Apperceptions

A Group for Road Node 101

Jan created a SpinXpress group for the Road Node 101 happening.  I have created this post to allow public access to her group (I asked her permission, because groups are generally private and invitation only in SpinXpress).  A simple script inserted into this blog post will cause the group to be displayed on the post page when view the full version of this page (click the "Continue" link below if needed).

There is also a "SpinFeed" (a rich media feed) that you can use to keep up on new contributions to this collaborative space from tools like Mefeedia.

Digital Urban Development: Rooms For Rich Media

Recently, I have been experimenting with new ways to create collaborative "rooms" for use with the Podcast Hotel event in Portland next week.  The general goal is to create ad-hoc web-pages that provide an environment where people can share media captured at the event and make it easily (and instantly) available for anyone to mash-up or re-mix and upload again for others to play with and comment on.  Of course, being a videoblogger, I want these "rooms" to have rich media feeds that I can use in tools like FireAnt.

It is easy to imagine how an enterprise system for this might be designed.  However, part of the challenge was to build on existing tools and infrastructure in order to design and build something that could be used with any kind of web page, particularly blogs like Blogger, WordPress and TypePad.

Another challenge was the the solution could not assume an underlying storage system; blogs like Blogger do not provide storage for media except pictures and those that do (i.e., Typepad) are too limited in bandwidth and storage to support significant uploading and downloading of media files.

I also wanted these collaborative rooms to be simple to add to a web page.  For the moment, this means that it should be no more difficult to use for the author/publisher than inserting a Flickr or Feedburner badge.

I used SpinXpress as the basis of a solution because it is a p2p (person-to-person/peer-to-peer) file sharing tool that allows you to form "groups" (like rooms, or spaces, or networks) where you can store files, bookmarks and comments.  You can also access content in SpinXpress via web services (i.e., HTTP) and, most importantly to a geek like me, you can extend SpinXpress functionality via Java servlets.

So I did that.  I'll leave the technical details to future posts, but basically I created servlets that add XML (XHTML, mRSS, SMIL, XSPF, etc) feeds, forms and handlers that allow one to add a "room" or "group" to a post where people can share files and collaborate.

I will demonstrate this in the very next post.  In the meantime, here is my first SnapZ ProX screencast about SpinXpress.  It just covers the most basic concepts, but should help with the conversation.  Click the pic to view the vid.

Disclaimer: I receive a small sponsorship from Outhink and have equity in the company.

Blip.TV

I spoke with Mike Hudack over at Blip.TV about some of the issues I ran into and they are working to resolve them (and in some cases, already have - fast work Mike!).  It appears that TypePad has some strange ways of timing out and returning errors, so the Blip.TV guys are hard at work dealing with that issue. That's a great attitude.  Mike is trying to deal with the issue, rather than push it off as a TypePad issue. My picture is also showing up fine now and it's easier to get to my site from Blip.TV 

I turned Dustin (vid) on to Blip.TV and now he's vlogging.

Node 101 Discussions

Last night, the videoblogging video conference was home to an important discussion about "getting the word out" about videoblogging.  Michael Verdi shared his and Ryanne Hodson's vision of the Node 101 project to help teach people to videoblog and provided needed videoblogging resources.

Several ideas were discussed and actions proposed and Micheal Sullivan summarized them well in a post to the Yahoo Videoblogging group:

Verdi emphasizes teaching, a place to teach... with hopes that some will themselves teach others (teach the teachers). This seems to be the main objective and Node101 would in essence extend what Verdi and others have already been doing this year... by creating a template of sorts that others can work off of.  There is not any single way to go about creating a Node.... It has been said that Nodes can cost almost no money to setup.  This is true... since space and equipment can be donated/loaned.  More aggressive efforts would obviously cost some money to establish...their seems to be a strong interest in fund raising so that those who are teaching can get compensated. The other interest seems to be specific to some initial Nodes (NY, San Antonio) which would actually have a designated space of their own and offer full-time access and staff person(s).  This is not to say that every Node would need to *setup shop* but this is a goal of the core Node101 members...fund raising is needed... ...Node101 would be a combination of HardNodes and SoftNodes where the latter would be a more mobile approach akin to the apple store presentations, meetups and workshops where participants gather at pre-determined locations.... and the former HardNodes would be their own permanent space... Road Tours... part of Node101...

Check the Yahoo group emails for Verdi's reply and more great discussion.

The video conference archive is here.

Dave's Party

Watch the video

We went up to Silicon Valley to party with our friend Dave. Alicia is vlogging everything, including the food.

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Ok, so this was my first experience with Blip.TV and I can't say it went too well.  First off, Blip created eight copies of this post.  I did not know this until Michael Verdi told me! (thanks Michael!). So I had to drop everything, find a computer I could use and delete the extra copies.  Big loss of trust there. 

