Monthly Archive for February, 2007

A Lesson in Indirect Advertising, the Justin Timberlake Story

Published
by
jk
on February 21, 2007
in Content and Media
. Comments

Justin Timberlake’s third single “What Goes Around, Comes Around” smashed iTunes record for the fastest-selling video on iTunes. (source)

I wonder what led to that. And no, I’m not just talking about the content (of which I can’t really speak for, because I don’t even think I’ve heard the song…).

Indirect Advertising

I’m just going to throw out a theory here. I believe indirect advertising has something to with this success. Just like how movie stars and singers do late-night show appearances to increase awareness of their product, using technology and social networks to do the dirty work might have worked out this time.

What’s in that box?

Maybe possibly… this little SNL Digital Short had to do with it… (You guessed it. NSFW, but it’s always hilarious…)

Sidenote: I was never told about this video from a friend. I ran into it looking through YouTube for some NBC shows. And because of the lack of the introduction through the proper channels (i.e. friends or feeds), I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was that SNL Digital Shorts are making SNL shine in my book. (Chronic-what-cles of Naria, Laser Cats, and others… sorry, I hope you didn’t just go waste like an hour watching all these goodies)

Please tell me you’ve seen this before

I’m seeing it all over the place. Even on facebook with their gifting system (if you haven’t seen this yet, you’re not in my target demographic, hehe.) I’m talking about the gift that looks like someone completed the first of the three step process.

Facebook gifts?

I am absolutely stunned that some people don’t get what it is. And I giggle incessantly when that happens.

The Point

I really feel like the MPAA and the RIAA need to get their acts together and see that there are some amazing sources of advertising that they’re probably not even thinking about. They need to stop thinking about making money up front by selling antiquated physical media but understand that by (I’m using this word again…) leveraging (I think I threw up in my mouth a little) technologies they could possibly make even MORE money. Viral-content FTW.

Think, you old media people. Think. Hire college students to do your advertising campaigns, and stop paying the mid-30s people to force the consumers how they should pay for products.

Gone are the days of clever placement of one or two hit songs on a CD and forcing people to pay for 8 (or even less…) filler tracks. iTunes change the game, and will continue to do so. Other companies will try and step up to follow suit and, through competition, things will only get better for all of us.

And through the “advent” of social video sites and beautiful technologies as bittorrent, the game is changing daily. I feel so happy I’m just alive seeing these changes in the industry.

Ah, technology… bringer of all things good and time-wasting.

Three Hypotheses on User Interface Design

Published
by
jk
on February 21, 2007
in User Interface & Design
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If you don’t know who the author if this article is, it’s okay. Just know that this man is behind everything to see here. Yeah, it’s the guy that has a CSS hack named after him… You know someone’s important when you’ve got that happening for you. Now, let me continue to the point of the post.

Three Hypotheses of Human Interface Design

Hypothesis 1: Human interface cognitive load is proportional to the number of clicks/keystrokes/gestures

For me, this hypothesis comes to life through the wonders of Quicksilver and keyboard shortcut. With Quicksilver, my fingers have less reason to leave the keyboard. Maybe one day… we’ll have bitmapped keyboards (iPhone, anybody?)

Hypothesis 2: Human interface cognitive load is inversely proportional to interface latency

In other words: Make the user feel smarter than the computer at all times. Sure, the computer is able to calculate much much better and faster than the average human being… but what it comes down to is making the user feel like he’s in control. Regardless of how fast he can type or not type, the user shouldn’t be the one that’s waiting: The computer should be the servant to the master user, never EVER the other way around.

I hate you, beachballs and hourglasses.

Hypothesis 3: The usability of an interface is inversely geometrically proportional to its cognitive load

The better the interface, the easier it’ll be to use, and people will want to use it. It’s as if the system is calling out to the user, “Use me, and feel better about yourself.”

This is the case with me and Apple products: I want to not only use them, I want to lick them.

