Archive for the 'Content and Media' CategoryPage 2 of 2

Another Example of How the Channel is Devaluing Content

Published
by
Josh Kim
on April 9, 2007
in Content and Media
. 0 Comments

I really want to read it. I really do. But after reading about 10% of the post, I realized the CSS to this post was atrocious. What is the deal with horizontal spacing? What is the deal with the width of the column on this heavy text post?

After disabling the CSS, enlarging the fonts and shifting the window to make the text column a little bit smaller, I still realized that… something’s very wrong with the spacing of words. I thought “acycletothe” was a word I never heard of before.

Dang it. There’s another book/essay experience ruined. Blah.

Interview with Google CEO Eric Schmidt

How the Channel is Devaluing the Content: “Pragmatic Programmers” Books and CDs

Published
by
Josh Kim
on April 1, 2007
in Content and Media
. 1 Comment

When you buy any type of content, be it entertaining or informative, you’re not just paying for the content: you’re paying also for the channel required for you to get at that content. Normally, that channel isn’t as important as the content itself… but sometimes, the channel pisses you off to a point where you wonder why with our many technological advances (e.g. glue, Internet), we’re still not getting it right.

Books

If I buy a physical book, I’m not only paying for the content, but also the paper the words that are printed on; the very ink printed on those pages; the binding; the cover. Even if you’re paying for the pdf versions of the book, you’re buying into a method that the content is delivered to you; the pdf reader on your local machine.

But indeed, a book is more than just the physical. The reason why one would buy a book isn’t because of the “cover”, hence the adage: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

For me, the saying goes: “Don’t judge a book by its slant printing and horrible binding.”

Programming Ruby: Strike Three!

Why is it that all three books I’ve bought from Pragmatic Programmers (through Amazon and Buy.com) want to make me NOT want to read their content? The content itself seems very friendly and high quality. (except for the TextMate book… if only Buy.com had a better return policy). But why, oh why, can’t the publishers get the simple act of putting enough glue to make the stuff stick? Or, even, print on a straight line? But I digress in my blinding anal-retentive fury.

I returned all three books. Freaking… get the glue right, Pragmatic Programmers LLC.

But more generally, this idea applied to digital content…

Music

Look, I want my music. Now. And I want it cheap (this is yet another post waiting to be written…). I don’t want to have to deal with this industrial-strength sticker to get at my music… albeit, I will be missing that crisp new CD feel and smell. (Hooray: Relient K’s Five Score & Seven Years Ago, awesome CD, btw) Nor do I want to have to deal with media formats or codecs. (One of the many reasons why I won’t normally music off of iTunes… another post idea)

With advances in the World Wide Web, why the freak isn’t this easier to do? Heck, even pirating isn’t that easy… recent albums are widely downloaded over peer-to-peer clients or bittorrent, but what if I wanted to get something I heard on some random TV commercial? For me: What if I wanted a Korean music CD? Well… there are sneaky ways around it… but…

I would much rather have a quick, cheap (free, if possible), legal, universal codec/bitrate music.

Not only music… but ANY media.

In the world of media, it’s not only the content, but also the channels in which users get to that content.

/etc/

Wait, what do I categorize this in? I love writing on these things… does “technology” and “culture” fit it? I wonder…

Posts that Didn’t Quite Make It

Published
by
Josh Kim
on February 27, 2007
in Apple and Content and Media
. 0 Comments

Here’s a quick list of posts that just didn’t make the cut in the past couple of days. It’ll be quick and painless. Skim, please.

Zooom: Increase Window Functionality in Mac OS X

Zooom: Window Stuff, “Done Right” Try it out. I think I might be purchasing this soon.

CommunityNext: Threadless.com Presentation

Yet another video I won’t be able to watch until after lent… this list is getting longer really fast.

Sitting Apparatus: Ergonomic?

In the Year 2000...

I purchased this ball in hopes to alleviate some of the back issues I’ve been having. (On second thought… it might be because of the messed up way I lift, but I’m still trying to figure this out…) That, and the table (pictured) was designed for tall(er) people: That keyboard drawer was most likely designed for a footrest, or something like that. Even with this 65 cm ball, my arms are not resting at my side as they should be.

And if all fails, I could just use it as an exercise tool at home. Hooray!

(Yeah, I know… exercise balls are kinda feminine, no?)

Future of MP3?

Seriously… patent law reform, anybody?

Apple, Samsung, Sandisk sued by Texas MP3 Technologies

Microsoft sued by Alcatel-Lucent for $1.5 billion

Current Status: Awake

It’s late. Like… freshman-year-coding-insanity late… I just ended up cleaning my bathroom for the strangest reason (at least I’ll wake up to a beautiful bathroom tomorrow morning).

Not sure why, but my schedule is off. It’s like… there is no consistency at all. While there is a consistency to what I have to get DONE in a day, the order is just all out of whack. Not sure if this is a bad thing, but it’s not making ultra-planned Josh Kim not a happy man. Maybe super-chill Josh Kim will take over, instead.

I haven’t had one of those long-drawn out personal posts in a while… and while I feel like I have one in me, I’m going to keep avoiding it like the plague. One of these days, though… it’ll just leak out, and I won’t have any control of it.

Oh, right. A new goal: For every personal post, I MUST post a web/technology related post before it. It’s not like I’m running out of web/tech posts, so I won’t be having a problem posting personal stuff.

Okay, here it comes… the brain dump.

Today was insane. I got up, only to realize I didn’t leave my dryer on as I should have. Got into work a little bit later. Skipped lunch. Went to ISR to finish up work. Met up with Mike Cho for the studying/working. Met up with small group for Bible reading. Went to WIMPE until close.

I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be just as insane. Hopefully, this time, I’ll pack a lunch.

State of my heart? HAHA. You’ll be needing to pay for a meal for that one… and a coffee afterwards… to just START talking about this one. Hopefully, I’ll be getting around to the continuation of those entries…

A Step towards DRM-freedom

Published
by
Josh Kim
on February 22, 2007
in Content and Media
. 0 Comments

09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0

Just click it. I didn’t know what it was about when I first read it, either… I feel like going and pulling up some DeCSS code.

Thank the world for tried-and-true hackers. (No, not crackers… these are the few and the proud that makes this world a livable, free from silly protection schemes that end up hurting the legit.)

A Lesson in Indirect Advertising, the Justin Timberlake Story

Published
by
Josh Kim
on February 21, 2007
in Content and Media
. 1 Comment

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.