Other issues: I tried setting up a "blog" on their site.  The HTML sidebar I added previews ok, but is not actually displayed properly (at all) on their "blog" (it shows up as markup code).  I also get an error when I follow their links to my "blog", but it show's up ok if I go press their sidebar link.  Confusing.  There does not appear to be any way to delete a video, once you have uploaded it.

When it comes time to post to your own vlog, there is no post template that you can edit at this time and so you have to be happy with the photo centered and titled like above.  There is no support for Typepad categories when posting.   The categories or keywords offered by Blip.TV are abysmal.

Also, IMO, Blip.TV makes it difficult for viewers to find your own vlog site; it feels like they are trying to keep viewers "locked in" to their site or something.

I tried their "alpha" video recording feature for Safari, but it crashed the Apple browser.  I guess slapping the word "alpha" and saying "but it's free" makes that all ok. 

It appears that Blip.TV is not quite ready for prime-time. 

Their about page indicates that Blip.TV has put little thought into their business model.  Like so many, they are just figuring it out as they go.  Think of how great it would have been if all the work and effort it took to put together Blip.TV had been put into OurMedia instead of making a yet another half-baked competitor that has no better chance for survival.  Pity.

Node 101 Needs

Lately I have been talking to quite a few people about trying to get some videoblogging centers started.  People ask, "what do you need?".  I'll tell you.

Click the pic to view the vid.

Alex Williams Comes To Ojai

This weekend I finally got to meet Alex Williams.  He came to Ojai to do some podcasting and videoblogging at an investment conference/seminar held here at the Ojai Valley Inn.  Alex asked me to give him a hand with the video.  I took a quick photo with my iPAQ as he was working.  Great fun.  We even got fed (thanks!).

Alex is the guy who got me set up with the video conferences and it was great to finally meet him in person, hang and work together (he's the one with the digital recorder in the pic).  Alex and I are also doing some work together for the Podcast Hotel event in September in Portland.  We are using SpinXpress to create online "rooms" for the hotel using "SpinFeeds".  Cool stuff and I'll share more info on that over the next few weeks.

House of Shields

I mentioned earlier that Alicia and I went up to Silicon Valley and San Francisco last week to attend our friend Dave Toole's 50th birthday bash and to catch the Eric Rice Roadshow.

The roadshow was at our favorite San Francisco drinking establishment: Schlomo's House of Shields.

Here's a little video I stitched together to the beat of Pink Fish Signs by GeeNerve, Suspence Dance Delights.  Lounge music from the Internet Archive that's licensed as a-nc-sa.

I've included a short public service announcement from Jan (of Sound) at the end.

Click the movie pic to view the vid.

Napkin & Notebook Sketches

More from the Eric Rice Roadshow in San Francisco. 

While Shawn drew vlog architecture drawings for me, Renegade and Alicia drew pictures of the other vloggers.  Here is one Rene drew of Schlomo.  Click the pic for to view full sized.  Below is one of me from Alicia.

Check out more sketches on my Flickr photostream.

Eric Rice Roadshow: San Francisco

Alicia and I caught up with the Eric Rice Roadshow in San Francisco last week.  Just a week after BlogHer, I got to see Eric, Rene, Shawn, Chris and Schlomo again and we got to meet Eric's cohorts Josh and Tony.

The roadshow was great.  Alicia and Rene drew portraits on napkins, while a small band played upstairs in Schlomo's bar.  Photographers and videoheads were running around snapping pics and vids of the band and everything else (Eric has the coolest equipment by far - great video and audio).

I really liked this setting as it was very small and laid back, giving a chance for newbies like Alicia and I to get to hang, learn and play with others who are interested in creating, sharing and collaborating on different forms of new media.

So, what do vloggers and podcasters and creatives do after a roadshow meetup?  Go out for breakfast at 1am of, of course.  We all went over to a great little dinner over on Church Street (near Market, I think).  Then back outside for a smoke break and some parting last words.

Here's a great little moment (well, about two minutes) where Shawn, Rene and Eric are talking about videoblogging workshops, videobloggers with unusal names (Have you ever noticed that both Eric Rice and Zadi Diaz have first and last names that use the same letters?)  Strange.  I never noticed that before.

I love the excitement in Shawn's voice as he talks about teaching videoblogging related workshops.  So many videobloggers love to participate in meetups, workshops and presentations.  It's great.

Click the pic to view the vid.

Videoblogging Video Conference: Content

Summary of the Videoblogging Video Conference
Tuesday August 16 5pm PDT

Click here for the entire video conference archive.
Click here for future video conference schedules.
Click here for the video conference minutes, participant list, world map and chat log.

