Josh Sager Media: Creative Technologies Blog

According to CNet’s report MPEGLA has decided to extended the free-streaming policy until December 31, 2015 for the H.264 codec. Which  means that for the time being we call all continue to use the H.264 codec on the web for our video without any financial consequences.

That could spell bad news for Mozilla, who’s backing the .ogg format for the video tag in HTML5. They are in favor of an open standard like the .ogg format.

For those who are counting. Here are where the current players stand.

• Opera -.ogg (on the way)
• Mozilla - .ogg
• Google - H.264
• Apple - H.264
• Microsoft - nothing

Just another bump in the road on the web to ubiquitous web standards where video is concerned.  It appears, at least for the time being that Flash is still the best way to delivery video content on the web. I guess sometimes it pays to have a 3rd party plug-in.

Instructor: Joshua Sager

Course meets March 6, 13, 20 and 27

Time: 9:00am - 1:00pm

Each Saturday will cover a new technology starting with Web Standards, moving on to JavaScript, then ActionScript 3.0, and finally Flex. Each session will be jam packed so bring your notebook and a way to save your work!

RSVP for the Web Overview (PTI Alumni only)

Four trips to AIR, 10 transparencies, and one month later I’ve finally done it.  My first two color screen printed poster.  The final count of “good” prints are still being tallied. Honestly I’m not too concerned.  It was a great learning experience and that was worth all of the mistakes, redos, and spilled ink.  There’s just something great about producing something tangible.  A big thanks to Hannah and Jen over at AIR. You ladies are the BEST!

It’s a hot button topic and yes I am biased.  But I’m growing tired of the Flash hate that’s been growing over last few years. I’m also tired of defending the technology.  So I’m going to break it down as simple as I can why I believe HTML5 won’t kill Flash.

• Interactive Storytelling and Emotional Communiction
• Flash is not static

Say It Ain’t So Steve

It was recently rumored that Steve Jobs held a town hall style meeting to discuss plans for Apple. In this meeting he allegedly said:

Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash, he says. The world is moving to HTML5. - Steve Jobs

One’s and Zero’s Are Not the Problem

HTML5 will be a much needed upgrade. And i’m really excited for continued standardization especially when it comes to audio and video.  However, Steve if you’re reading this, Flash is a proprietary technology and it may not be optimized for your devices but it’s popularity can not be tossed aside.  Why not?  Well, it offers something that no other technology provides. Interactive storytelling that appeals to human emotion.  Read that again and really take it in.

Interactive Story Telling and Emotional Communication

No one can dispute that video is a great way to tell a story.  Although you can do it with words the old adage does say a picture tells a thousand words. And at 24 frames per second, that’s a lot of words.  Despite video being a great way to communicate on an emotional level it’s locked into to a specific sequence.  Plainly video lacks interactivity.

Flash is not static

You see Flash fits nicely between the emotional response of video and the interactive capabilities of HTML5.  Despite both of these technologies being great at what they do HTML5 and video are static.

static

a : characterized by a lack of movement, animation, or progression b : producing an effect of repose or quiescence <a static design>

Video lacks dynamic user driven controls and HTML5 via javascript can animate content but it lacks storytelling.

This isn’t about key frames and it’s not about file formats. Really think about that. It’s about sequentially dynamic communication. Their combined weaknesses of HTML5 and Video are the strengths of Flash platform.

Would you ever create a movie with JQuery? No. It’s a great technology for transitions, but it falls short as a visual story telling technology.

Would you ever film 100 pages of content and pop in and out of each “page” accepting that the video won’t line and the lack of transitions from jumping around the play head of a video file? Maybe, but the experince suffers.

Flash is a great blend animation and content for interactive storytelling. Until another technology can do this to the satisfaction of both designers, videographers, and end users stop hating. Accept it.

One more thing…

Oh yeah. Steve, don’t filter my options. Let me decided if Flash runs too slow.

Okay so that’s a little cheesy, but seriously there is a lot going on in Pittsburgh concerning Web, Art, Design, and Development. Over the last 10 years Pittsburgh has developed into a hotbed of niche communities.  I only wish I could represent them all in this post but I only know what I know. It seems there’s a group for just about anything.  Which is great! As knowledge workers we no longer have to suffer alone slowly sinking in solutions that are just out of reach. There’s a strong community ready to help support the every day web warrior.

Last night just further confirmed in my eyes that we’ve got to have one of the best communities in the country. It’s seems like every month I’m learning about another niche technology group that’s been meeting for several years.

More than Meets the Eye

So if you’re keeping tabs and are looking for something to do stop by any one of these fine user groups. Again this is NOT a complete list.  Only things that I’ve run into.

Organizations - Meetings - Gatherings

• Flash Users Group
• Refresh Pittsburgh
• Pittsburgh Dev House
• Hack PGH
• PHP Users Group
• E-Learning Guild
• Drupal Users Group
• Pittsburgh SEO Group
• Pittsburgh Internet and Marketing SEO Group
• BlogFest
• Cold Fusion Users Group
• Artist Imaging Resource - Screen Printing
• Dr. Sketchy
• Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators
• Pittsburgh Film Makers
• AIGA
• Tweet Ups
• Drink and Draw
• Pittsburgh Web Design Meet Up
• Build Guild
• DorkBot
• PGH Coding Dojo
• Geek Night
• Western PA Linux Group
• Java User Group
• .Net User Group
• PCUG

Annul Events

• FlashPitt
• Web Design Day
• Podcamp Pittsburgh
• Art and Code
• Handmade Arcade
• Pinball Championship (okay it’s not art or code, but come on that’s awesome!)
• AIGA Portfolio Reviews
• Various Gallery Crawls
• 3 Rivers Arts Fest

These are just the things that I’m aware of in the Web, Art, and Design scene and it’s growing every day. If you want to see what’s happening, need advice on a project, or just want to talk shop with other people who understand “you do computers?” and “dis one deer draws perty pitchers n’at” is not a accurate description of what you do for a living get involved.

