Video, technology and life

I must say that I wondered why people did blogs, so I started this one. As much for myself to understand what it is about, as to force me to look at what is happening on the web, what people are using, and why they do, could or should, as for any possible readers out there who may have the same interest. And, the conclusion is - it is addictive!!!

An update on Dabble - I managed to get onto their website (did the initial review during some freetime at the office, and Sonicwall decided that this was unsuitable content as it was rated 'Mature Content/Pornography', probably because it had to do with videos. You sometimes have to wonder how Sonicwall and other content filtering devices at offices 'rate' sites. Even my daughter's space on DeviantArt gets rated Mature Content and is blocked every now and then. Anyhow, enough about SonicWall and more about Dabble - it does have some interesting aspects to it, it would seem. If you are interested in online videos to snack on, this can give you some guidelines. It is not, as I had thought initially, just for sorting your own videos, but allows you to sort videos you like across the various video web sites, and contains lists of peoples favourite videos from various sites. Some that I browsed were from YouTube (naturally...) and others from various other sites. Staying with the whole concept of community rating, it is I suppose a video form of de.licio.us, showing you videos that have been aggregated by others, and in that way getting to the most popular.

Something in the same line is MetaCafe, but only for own content. They claim to serve the best videos! They are rated by viewers, and the site works on the basis that the producers of the videos get paid, based on the popularity of their work! Browse around it and see if you think it is well rated by the community! It is different in the sense that revenue is shared with those that submit popular content. In that sense it becomes an incentive for people who produce good content, to register and post onto this site. The prime difference between this and say YouTube is that the people who post content can make money out of it if it is good. For instance, I am being totally honest here now, I browsed, yes I know..., a Star Trek/Monty Python mash-up. A mash-up, for those who don't know, is a mix of two or more videos and content to create a different version to what the directors had originally intended. Generally to introduce humour of some variety. Sad to have to admit it, isn't it? Ah sure. I liked the concept and some of the material. Will it compete against YouTube? Don't think so, but it will attract a different market - people looking for interesting produced content rather than wanting to watch someone singing a current pop song in a crackling voice dressed in their grandma's dress. (Ooohhhh, I can just imagine a fervent YouTube fan reading this and can picture it raising his/her hackles..)It is not about personal videos, but something that has been created. Call it a showcase for amateur personal WebTV production houses.

However, what these start-ups demonstrate more and more is how the Internet is delivering WebTV and video content to the users and gradually eroding the traditional TV market. People have been watching whatever traditional TV stations have been serving up, because there was no alternative. The Internet is delivering an alternative. Big Brother and other reality TV shows have shown how this can attract audiences, and the reality TV show to beat them all, YouTube, has shown just how this can draw viewers and change viewing habits. Most news stations now have video content on their sites, so you can catch the breaking news on your desktop better than on your telly. And, with the new LCD screens having become so dominant since prices dropped, you literally have a screen the size of your old TV on your desktop. All these changes are combining to dramatically change the way in which we interact with our world and source our entertainment.

These new start-ups are all a reflection of these changes. They have to be approached with caution, and for those with children, it is a blessing and a curse at the same time. Children now divide their total screen time per day between mobile phone, telly and Internet, and parents are well advised to ensure they teach their children how to surf responsibly. My own experience from the office with SonicWall demonstrates the fallibility of content filtering devices and software blocking entire sites, rather than specific content. However, if I had young children browsing the web today, I guess I would prefer to err on the side of caution, rather than exposing a young child to the vagaries of the web.