Another videoblogger virtual meetup was held online this evening.  There were 35 particpants.  Motivated by a video posted by Jay and Ryanne and a post by Clint Sharp, the proposed topic for the evening was "content".

Initially, the discussion started out around the idea of creating collaborative pieces within and outside the conference room. It then moved into the topic of critiques and constructive criticism and, from there, into a discussion of new types of content and new content creators.

Above, Jen Simmons asks "What's possible in videoblogging?...What are people getting excited about?"

The chewinggumvolley.com Podcast

Chris at 49Media.com has interviewed a bunch of videobloggers for his podcasts and Mariah of MissingKittenTV mentioned this chewinggumvolly podcast on her vlog after learning about it from Chris.  Now I'm listening (good stuff!) and I note that there are some great props to Chris in the 8th CGV podcast for his interview with the podcaster!  What goes around, comes around!  Check it out.

Link: The chewinggumvolley.com Podcast.

Webzine 2005

Webzine 2005 is coming up next month in San Francisco!  I've volunteered to participate in the Videoblogging workshop and panel.  This looks like it is going to be fun and off the wall.  Rene and Schlomo are organizing.  There might be a videoblogger meetup in SF that week too.  Today is the deadline for confirming your interest in helping out with any of the interesting workshops, panels and parties for this great event that is being held at the Swedish American Hall on Market Street.

Hollywood History Lessons

There has been some discussion lately in the Yahoo Videoblogging Group about "attitude" and the political correctness of people's replies to certain questions, particularly questions about sustainability.

Instead of discussing it here further, I offer this interesting documentary audio recording (mp3) that I found in the Internet Archive about "New Music in Los Angeles".  I think it is an interesting story about culture clash between refugee creatives from Europe and "Hollywood types" in the mid-1930's.

Food for thought and good for you.  I think we can learn much about culture clashes within videoblogging from this.  Remember, "those who fail to study the past are doomed to repeat it", or so they say.

Videoconference Reviews at "We Are The Media"

We've started posting short reviews of the Videoblogging video conferences over at We Are The Media. 

Here's part of today's post ...

Today's Flashmeeting video conference stirred some passions as several people debated the pro's and con's of using Apple's Quicktime 7 with videoblogs.  The participants also discussed the general topics of high definition (HD), making money with videoblogging, the new Mefeedia video thumbnails "hack", the Webzine 2005 event and podcasting video with iTunes.

The picture above shows new member Kunga sharing his passion for HD with the group.  The picture below shows each participant's physical location.  Note how many of the participants now have "cams" ... (more at We Are The Media) 

E-Band Remix Remixed Again

And the re-mixes just keep on coming...

Watch movie 1.9 min 6.7 MB (Original post, via blip.tv)

MeFeedia Video Archive

Too cool!  MeFeedia just set up this neat script for creating a video archive page.

Video archive by Mefeedia

First Impressions

Mortaine (Stephanie Bryant) has asked for some first impressions.  Here's mine.  Click the pic to view the vid.  As with all my content, you are free to re-mix it (a-nc-sa for those hip to creative commons).

Meet The Vloggers

Video Conference Minutes

Meet The Videobloggers
Thursday 1PM-2PM PDT
August 4th 2005

An important meeting was held on-line today to discuss the future of videoblogging presentations, workshops and events like the recent Meet The Vloggers presentations at Apple stores in NYC (SOHO) and San Francisco, as well as presentations at Woods Hole Film Institute and the San Francisco Academy of Art.  Issues of costs, promotion, sponsorships, artistic freedom, integrity and coordinating efforts were discussed as well in this one hour meeting.  Several related action items were proposed, including the continuation of this discussion both in regularly scheduled video conferences and on a new wiki page.

Jay Dedman Interviews Marc Canter at BlogHer

More from BlogHer.  Between sessions, I caught up on the videoblogging video conference, while Jay Dedman interviewed Marc Canter about OurMedia.

Jay's intervew is on his site at Momentshowing.net

Click the pic to view the vid.

BlogHer Discussions

Rene caught this during a discussion of the Technorati 100, which many agreed was bullshit.

I think this is the first photo of me where I wasn't being asked to say 'cheese'.  I really like it. 

Photo by renegade.

Click the pic to view the photo.

Mena Trott at BlogHer

Here is an audio only Quicktime recording of Mena Trott at the opening session discussion at BlogHer in Santa Clara on Saturday morning July 30, 2005.

Click the pic to play the recording.

Photo by renegade

Marc Canter at BlogHer

Here is an audio only Quicktime recording I made with my new PowerBook.

Click the pic to play the recording.

Photo by renegade.