It has been a very busy week in our MIT program. In our Internet Technology we used the JavaScript to write a small application to run on the ebiz server and display on our iPhone. I am not that good with Java but I could follow along with what we were supposed to do. And surprisingly, my JavaScript worked. However, I did learn several things to do when working with Java, or any programming language.
Java uses opening and closing tags (so does HTML & XML) to tell the program running the code what to do. And you have to use the tags in a set or your code won't compile and run (it will have errors). In my Java classes I always left off the closing tag, not always the same closing tag but I would leave off a tag. In last week's class Dr. Piercy told us that when working with tags, brackets or parens, always put the set (opening and closing) tags and then put your code in between the tags. This way you don't have to worry about missing a tag and you won't spend time looking for the error in your code. Trust me, this will save you an enormous amount of time looking for errors. This tip to add the tags as a pair rather than one at a time is very basic and something that I would have never thought of myself. In the Java classes I was so intent on getting the methods right that I didn't even think of how to minimize my errors. My goodness, I love this tip.
And the most important thing I learned in class this past week is that I can write code and it will work. It is such an amazing thing to be able to write code, compile it, and then it actually works. It is so satisfying!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Best Practices for Videos on the Web
This is not the definitive list for best practices on video on the web, however, it is a good start. As I continue to learn more about web development this list will evolve.
Best Practices Checklist for Production and Distributing Video on the Web
1. Know your primary users
2. Determine the primary purpose of the web site and the video
3. Make sure the video will play on the most popular versions of all browsers and
bandwidth
4. Use streaming so that a file or codec is not needed
5. Keep the resolution of the video relatively low to allow of faster download speeds
6. Make sure each video serves a clear purpose and enhances rather than
distracts from the site
7. Be sure captions are provided for each video used
8. Be sure download time and playing time for the video are indicated
9. Be mindful of any copyright rules and regulations
10. If using a video on a web site be careful where the video is placed within the site
11. Be very careful if you choose to have the video begin automatically when the page
is accessed, make sure this is appropriate for the situation. If you choose to
have the video auto start, the volume should set so that it is not be too loud or too
soft. The video player should also have volume controls available for the user.
12. Don’t construct barriers to viewing the video, i.e., ask the viewer to download a
special software, register for the site, or log in before the viewer can view the
video
13. Provide the viewer control over the video, not only of the volume, but fast-forward,
rewind, pause, and playback size
Best Practices Checklist for Production and Distributing Video on the Web
1. Know your primary users
2. Determine the primary purpose of the web site and the video
3. Make sure the video will play on the most popular versions of all browsers and
bandwidth
4. Use streaming so that a file or codec is not needed
5. Keep the resolution of the video relatively low to allow of faster download speeds
6. Make sure each video serves a clear purpose and enhances rather than
distracts from the site
7. Be sure captions are provided for each video used
8. Be sure download time and playing time for the video are indicated
9. Be mindful of any copyright rules and regulations
10. If using a video on a web site be careful where the video is placed within the site
11. Be very careful if you choose to have the video begin automatically when the page
is accessed, make sure this is appropriate for the situation. If you choose to
have the video auto start, the volume should set so that it is not be too loud or too
soft. The video player should also have volume controls available for the user.
12. Don’t construct barriers to viewing the video, i.e., ask the viewer to download a
special software, register for the site, or log in before the viewer can view the
video
13. Provide the viewer control over the video, not only of the volume, but fast-forward,
rewind, pause, and playback size
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Google Docs vs. Zoho
I have played around with both Google Docs (http://docs.google.com/#all) and Zoho
(http://docs.zoho.com/index.do)but I don't know that I have enough information to accurately compare the two applications. If you do the comparison based on the listing of the options available with each one, it appears that Zoho is the more robust of the two. I also found it interesting that you can sign up to use Zoho by using your Google log in. You can also upload documents from Google Docs to Zoho but I could not determine if the reciprocal was also true.
From the main screen in Zoho you can access and share the following: word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, pictures, music and videos. On the Google Docs you can access and share: word documents or pdf documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You also can access and share your pictures, music and videos but you have to leave the Docs application and access another application and this seems a bit cumbersome compared to Zoho.
Both Zoho and Google Docs have size limitations, Zoho offers 1GB storage for free and then it costs depending on how much storage space you need. Google Docs has size limitations at the individual document level. Granted the sizes in Google are very large and will not impede how most people use the application, however, I don't know of very many non-tech people that really pay attention to the size of an individual document, spreadsheet or presentation.
And this leads directly to probably the deciding factor in which application to use-Google Docs is free and there is a cost to use certain parts within Zoho (in addition to the storage pricing). Free beats not free most every time especially if the differences in the two applications is minor. I think more people are aware of Google Docs and will be more at ease with the way this application works. Google Docs help screens are straight forward with backup documentation. The Zoho help screens are also straight forward but with a little less information on the screen, however, this is augmented by a database for additional help topics.
