When I was in college, my parents convinced me to get a class ring. I very much enjoyed wearing my high school ring, but their thinking was that a college ring would make a better impression on potential employers. Hence, I am the proud owner of an understated gold ring with an outdated logo from Florida Atlantic University.
I wore it for some time, but eventually "my precious" found its way into that dark corner of storage we all keep reserved for things we don't use but don’t want to discard. When I was asked to guest lecture at FAU last year, I remembered the ring and fished it out so I could show it off to the students. That's when I realized my ring needed a little renovation.
For one thing, the base of the shank had been flattened at some point, which in turn had messed up the fit. I could still get it on my finger, but it was not an easy feat. I also discovered my Social Security Number had been engraved on the inside of the ring. Apparently, it used to be no big thing to include your SSN on jewelry for identification purposes.
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A quick trip to my local jeweler cleaned up the ring, fixed the sizing, and removed my SSN. Now, it's once again part of the right-ring-finger rotation.
Which brings me to ViewSonic.
Following a discussion about monitors at InfoComm, ViewSonic loaned me a 34-inch curved model, the V3456C. I've been using a 21:9 widescreen monitor in my office for about three years, but I had never tried a curved option. To put it as astutely as possible, considering my academic pedigree and vast industry experience: Me likey.
I swear it's easier on my eyes, plus there's an immersive feel when watching full-screen videos. In fact, the only real drawbacks I've found are that the base takes up more real estate on my desk than my previous monitor (square base instead of long feet) and the housing is thicker, so I had to adjust my webcam placement. So yes, I am rethinking my office setup.
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Now, don't try to make a connection between an old college ring and a new monitor. There isn't one. Instead, these stories provide examples of how some old things can have new life, while some new things are unavoidably disruptive to your operations.
When it came to my ring, it was still functional; it just needed some attention. Some equipment is like that. Maybe you have a piece of gear that has outlived its usefulness as a primary or go-to solution. But with a little ingenuity, it can have a second life as a secondary tool. For example, that old PTZ camera might work quite nicely living out the rest of its days as a weather cam or shooting the morning newscast at the local middle school.
Then there are products like that curved monitor. I can't convert my standard widescreen monitor into a curved form factor—if I decide to upgrade, the old monitor simply has to go (and likely won't find a new home). This may not be an industry-changing decision, but it's a big deal for my little office. Imagine how a disruptive hardware change like this scales up for an entire organization.
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The trick is determining which products you have that can be reallocated to new tasks and which ones are destined for the recycling facility. There's no stopping technological progress, and equipment upgrades are inevitable, but it's important that the Pro AV industry continues to be mindful of the importance of sustainability. Before you toss that old gear, see if there's a reasonable path toward continued use. And if it's truly end-of-life, please find a way to dispose of it responsibly.
