Sampu't Sari: Abe Olandres ng Yugatech

ABE OLANDRES
Founder and Editor of Yugatech.com

Ang mundo ng blogosperyo ay nahahati sa iba't ibang mga kategorya at mga "kwentista". May mga patawang hindi na kailangan ng "A for ey-fort". May mga OA at pilit na nagpapaka-clown. May mga seryosong mahirap sakyan. May mga sobrang babaw kaya sobrang non-sense. May mga sobrang lalim kaya hindi mo na ma-gets ang ibig sabihin. May mga cool na para sa iba ay "misunderstood" ang dating. Sari-saring putahe para sa iba't ibang panlasa.

Sa bawat teritoryo, may mga blogistang mas sumisikat pa kay Jack Sikat (ng bandang Ethnic Faces). Meron namang 'di pa kilala ay mas nalalaos pa sa bansang Laos. Semi-kalbo ako kay tumawa ka ng kahit kalahati. Nagpapakyut lang 'di tulad ng nabanggit ko sa itaas.

Sa mga Pinoy bloggers, kapag teknolohiya na ang usapan ay hindi maaaring hindi mabanggit at matukoy ang tech blog na "YUGATECH" ni Sir ABE OLANDRES. Ang pangalan ng sikat na sikat na tambayan ng mga techies at mga nakikiusyoso sa latest technews ay portmanteau ng salitang Ingles na "technology" at salitang Ilonggo na "yuga" na kasingkahulugan ng mga expressions na "really?", "ows?", "weh?", at "'di nga?".

Masasabi kong isang alamat ang kuwento ni Abe kaya nga isa siya sa mga iniidolo ko sa cyberworld. Naging inspirasyon ko ang landas na kanyang tinahak kaya sinubukan ko ring mag-blog kahit na wala naman talaga akong talento sa pagsusulat (sa awa ng mga parokyano ng Nuffnang, wala pa rin ako sa quota para ma-encash ang mga clicks ng naliligaw dito kaya damihan niyo pa ang awa sa pamamagitan ng pagpindot sa naknang ads). Kung dati ay naniniwala ako sa kasabihang "May pera sa basura.", ngayon ay napalitan na ito ng "May pera sa net." dahil sa kanya. Nabasa ko sa napakaraming mga sulatin kung paanong mula sa simpleng hobby ay naging "hanep-buhay" ang kanyang ginagawa. Ganun ang gusto kong maging trabaho, 'yung parang wala kang ginagawa dahil gusto mo 'yung ginagawa mo. Parang si Michael Jordan lang na sa pa-shoot-shoot ng bola ay may "kumikitang kabuhayan na" mula sa mga endorsements ng mga produkto at kontrata sa NBA. Napapagod siya sa kakatakbo sa court pero milyun-milyong dolyares naman ang halaga ng kanyang maalat-alat na pawis. Sarapas.

Kung nandito ka para alamin kung paano napataas ni Yuga ang kita sa blogging na $50 kada buwan papuntang $1,000, hindi ito ang entry na para sa iyo dahil wala dito kwentong hinahanap mo. Masyado na siyang tanyag at alam na alam na ng buong mundo na bukod sa pagiging professional blogger, si Abe ay may webhosting company, isang blog consultant, at resource speaker. Marami na ang nag-interbyu tungkol sa kanyang malufet na pinagmulan kaya hindi ko na ito kailangang gawin pa.  Tanungin mo nalang si pareng Googs at sasagutin ka niya ng 334k na resulta in 0.27 seconds!

Huwag kang umepal at magbalak na tanungin ako ng "Ano'ng kinalaman ni Yuga sa Dekada NoBenta?". Pareho kami ng taon ng kapanganakan kaya masasabi kong isa siyang certified nineties kid. Wala siyang kontribusyon sa 90's pero tulad ko, naranasan niya ng buong-buo ang sampung taon na namagitan sa eighties at bagong milenyo. Heto na ang kanyang kuwentong-karanasan:
 

1. What are your most favorite Nintendo Family Computer games and why? Do you know any game cheats aside from “↑↑↓↓← →← →B A B A select start”?

Contra, Mario and Battle City. Don’t know any cheats except that one, and I can’t even memorize it back then.

2. What was your view on the first cloned animal, Dolly the Sheep? Do you think cloning on humans will be possible? If there is one famous dead person from the 90’s that you want to be cloned, who would it be?

I was amazed it was done and was actually hoping they could do it with humans. I’m sure it is possible. If it were possible, clone the Pope.

3. Did you own a “beeper” during its popularity? Can you tell us how this media became the “in” thing during its time?

I could not afford a beeper but I sure did want to have one. Mobile phones were not common then so the beeper was popular to get one-way messages. Of course, you need to have access to a pay phone so you can return the messages. I thought it was just for very busy and important folks because it helps in cases of emergencies.

4. When Microsoft released Windows 95, did it ever get into your mind that Bill Gates’ company will someday dominate the computing world?

When I first saw and used Windows 95, my dorm mate was showing me how cool the “Recycle Bin” was. Didn’t really realize who the guys behind the company so I didn’t expect it to be as big as it is today.

5. Why do you think LaserDiscs did not gain popularity especially in the Philippines? Which do you think is better, VHS or LD format?

I only saw Laser Discs twice in my entire life. I thought they were expensive that’s why it wasn’t as popular then. VHS was better because it was cheap to make copies.

6. Movies like “Hackers” and “The Net” are some of the best 90’s films about the cyberspace. Did these influence you in any way? Aside from these, what are your favorite movies about the internet and computer technology?

Those are my two favorite movies. These movies made me love computers and the internet. They were the inspiration why I am in the internet biz although I originally wanted to be a computer programmer when I was a kid. Liked Pirates of Silicon Valley as well.

7. Do you think there will come a time when the human race will be “controlled” by machines as depicted in the 1999 film, “The Matrix”?

Don’t think so. We’re too smart for that.

8. How do you think Sony “killed” the other gaming consoles with their release of the Playstation during the mid-90’s?

The market was smaller then so it could not accommodate a lot of players for mass market. In a way the Playstation was instrumental for the demise of the other consoles.

9. What are the three most important inventions of the 90’s and why?

Windows 95. Intel Pentium. Internet. The hardware, the platform and the highway – all three are essential to the growth of communication and learning we have right now.

10. Tell us the first thing that pops into your mind when you see or hear of the following:

          A. Y2K computer glitch   year 2000
          B. internet chat rooms   mIRC
          C. brick game   1000-in-1
          D. Tamagotchi   pesky digital pets
          E. videoke machine   "My Way"
          F. Nokia   5110
          G. World Wide Web   Google
          H. cable television   HBO
          I. Game Boy   Supermario
          J. Street Fighter   arcade

Message to all the 90’s kids like us:

Our generation saw the line between low-tech and high-tech. As such our experience and our appreciation is much deeper and more mature. I hope we get to see how these will all evolve in the next 50 more years.

SIR ABE, MARAMING SALAMAT AT BLOGENROL! \m/