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Alek Komarnitsky's Huge Christmas Light Display Still Going Strong (Video)

Posted by timothy on from the imagine-a-world-with-sentient-holiday-light-displays dept.

Alek Komarnitsky isn't the only one obsessed with Christmas lights. He's quick to point out that the display he assembles and improves each year at his Colorado home (in a "never-ending cycle") isn't the most elaborate in the country by a long shot, even among householders. But most of those other displays, no matter how complex, don't have the feature that's made Alek's an internet draw for many years running: visitors to the site not only get to see a live web-cam view of the system, but can flip the lights on and off themselves, making it a globally accessible interactive system. It's all based on home-grown scripts running on Linux (Alek says it's about as elegant as "duct tape and wire"), running old-school X10 controllers, and — surprisingly to me — the lights are mostly still conventional incandescents, rather than LED. This year, I finally caught up with Alek before Christmas; watch the video below to see our conversation. And even though Alek neither solicits nor wants money from people who like his Christmas display for himself, he does it partly as a benefit for Celiac Disease Research, and anything you give to this worthy cause is appreciated. Update: 12/23 21:21 GMT by T : NOTE: tune in starting around 4 PM Mountain time, and you'll get to see the system lit up.

29 comments

  1. Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    'Dat website....

    1. Re:Wow by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 5, Funny

      No kidding. I feel like I've just been visited by the Ghost of GeoCities Past.

    2. Re:Wow by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 2

      No kidding. I feel like I've just been visited by the Ghost of GeoCities Past.

      Well he is using X10 modules. Actually I think you have the time period about right. I remember seeing this site back sometime in the mid to late 90' for the first time.

    3. Re:Wow by buchner.johannes · · Score: 1

      X10 with Ajax ...

      --
      NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
    4. Re:Wow by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 4, Funny

      No kidding. I feel like I've just been visited by the Ghost of GeoCities Past.

      Where's dancing Jesus and the Hamsters?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  2. Address? by harrkev · · Score: 1

    Anybody seen a street address on the page?

    I am going to be in the neighborhood and might want to stop by, but that is kind of hard without an exact address.

    The nearest that I can figure out is "near Denver somewhere."

    --
    "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
    1. Re:Address? by jaskelling · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not technically Denver. He's in the Boulder/Lafayette area. His address is 2510 Blue Heron Circle, Lafayette, CO. It's publicly available in several Boulder Daily Camera news articles, just in case anyone decides to nuke me for posting personal information. Article link where i found it is below. http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_13109068

    2. Re:Address? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He lives in a Gated Community; was Disappointed when I drove out there and didn't get to see anything.

      Why spend so much money on lights and keep it behind a locked gate?

  3. Hoax? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    In 2004 this was outed as a hoax, he admitted it didn't work. I assume it does now?

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32286-2004Dec28.html

    1. Re:Hoax? by Gription · · Score: 1

      http://archive09.linux.com/feature/59196

  4. Wall Drug by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How many miles to Wall Drug from there?

    1. Re:Wall Drug by Virtucon · · Score: 1

      434 miles if you follow along mostly I-25..

      --
      Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
  5. We Have A Winner! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For UGLIEST website EVER.

    1. Re:We Have A Winner! by danknight48 · · Score: 1

      For UGLIEST website EVER.

      But at least it has character, and a crap load of em.

    2. Re:We Have A Winner! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And yet more usable than the G+.

  6. Direct Webcam Link and COMPLETE History by xmas2003 · · Score: 2

    Since it is not in the summary, here's a direct link to the Controllable Christmas Lights for Celiac Disease.

    And here's an overly long, but complete history of 'em: part1 and part2.

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
    1. Re: Direct Webcam Link and COMPLETE History by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 1

      Is that you Alek?

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
  7. How long is this stupid commercial? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ridiculous.

  8. Wild coincidence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Taking one look at that web site and thinking about an app* my nephew was using this weekend, and a /. article** I've been thinking about recently, and I'M HAVING SERIOUS VISUALS, MAN.

    * https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/christmas-lights-house-decorator/id723261466
    ** http://science.slashdot.org/story/13/12/11/1819227/simulations-back-up-theory-that-universe-is-a-hologram

  9. Haha this again by log0n · · Score: 1

    This is the Christmas equivalent of April 1 Slashdot. Was wondering if the site would make an appearance again this year.

  10. SING! by luckymutt · · Score: 1

    Anyone using Opera will understand the subject line.

  11. fake? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Didn't verify, but: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32286-2004Dec28.html

    1. Re:fake? by ThePhilips · · Score: 1

      Why not WTFV? (watch the fucking video) The man himself explains it all. 2003 and 2004 it was a joke - not even a hoax - 2005 and on it is real.

      --
      All hope abandon ye who enter here.
  12. 4pm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll take no part in a DDOS attack.

  13. Reading comprehension fail? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Scroll up and read the words on the glowing box in front of you, and you will not have to make assumptions.