FogCam[a] is the longest-running webcam in the world, barring maintenance breaks and camera replacements. In 1994, two students Jeff Schwartz and Dan Wong set up the webcam at San Francisco State University. It was nearly shut down in 2019 as the creators said they faced difficulties in maintaining the webcam. Following public outcry, the university agreed to take over ownership and continue its maintenance.
Operation
editThe webcam is stationed at San Francisco State University, capturing student life and San Francisco's common fog.[1] Every 20 seconds, a low-resolution (less than 320 by 200 pixels) image is taken and uploaded to its website, with the previous image being deleted.[2][3] The camera has been moved several times partly due to pressures from the administration. Previous locations include a student health center with a view of the road Tapia Drive, the Cafe Rosso line as a nod to the Trojan Room Coffee Pot webcam, and the ground floor of the humanities building, and the library, facing Holloway Avenue.[2] According to Schwartz, students used FogCam for practical purposes like checking queue lengths[4] and parking spaces.[2]
When camera replacements are made, the university opts for a dated model to stay true to its origins. However, the software has not been modified since its inception.[2]
History
editIn September 30, 1994,[5] two then–San Francisco State University students Jeff "Webdog" Schwartz and Dan "Danno" Wong, founded FogCam in the university's Department of Instructional Technologies[2] as part of their master's thesis.[6] They were studying for a Master's Degree in the Graduate College of Education.[1] Their initial setup involved a Connectix QuickCam connected to a Macintosh computer sourced from the campus's bookstore, and a custom software.[2] They were inspired by the very first live webcam, which streamed pictures of the Trojan Room Coffee Pot in the University of Cambridge.[2]
After graduation, Wong was hired for the Academic Technologies department and continued to maintain the webcam.[6][2] FogCam was initially placed in the Burk Hall, and it has moved locations multiple times.[2] In 1995, Schwartz placed a similar webcam in his residence to keep track of his two cats.[2]
FogCam! @FogCam
After 25 years, Fogcam is shutting down forever at the end of August. Webdog & Danno thank our viewers and San Francisco State University for their support over the years.
The Internet has changed a lot since 1994, but Fogcam will always have a special place in its history.
August 18, 2019[7]
Planned shutdown and revival
editIn August 2019, the creators announced the webcam would cease operating, citing a lack of scenic spots and support from the university. They explained "the university tolerates us, but they don't really endorse us and so we have to find secure locations on our own."[2] The shutdown was planned on August 30, though the website would continue to be online "for the sake of posterity."[8] The announcement was met with public outcry, as multiple news outlets reported on the news.[2] The official university Twitter account started the hashtag #SaveTheFogCam and few offered donations. On August 28, Schwartz agreed to transfer the webcam's ownership to the university.[5] The Department of Academic Technologies, which as of 2022 still is Wong's workplace, now runs the webcam.[2]
When SFGate journalist Amanda Bartlett visited FogCam in September 20, 2022, it was stationed on the second floor of a conference room within the business building.[2] The visiting journalist has commented that the webcam looked "humble" compared to the public outcry it received. She described it as a Logitech camera being held up by a "flexible plastic tripod".[2]
Reception
editNPR described FogCam as one of the oldest websites still operational.[9] The New York Times noted FogCam's novelty at the time, commenting that it "didn’t do much of anything special, which was part of its quirky charm".[4] Digital Trends compared FogCam to Lou Montulli's The Amazing Fishcam, which was also established in 1994, shortly after FogCam.[10] Jenny Vogel wrote in Journal of the New Media Caucus that while FogCam was "unspectacular", the live nature of the media was "often more interesting or appealing than what the image itself presented".[11]
See also
edit- Fishcam, webcams pointed at fish tanks
- List of websites founded before 1995
References
edit- ^ a b Zaveri, Mihir (September 2, 2019). "California University Steps In to Save Beloved Webcam". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bartlett, Amanda (September 30, 2022). "'A fluke': The world's oldest webcam is still watching over San Francisco". SF Gate.
- ^ Lallensack, Rachael (September 3, 2019). "The Longest Running Web Cam, Set to Go Offline, Has Been Saved". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ a b Holson, Laura M. (August 20, 2019). "FogCam Is Signing Off in San Francisco". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Smith, Caroline (August 30, 2019). "SF State Saves FogCam, Internet's Longest-Running Webcam, After it Almost Shuts Down". KQED. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Cortes, Luis. "SF State maintains the world's oldest FogCam, a stamp of history within the university". Golden Gate Xpress. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
- ^ FogCam! [@FogCam] (August 18, 2019). "After 25 years, Fogcam is shutting down forever at the end of August. Webdog & Danno thank our viewers and San Francisco State University for their support over the years. The Internet has changed a lot since 1994, but Fogcam will always have a special place in its history" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Bartlett, Amanda (August 18, 2019). "SF is home to the world's oldest webcam. After 25 years, it's being switched off". SF Gate. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ Dwyer, Colin (August 19, 2019). "The End Is Nigh For FogCam, Billed As The Internet's Oldest Running Webcam". NPR. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ Mogg, Trevor (August 20, 2019). "FogCam: World's Longest-running Webcam Is About to Be Switched Off". Digital Trends. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ Vogel, Jenny. "Images for an Unknown Public" (PDF). Journal of the New Media Caucus. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
Notes
edit- ^ also stylized as Fogcam or FogCam!; the official website uses a header saying The San Francisco FogCam!.