I would probably choose to use Google Docs because it is more well known of the two and is more likely to be used by my peers and cohorts. However, my preference would be to use Zoho because of the greater number of options within Zoho. And of these two, because of the Google name I believe Docs will be the most successful.
(http://docs.zoho.com/index.do)but I don't know that I have enough information to accurately compare the two applications. If you do the comparison based on the listing of the options available with each one, it appears that Zoho is the more robust of the two. I also found it interesting that you can sign up to use Zoho by using your Google log in. You can also upload documents from Google Docs to Zoho but I could not determine if the reciprocal was also true.
From the main screen in Zoho you can access and share the following: word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, pictures, music and videos. On the Google Docs you can access and share: word documents or pdf documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You also can access and share your pictures, music and videos but you have to leave the Docs application and access another application and this seems a bit cumbersome compared to Zoho.
Both Zoho and Google Docs have size limitations, Zoho offers 1GB storage for free and then it costs depending on how much storage space you need. Google Docs has size limitations at the individual document level. Granted the sizes in Google are very large and will not impede how most people use the application, however, I don't know of very many non-tech people that really pay attention to the size of an individual document, spreadsheet or presentation.
And this leads directly to probably the deciding factor in which application to use-Google Docs is free and there is a cost to use certain parts within Zoho (in addition to the storage pricing). Free beats not free most every time especially if the differences in the two applications is minor. I think more people are aware of Google Docs and will be more at ease with the way this application works. Google Docs help screens are straight forward with backup documentation. The Zoho help screens are also straight forward but with a little less information on the screen, however, this is augmented by a database for additional help topics.
I would probably choose to use Google Docs because it is more well known of the two and is more likely to be used by my peers and cohorts. However, my preference would be to use Zoho because of the greater number of options within Zoho. And of these two, because of the Google name I believe Docs will be the most successful.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Death comes to the Television industry-or How video broadcasting on the web came to rule the world
I chose to watch Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog (http://www.hulu.com/watch/28343/dr-horribles-sing-along-blog) mainly because it is the one Dr Piercy suggested in our assignment. As I watched this video I was amazed at the clarity of both the audio and video especially since I was watching it using a wireless internet router, and I don't have the most up to date laptop or software. I watched this video on my laptop exactly when I wanted to and when I had to stop to take care of something I just paused the video, took care of the task and came back to my laptop. There were a few commercial breaks, 3 I think, that totaled no more than 30 seconds each which to me is a tolerable amount of time. Afterward, I thought about which TV shows I would now watch using my laptop rather than the television set. What will be the implications to the television industry of having the ability to watch video broadcasting on the web especially if people like me (middle aged woman) turn to the web rather than the family tv set.
The generalization can be made that teens and 20-somethings are less patient and more ego-centric. Basically, they want what they want when and how they want it and if it doesn't fit with their neighbor's wants and needs, then too bad. Video broadcasting plays right into this mindset. It allows the end user to download a movie, television show, video blog, etc at the end user's convenience not when a television executive determines a show should air based on demographics, advertising dollars, or whatever. And the end user is not tied to the television set. As long as there is internet access you can watch a video.
From the end user, or consumer, perspective the advantages of videos via the web are the convenience factor as mentioned above. If you have a computer and internet access then you are set. Also, this type of viewing is relatively low in cost and there is no (or very little) content oversight. The lack of oversight can also be a disadvantage if you happen to have children in the house. However, there is no guarantee that the use of the internet will remain 'free'. Some industry executives believe within the next five years we will be paying for content received via the interest (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10364141-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5). As television revenue decreases the search for other revenue streams will intensify and the likelihood of assessing fees on internet content will be one of the first to be explored.
From the perspective of the producers of internet videos, this is a low cost (relative to television) media and offers small and/or independent film makers the opportunity to showcase his/her work. Also, the lack of content oversight is another advantage over television. As long as the producers of the videos continue to provide what consumers want to see, then advances in the delivery mechanisms will continue (increase bandwidth, faster delivery speed, sharper video & audio) and consumers will continue to use the web and will continue to demand more content which will decrease television usage further ultimately, forcing the television industry to rethink it's current model. What this model will be in the future, I do not know.
The generalization can be made that teens and 20-somethings are less patient and more ego-centric. Basically, they want what they want when and how they want it and if it doesn't fit with their neighbor's wants and needs, then too bad. Video broadcasting plays right into this mindset. It allows the end user to download a movie, television show, video blog, etc at the end user's convenience not when a television executive determines a show should air based on demographics, advertising dollars, or whatever. And the end user is not tied to the television set. As long as there is internet access you can watch a video.