Conclusions

What does this all mean?

When designing human computer interfaces (including web UIs):

  • Minimize the number of text fields in your interfaces down to the absolute minimum necessary.
  • Minimize the number of click/keystrokes/gestures necessary to accomplish actions in your interface.
  • Make your interface as responsive as possible - minimize the latency of each and every action a user might take in your interface.

And be prepared for both lots of users, and frequent users.

I’m going to take these points to heart in designing my next web application’s interface. I want things to be customizable, but at the same time, I don’t want to impede the user at all in his or her quest to achieve UI heaven.

Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

A VERY long day

Published
by
jk
on February 21, 2007
in Personal
. Comments

After going to sleep at around 3 AM (not sure… I just kept reading the Bible), I woke up again before the alarm at 7:30, only to be so tired that I decided to cut down on RSS time and get like 15 minutes more sleep.

Missed the bus that would have taken me to work by 9, but instead took the next one to make it by 9:30. Worked like a crazy person until 2 PM, with no discernible break in between… and I’m still not done. Lots to do tomorrow… but I wonder if I can get out of going in. Trackball’s supposed to come by mail, and I wonder if someone’s going to be here to accept the package.

I decided to stick around campus and finish up what little lunch I packed. Read through the Bible… I feel more and more confident and able to point out where things are in the Old Testament each day… I feel like it’s fast becoming my textbook on life.

Took the bus back, then without warning, I fell into a deep sleep. Then woke up and started going through my feeds, yet again… to find out that a friend needed a ride to a meeting, and she was already late. Taking this as a sign, I packed myself a very VERY light dinner (comprising of grapes and yogurt… wow, I’m such a girl…) and got ready to head for WIMPE.

But you see, my day should have ended with me, coming back home, making dinner, and going to bed. NOPE. I went to ISR, to meet the likes of Colin, Christine, Andrew, Ken, Jon Chu; and the list goes on and on…

And I feel like this all-nighter was only possible because of those people. Well, yeah, they did take up my time and forced me into this position… but what I’m saying is that the energy that these guys spewed forth into me… something about being near students again makes me feel alive.

Oh, a sidepoint: For the first time since… that one really messed up night during college… I had a nosebleed. This happened while I was helping Christine with her ECE 205. I have a theory: My brain freaked out when it started getting bombarded with resistors and diodes. I can’t believe I still remember some of this stuff.

Just goes to show you: God’ll redeem everything. Even elementary circuit analysis.

Now, to the code and to the writing of worthwhile posts.

Derek and I: Part 1 of Many More to Come

Published
by
jk
on February 21, 2007
in Web Development
. Comments

JNI?

This is what nerds talk about at 2:30 AM, most likely crazy hung up on some caffeine high.

Talk about Caffeine Rush…

Published
by
jk
on February 20, 2007
in Project Ideas and Web Development
. Comments

I think being up late plus the Dew brought me to this point of high alertness.

I called both Derek Remund as well as Alex Argo to check out my newest idea yet. I’m not sure still as to how serious I am about the project (i.e. how I’m going to be making $$ from it…), but it sounds like a project that might… definitely… attract some attention, regardless of it being profitable or not.

I set up a deadline for myself to do some more direct research into the area, and write up some documentation by the end of the month. One week is all I need to make some really large decisions about where this project is going to go.

Not only that, but now I’ve been tasked by a friend for yet another freelance job. I’ll be researching CMS’s and trying to customize it for jmbarrie.net. I’ll be in charge of a slight redesign, as well as a complete change in the back-end essay posting system.

And on top of this… there’s still that half-time (which I’ll be working full-time hours for) job I’ve got with the College of Education.

This week, is going to be amazing.

But alas, amidst the hecticness, I must refocus daily and… WIMPE it up daily.

PS: Yeah, I know you’re curious, but let me figure out a little bit more about what I want to do. I’ll then share it to the world.