2010 is going to be a big year for personal projects with screen printing at the top of my priority list.  A few years back I was introduced to the wonderful world of screen printing and gig art. Although I’m captured by the art and the process I’ve been really hesitant.  Armed with a moleskin book chalked full of notes and the wonderful people at AIR I’ve been making amazing progress.  Later on this week I’ll be finishing my first larger run of a 8.5 x 11 posters.  It’s a very humbling yet rewarding process.  I highly recommend it to anyone.  I’ll post pictures of the print when it’s ready.

This Thursday, January 21st, 2009 at 6:30pm. We’ll be meeting in our usual place at New Perspective. This month’s meeting has a theme of video. We have speakers lined up to cover topics from capturing and compressing video to using FMS (Flash Media Server) for your video content. Full details will be posted next week!

As promised, here’s everything you need to know:

Video Production Workflow - Mark Dobrowolski
Mark will talk about basic workflow presentation based on Pre-Production, Production, and Post-production for specifically web-only media. This will include tips for planning evergreen video; Advice for your videographer and animator from the web perspective; TV vs. Monitor viewing and Compression Round up. This is a beginner level presentation for both designers and developers interested in video.

Introduction to Flash Media Server (FMS) - Wayne Lincoln
Wayne will cover some of the basics you’ll need to get started with using FMS for your video content. He’ll cover how to get started with FMS or what benefits it has to offer. This is a beginner topic .

Please RSVP via email or on facebook .

PittMFUG January Meeting
Thursday January 21st
6:30pm
at New Perspective
google maps

I have a knack for certain things like being late to parties, telling awful jokes, knowing a good thing when I see it, and the ever deadly but popular finding out about something awesome that has been around for much longer than I should admit.

Jeffrey Zeldman’s Designing with Web Standards falls in the later.  First off I was not paid by New Riders or Jeff, I’m just an independent guy that has been told repeatedly about the kool-aid but just recently had my first sip.

If you do ANYTHING web related from sales, to design, to development, to support or anything in between go and get this book NOW.

What’s in the Kool-Aid?

Okay what’s the big deal? It’s just another tech book right.  Nope.  It’s more of a philosophy book.  A book about ideas and approaches to a better internet that you and I want and kind of knew about but didn’t really think about before.  It was as if Jeff unlocked perspectives in my brain that made everything I do make sense and everything I want to do within reach.  The best part is he offers practical solutions to every day type problems without making the book about code.  As a result it’s a quick read and one of the few tech oriented books I’ve read from cover to cover.

Does It Solve All Of My Problems?

No, nor does is claim to.  It offers ideas towards creating a more maintainable website/workload and my favorite thing about the book is it shines the light of craftsmanship into my job.  Jeff has made me feel proud to be a Web Designer.  It’s not just a skill I picked up so I could repay my student loans, it’s a hybrid career of architecture, communication, and art that takes skill.  Anyone can use a pencil but not everyone can draw just as anyone can create an h1 tag but not everyone can design web sites.  At least not the kind of web sites the internet needs.  Accessible content to solve problems, entertain, and inform.

Knocked Me On My Arse

There are moments in my life when I become aware.  These moments are when I think I’ve mastered something, or at least I think I’m pretty good at them and then my doors get blown off.  Humbling moments that remind me I’ve got a lot to learn.  I cherish these moments because on the other side of them I come out a better person with a greater understanding of the skill in question as well as my capabilities. This book exposed all of the errors I’ve made over the last decade like a dramatic zoom from my body to outer space when every web site I’ve ever developer reveals every one of my errors. It’s quite an awakening. Almost like the Matrix.  I get it now. Thank you Jeff for making me a better Designer and Developer and to the hopes that the next web site I create will be one step closer to the promise land. I’ve got a lot of things to fix so I better get to it.

An all too familiar question for my advancing students.  How can I use flash to communicate to a MySQL database.

There are a few options at our disposal

1. Basic php and URLLoader Requests
2. AMF Framework (zendAMF of AMFPHP)

Your needs will really answer the question for the method you’re choosing.  In this case we just need something quick and dirty so we will go the route of basic PHP and URL Requests.

Source files for adding records to MySQL db using ActionScript 3.0 (.zip)

In the package you’ll find the following

• connectToDB (fla files version 1 - 3)
• ConnectToDB.as (The class file)
• flashDB.sql (your database)
• getRecords.php (this will get your records)
• newRecords.php (this will add new records)

The fla Files

These files will step you through basic connection, display of database information, and interaction with the database.

The php Files

These files will simply display and add records

The Class File

The class file has all of the magic needed to perform what you’re looking for.

How Does this Work?

It might sound like a cop out, but you really have to download the source files and experiment.  This may not solve your problems directly, but it should get you on the right track.  If I get time I’ll post a screen cast walking through the entire process.  For now though take a peek and let me know if you have any problems.

The Jim Dandies played the Hard Rock Cafe for the second time. This time as a headliner and it was so much fun. Thanks to all for coming out and supporting us and thank you Hard Rock it was great!

Thanks to RobJDLC for some great pics of the show.

Here are a few of my favs of us rockn’ out.