Time in a XBox

Simon Jansen is just the Kiwi geek to show us Americans what we could accomplish if only we didn't watch so much television. With the exception of one television show, he puts his time toward a more constructive use.

A fan of the BBC's Dr. Who science fiction program and of video games, Simon decided to combine his two loves. He built a TARDIS from scratch to house a MAME console on which to play video games. Being the ever-genial Kiwi, he documented how to create one on his website.

For those not in the know, Dr. Who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which looks like a 1960's English Police Box. For those not in the know about police boxes, they were on street corners for Bobbies to pop in to call the station for backup (or to have a spot of tea, for all I know). They went the way of the phone booth as communication technology rendered them obsolete.

Dr. Who is a campy scifi series that attracted a cult following in the U.K. and to a lesser extent, displaced Trekies in the U.S. It appears that fandom extends to Her Majesty's other colonies, including New Zealand, where Mr. Jansen resides.

The original program ran from the 1963 through the 1989. A second, more hip and fun version started running in 2005. Although the first version's special effects were cheesy and low budget, the second version has a better effects and more well written stories. It is the longest running science fiction show in the world.

A reluctant geek, Mr. Jansen is quick to disclaim his rabid fanboy crown. He quickly disabuses his readers any notion that he dresses up and goes to conventions or anything so, well, geeky. He is explicit that his answering machine message does not say, "We are the Daleks! We are the superior beings! Please leave a message after the EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

Rather, Mr. Jansen says that he just enjoys the story lines and the shoddy special effects. I'd say a website with detailed construction instructions, photographs and, oh, I don't know, owning a TARDIS game machine begs to differ, Mr. Jansen. It begs to differ.