/Interview/ The brains behind: Infinite Solutions
30/04/2007 | Filed under Discover > Interview
With his tutorial on how to use Google TV, Mark Erickson caused a storm on the internet and, for some, even turned into a new “hero”. We teamed up with the man behind Infinite Solutions
.net: What’s Infinite Solutions all about?
ME: Infinite Solutions is a tutorial series meant to teach little-known tips that I’ve picked up here and there.
.net: How did you come up with the idea for it?
ME: My brother Tim and I realised we’re always showing the same helpful tricks to different friends over and over, and we thought, “Hey, why don’t we just make videos, and post them?”. Now I don’t feel like a broken record every time I give someone advice. I just send them a link and that’s that.
.net: Who are you anyway?
ME: I’m an IT supervisor for Energy Compliance Inc, a utility provider out of South Bend, IN. I graduated from Iowa State University with a Computer Engineering degree. Recently, I’ve considered heading back to obtain my Masters.
.net: What’s your inspiration behind the style of the videos?
ME: That’s not really my department. My friend Gary handles a lot of that. He does the filming and editing. I just chime in with, “that’s a good colour for the logo”, or “what if we put that shot before I start talking?”. That sort of thing.
.net: How do you decide what kind of topic deserves a detailed tutorial?
ME: I’ve always been more tech-minded, but now I get a lot of emails with suggestions for episodes. With all the help, I can branch out into other topics. We like to offer solutions that anyone can try, be it your computer whiz brother or your uncle.
.net: What’s the reception to your videos like? How do you feel about people calling you a “hero” and “our new god”?
ME: I think most people respond positively. There are jerks out there who feel the need to make fun of me and call me names, but I don’t let it bother me. As for being called a “hero” and all that, I’m just a regular guy like everybody else. But I suppose I’m a better role model than all these out-of-control celebrities such as Keith Moon and Dennis Rodman.
.net: What do you think about all the fuzz your Google TV tutorial has created? And how many complaints do you get? Some people seem to be a bit miffed!
ME: I understand the frustration. Google TV is an anticipated service and, unfortunately, getting it isn’t easy. I try to disregard the hundreds of complaints and angry letters because I know most people are just mad at Google or themselves and not me.
.net: Some critics say you’re a hoaxer and your tutorials won’t work. What’s your reaction?
ME: Disappointment. And dismay. Why would I go to such lengths to write, film and edit a tutorial only to have it not work? What’s the purpose? To frustrate people and waste their time? It’s sad we live in a world where people are more willing to accept malice as my motivation than to acknowledge that maybe they’re not following the instructions. I’ve heard that when you point your finger at someone, you have three fingers pointing back at you. I think that’s pretty profound.
.net: Did you get a reaction from Google on your Google TV video? How do they like it?
ME: I have a couple friends who work over in Mountain View, and they’re pretty pleased with themselves. They’re always hiding things and making clever jokes. What a kooky company! They play table tennis during breaks and the office mascots are fraternal twin ferrets named Sarry and Lergey. With all the fun they’re having, it’s amazing they make any money!
.net: What kind of tutorials are you working on at the moment?
ME: I just posted a video showing how to patch your computer to safeguard against potential server crashes due to the new US Daylight Saving Time. I’m about to start production on a couple of sports-related episodes, and soon after that, I hope to film a few travel-themed shows.
.net: What’s planned next for Mark?
ME: Only time will tell.
