Something That Happened.

Since the dawning of the millennium, the technology of writing has changed very little in the offline world, the various tools (read: pens and pencils) changing only in brand, perhaps, and the materials on which we write (read: paper) changing only minutely in the elements of its composition. In terms of the Internet, however, there are constant, ever-changing technological "advances", and the craft of writing -- in particular, the blogcraft -- has become a cat-and-mouse chase of getting accustomed to the latest technological changes as newer improvements are constantly being introduced.

Take Blogger, for example, the blogging tool I've been using for years to post to something that happened. Blogger began as a relatively simple application -- and still is, in comparison to many of the other tools available for publishing to blogs -- yet as it has developed over the years, with more and more features being introduced to the service, many bloggers have desired to go "back to the basics". That is, many bloggers prefer to use even simpler applications to post to their blogs.

Thing is, Blogger is about as simple as it gets (when it comes to posting to a blog using a web app). Yet because of the very nature of the tool (because it is a web app, that is), Blogger depends upon the reliability of your Internet connection, and if you're attempting to use the application from a public WiFi access point, where your wireless 'Net access may come and go depending upon how many of your fellow caffeine addicts are sharing the connection, you may find yourself wishing for a more simple solution.

Enter Google Docs, a set of writing applications I am using for the first time today. The applications are web apps, similar to Blogger (and owned by the same company, Google), but they seem -- at least, upon first glance -- more intended for the task of writing, rather than blogging. That is, they seem -- and perhaps this is wishful thinking, on my part -- more simply able to handle the task of rightly writing. (I realize that last phrase probably doesn't make much sense, at least in a legitimate classic use of the English language, but it does makes sense when you consider that the word processing feature we now use in Google Docs was once known as a service called Writely. That is, before it was acquired by Google. Alright? Right...onword, then!) The Google Docs word processing application I'm using to type this sentence seems, for example, more equipped at handling the task of simply writing your thoughts out and having them automatically saved as you plunge forward with your writing of that Great American Novel (or Blog).

Still, there's the 'Net reliability thing again. Since Google Docs are web apps, they count on your Internet connection, and perhaps just as much as Blogger does. (Maybe more so, even -- I don't know yet.) So only time will tell whether my use of Google Docs proves simpler to use than Blogger. If a flaky WiFi connection disrupts the saving of the documents I compose using the service, then I may have to resume the cat-and-mouse chase sooner than I'm hoping. Yet if it turns out that the service works well, continuing to perform more reliably (and in a simpler manner) than Blogger, than perhaps I'll be able to rest with my cheese for awhile.

Technorati Tags: Harold, Google Docs, blogging, writing, technology

Labels: Blogger, blogging, commentary, Google Docs, observations, technology, web services, writing

My Fifth Day contribution to Videoblogging Week 2007.



(Thanks, Hipcast!)



Does a (Moving) Picture Say a Thousand Words, or Nothing At All?

Labels: Flash video, Hipcast.com, Internet TV, Internet video, Videoblogging Week, Videoblogging Week 2007, web services, webcam video

So we've reached Day 04 of the web video experiment they call Videoblogging Week 2007, and here's my post for the day, another Vlippin' video:







The service is new, and the embedded player needs work (in my opinion), but you'll find my contribution by clicking the start button and either:




a) waiting for my video to show up



or



b) clicking the next button until I show up

Labels: feedback, Flash video, Internet video, observations, video, Videoblogging Week, Videoblogging Week 2007, Vlip, web services, webcam video, websites

For Day Three of Videoblogging Week 2007, I'm posting my latest Vlip video.

Labels: Flash video, observations, startups, Videoblogging Week, Videoblogging Week 2007, Vlip, web services, webcam video

There are dudes like Kosso who keep me excited about podcasting and its related technologies; he simply has that energy, that spark, that personality that makes you want to be involved with whatever he is doing. He's also got a good sense of humor.



So today Kosso is teasing us -- that is, the world -- about the portending debut of Podcast.com. No, no, wait -- that's inaccurate, for Podcast.com has already debuted. Simply visit the site; it's already there, see? And it's been there awhile...



I'm not being clear here. Allow Kosso to explain:

It won’t be too long now until we can start to creak open the doors of development and let some more people into the system at podcast.com to get testing and using it!

And:

The geeks ‘under the bonnet’ here are also very excited about all the DATA (mmmmmm!) which you’ll be able to generate at podcast.com, which could be used in so many other podcast applications. Even one you might want to create yourself! There is heaps and heaps of RSS and OPML for you to play with.

I'm intrigued.

Labels: Kosso, Podcast.com, podcasting, web development, web services, websites

What's with Blogger not being able to keep us logged in anymore? I really dig the New Blogger, but It seems I have to log in each and every time I wish to make a new blog post. How irritating.

I'll tell you what else is irritating: When you're sleeping on the night of Saint Patrick's holiday, only to be awakened at the sound of your only door being kicked out of it's frame by some criminals who aren't your friends. Yes, some fools actually broke into my home yesterday. Now that's irritating, yes, indeed. Probably Karma coming back around to deliver a good swift reminder of my own past misdeeds...

What's irritating you today? Come on, there's gotta be something. Maybe it'll feel good for you to post it here, in my comments area.

Labels: annoyances, Blogger, incident, Saint Patrick's, something that happened, true stories, web services

My first vlip videos (currently the 6th and 7th videos in the batch, which you may skip to once you start the player below):

Labels: Internet video, Peter D. Csathy, Vlip, web services, webcam video, websites

Been posting commentary a bit more often here lately, rather than narratives; hope you don't mind. Here's an item I should probably be mentioning on my blog and video podcast Video Harold, but I want folks to see the video I've got posted there before I begin resuming my text posts.



NewTeeVee reports the addition of Vlip to the personal webcam community offerings already out there. My question is, why did the new Internet video sharing service, Vlip, select a name so close to one of their established competitors, Blip? Is it because they hope to be confused with Blip, a very well-constructed website/service?



Name aside, I'm going to be optimistic about the service, which I've now registered for and am later going to be delving into. It's always exciting for me to learn about the launch of a new web video service. Okay, maybe not always; perhaps this whole online video craze is already getting old for some of us living on the cutting edge. When I say us, though, I don't really mean me. I'm not bored with online video yet, and perhaps never will be; there's alot of good stuff out there, mixed in with the bad, and I'm interested in seeing how video migrates to mobile devices.



I'm rambling. Let's get back to Vlip. So I'm not sure how the service works yet, and I don't have the time to check it out tonight, but if you can find my member site over on Vlip.com -- if I have one, that is -- then make sure to vlip me off, vuckers!

Labels: Blip, commentary, Flash video, Internet video, NewTeeVee, Vlip, web services, websites