My first exposure to TRON was in the 1980s. My brother rented a portable LaserDisc player and brought home a copy of the iconic 12-inch optical disc of TRON. We could barely contain our excitement as we hooked it up to the TV and pressed play. Instantly, we were transported into the Grid. I was hooked.
Until then, tinkering with computers had been a fun hobby and a welcome distraction. But in that moment, watching TRON light up our living room, something clicked. I realized I wanted to make computer science my career. I started applying to college programs and eventually earned a spot in the Computer Science program at the University of Tulsa. During my sophomore year, I experienced a personal TRON milestone when I modeled and animated a Light Cycle on a Sun workstation using C++ and X11 Motif. Later, I converted it to POV-Ray (see https://github.com/jasonacox/lightcycle-povray if you dare).
“I kept dreaming of a world I thought I’d never see. And then one day… I got in.”
My career first took me into Civil Engineering, where I put my skills to work creating CAD software. We modeled the world in ones and zeros. Roads, bridges, detention ponds, and utility systems were all drawn onto a digital canvas. Those models became real-world projections, guiding survey crews with lasers and transits to shape the physical environment around us. Construction crews transformed empty fields into neighborhoods, shopping centers, highways, and bridges.
It was TRON brought to concrete.
Then the internet bug bit me. A friend and I began dreaming up a platform to connect families—a network designed for safe, wholesome communication, learning, and exploration. With the help of supportive investors, we launched our idea and quickly expanded, building multiple datacenters linked across the digital grid. We worked tirelessly to create a place where people could connect, learn, and feel welcome.
It was TRON in business.
As the years passed, my career continued to evolve. New opportunities emerged. New technologies arrived. Entire industries transformed. Yet one thing remained constant: the fascination I felt for the intersection of technology, creativity, and human imagination.
I still remember one particular day when I walked into a new role and spotted a TRON poster hanging on a wall. For a moment, time seemed to fold in on itself. I thought back to that kid sitting in front of a television, staring wide-eyed at a glowing world of light cycles and identity discs. The dreams that movie had sparked were no longer dreams. They had become the path I was walking.
Years later, I even had the opportunity to meet Steven Lisberger, the creator of TRON. For a lifelong fan, it felt surreal. It was one of those rare moments when the story that inspired you and the life you’ve lived somehow intersect.
It was TRON brought to life.
“Bio-digital jazz, man!”
Just this past weekend, I took my family to see TRON: Ares. It was absolutely fantastic. The experience was surreal. If you haven’t seen it yet, make some time to catch it in theaters. For TRON fans, there is so much to love in this script.
As I reflect on my journey, I realize that TRON was never really about computers, light cycles, or the Grid. It was about possibility. It taught me to be bold, to embrace new challenges, and to imagine a world where ideas can become reality.
The movie inspired me and helped shape my life and career. It nudged me toward engineering, entrepreneurship, innovation, and lifelong learning. More importantly, it reminded me that technology is ultimately about people. Behind every system, every network, every line of code, there are human beings creating, connecting, and imagining something new.
Whatever your “TRON” is, I encourage you to chase it. Let inspiration fuel your imagination, your work, and your life. The things that capture our hearts often point us toward the future we’re meant to build.
Your passions matter. Your creativity shapes dreams. Whether you’re building technology, telling stories, creating digital worlds, connecting people, solving difficult problems, or helping fellow travelers along the way, you are part of something extraordinary.
Together, let’s build, dream, and innovate.
The Grid awaits.
“You’re a User. You can do anything!”
End of line.
