 17, 2010 - 9:42 pm
Congratulations on 4mil views! That is an awesome achievement. I’ve never heard of the useless machine before, but it looks like something I want to have. Thanks for the very entertaining blog.