From the end user, or consumer, perspective the advantages of videos via the web are the convenience factor as mentioned above. If you have a computer and internet access then you are set. Also, this type of viewing is relatively low in cost and there is no (or very little) content oversight. The lack of oversight can also be a disadvantage if you happen to have children in the house. However, there is no guarantee that the use of the internet will remain 'free'. Some industry executives believe within the next five years we will be paying for content received via the interest (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10364141-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5). As television revenue decreases the search for other revenue streams will intensify and the likelihood of assessing fees on internet content will be one of the first to be explored.
From the perspective of the producers of internet videos, this is a low cost (relative to television) media and offers small and/or independent film makers the opportunity to showcase his/her work. Also, the lack of content oversight is another advantage over television. As long as the producers of the videos continue to provide what consumers want to see, then advances in the delivery mechanisms will continue (increase bandwidth, faster delivery speed, sharper video & audio) and consumers will continue to use the web and will continue to demand more content which will decrease television usage further ultimately, forcing the television industry to rethink it's current model. What this model will be in the future, I do not know.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Rich Web Technologies
During class last Thursday we discussed rich web technologies and a few of the available software applications that can be used to deliver content in a more meaningful way to end users. I found it interesting that most of the products we discussed were rolled out to the market place at about the same time. But, the products vary greatly in the features available. The application used most frequently appears to be Adobe AIR and I imagine this is because it is free, works outside the browser and works with all platforms. But most of the other applications we discussed also worked with all platforms, and with the exception of one, work outside the browser, and several of them are also free. So what gives? I don't have the answer but I think the fact that Adobe AIR works with Adobe Flash has a great deal to do with it's popularity. I am aware that other applications also work with Flash but an Adobe application working with an Adobe application is probably a big draw when it comes to choosing which one to use.
I also found it mildly interesting that JavaFX is a late comer to this party. With the popularity of Java I thought the JavaFX application would be one of the major players in the rich media technologies arena. But JavaFX is almost an "also ran" product. By this I mean it came to the market place well after several of the other applications and it is lacking many of the bells and whistles of the others. Because of this, relative to the other applications available, JavaFX is not used by very many developers.
I also found it mildly interesting that JavaFX is a late comer to this party. With the popularity of Java I thought the JavaFX application would be one of the major players in the rich media technologies arena. But JavaFX is almost an "also ran" product. By this I mean it came to the market place well after several of the other applications and it is lacking many of the bells and whistles of the others. Because of this, relative to the other applications available, JavaFX is not used by very many developers.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
E3 - Twitter Tools
One of the nice things about Twitter is the Twitter API. The Twitter developers provide code so that other application developers can easily incorporate Twitter into their applications. And the code is free, how awesome is this. Because of this largess there are hundreds of applications that you can use to access Twitter or data mine Twitter. Here are a few of the available applications.
1. Twitpic-this application allows a user to easily upload pictures to Twitter. This is especially helpful for businesses that are marketing new products, or want to set your Twitter site apart from all others. www.twitpic.com
2. TweetDeck-this is a desktop and and iPhone application (iPhone available June 2009) that allows you to filter and group tweets, both the user's own and other's tweets. This would be an effective application for a small business to look for new marketing opportunities. www.tweetdeck.com
3. EarthTwit-this is a web based application that you can use to update your location and/or share places on Twitter using Google Earth. This is a wonderful application that a business (especially a small business) could use to mobilize delivery people or monitor sales personnel. And another use could be a parent keeping track of a teenager, which doesn't say too much about trust between the parent and child. www.twitearth.com
4. BallsAndTweets.com-this is a Twitter baseball directory, all things baseball. A fantasy baseball team owner's dream site. www.BallsAndTweets.com
5. Twibes-a website you can use to group Twitter users based on their interests and hobbies. This can be used by businesses for target marketing, research, and many other uses. Not to mention this is a really cool name. www.twibes.com
1. Twitpic-this application allows a user to easily upload pictures to Twitter. This is especially helpful for businesses that are marketing new products, or want to set your Twitter site apart from all others. www.twitpic.com
2. TweetDeck-this is a desktop and and iPhone application (iPhone available June 2009) that allows you to filter and group tweets, both the user's own and other's tweets. This would be an effective application for a small business to look for new marketing opportunities. www.tweetdeck.com
3. EarthTwit-this is a web based application that you can use to update your location and/or share places on Twitter using Google Earth. This is a wonderful application that a business (especially a small business) could use to mobilize delivery people or monitor sales personnel. And another use could be a parent keeping track of a teenager, which doesn't say too much about trust between the parent and child. www.twitearth.com
4. BallsAndTweets.com-this is a Twitter baseball directory, all things baseball. A fantasy baseball team owner's dream site. www.BallsAndTweets.com
5. Twibes-a website you can use to group Twitter users based on their interests and hobbies. This can be used by businesses for target marketing, research, and many other uses. Not to mention this is a really cool name. www.twibes.com
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