revjim.net

web2.0

TTOW: TokBox, video chatting for the masses

Nov 13th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
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TokBox is a website that provides video chat services, also known as webcam services. Yes, it’s true, just about every instant messaging platform already does this: Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger – even Google Talk does video chat now. On top of that, there are already so many sites providing video calling and conferencing like UStream, Stickam, Justin.TV and others. So why, in this over saturated market of video chatting, calling, conferencing, and other unmentionable video acts would you choose TokBox over the rest? Read on.

First of all, TokBox requires no installation. You can simply visit the TokBox website and it will log you in, alert you to calls, show you a list of your friends, and allow you to leave public and private video messages. However, if you’d prefer to have an installed client, TokBox offers an Adobe Air based install that sits in your task tray and acts just like you’d expect it to.

Secondly, for calling existing users of the service, TokBox does not require an account. For instance, I have an account. If you visit my TokBox page you will see the option to call me or leave me a video message even if you don’t have a ToxBox account. Go ahead. Try it. I’ll even put a shirt on for you, just in case. This makes it very easy to include a link on your website, or send one via email to your mom or grandmother. They don’t have to jump through signup hoops, or do anything more than click the big fat button that says “VIDEO CALL”. And, if you’re not available, it’ll let them leave a message. No install. No signup. No nothing.

It supports video conferencing. This is fairly unique to TokBok. Stickam allows for multiple users to talk and view each other, but it’s done under the pretense of video chatting in the room of a particular user. Other services like UStream and Justin.TV allow you to broadcast to whoever is willing to watch which can be manipulated to act like video conferencing if you’re that dedicated, but it’s not quite the same. TokBox does it easy and simply. It’ll even let you invite non-TokBox users to the conference. You’re provided a URL that, when used, will bring participants right into the group, no account required.

Finally, because it’s just a URL that you visit in a web browser, it works anywhere. Paste the link to your buddy on MSN or Google Talk. Email it to someone. Twitter it. Put it on your blog. Whatever.

There is one subset of Video Chatting that TokBox doesn’t work well for. If you’re into broadcasting live video to many viewers who will not be actively participating in conversation and providing a video stream, you probably want UStream, Stickam, or Justin.TV. This is true even if some of them will be sharing video back or will be participating in typed conversation but you desire the conversation to be one-on-one.

So check it out. Visit TokBox and sign up for an account or visit my TokBox page and see how it works before you commit.

Tumblr

Oct 30th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
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In short, I have a new site you can read: http://revjim.tumblr.com/

There are hundreds of sites begging people to put their cool links into them (delicious.com and the like). But none of them really let you customize the site and make it your own. On top of that, almost every piece of social networking software has some form of link sharing built in (like FaceBook) but most of them are exclusive to the members of that site and require a bunch of hoops to make things start flowing. There’s StumbleUpon which is awesome for finding new content and sharing it but not so good at keeping that content organized or sharing it in a customizable fashion. I find myself sharing lots of things with lots of people in lots of ways, but each of them locked up to a subset of users in it’s own less than desirable way.

And then there is Tumblr.

They are smart enough to not link a single account to a single site. So, any account can post to multiple sites, create sites of its own, or not have any associated sites. They also allow multiple contributors to sites and even allow private posting (though you have to be a member to view).

They offer complete customization even allowing the use of sites like Google Analytics for traffic analysis and Disqus to enable comments.

Their approach to content is intriguing. From short blurbs, to chats, to text posts, to photos, to videos, to audio, to reblogging… the site is based around the concept of formatting differently for different media types and excels at displaying whatever it is you put into it.

It can be used to share links, photos, thoughts, or just about anything else on the web. While most of it’s users tend to focus on sharing found content, it is certainly suited to hosting original content as well.

So, with all that, I’m going to begin using it to share the interesting things I find online. Should I find the content becomming to heavy in anyone topic, starting a new Tumblr specifically for that topic is a piece of cake.

The good news to you is that, you don’t have to sign up for anything to follow along. Just visit my Tumblr and bookmark, subscribe in the RSS reader of your choice, add to LiveJournal (Try LJUser: revjim_tumblr), follow in FriendFeed, ignore it all together or, really, whatever makes you happiest.

I will more than likely start a second Tumblr for the interesting links and photos of a … less than pure nature. Drop me an email if you’re interested in a link.

on separation

Apr 2nd, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
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CarpeAqua has hit the nail on the head (thanks for the link, Ryan).

Our data is on dozens of sites and for some it may be hard to keep track of every little thing you do online. [...] We feel some sort of internal need to share every single bit of our lives through every avenue we are afforded to ensure that every single person we’re connected to sees what we do. Rest assured. You are not that important. [...] Your friends will find you on the sites they are interested in joining. You don’t need to spam other sites with crossed data.

– CarpeAqua // Your Twitter is not your Blog is not your Tumblr is not your FriendFeed

Many of you think I’m a bit nuts for obsessing about separation like I do. Well, this is it! This is exactly why! Let’s say that, by chance, Mr. CarpeAqua finds my photography absolutely amazing but, despite that, he has no interest in knowing that I had no water this morning when I woke up. Maybe he could care less about my troubles with Portable Ubuntu, but finds my writing regarding my own internal struggles coping with a hectic life an an overactive brain (unlocked just to link here) incredibly interesting and enlightening. I’d rather know that he is uninterested in some aspects of me and that he is taking the bits and pieces of me that he enjoys and engaging himself fully in that than to know that he is so overwhelmed with information from me that he has no choice but to ignore it all.

I understand the need to cross-post data in cases where two services overlap and you want to participate in both. For instance, I want to share my photography with the Flickr community, the VFXY community, and with the LiveJournal community. So I post in my photoblog, and cross post to accounts on each of those services. But I try to do so in a way that separates content, either with communities, or with separate accounts entirely.

I’ve seen people doing this between Pownce and Twitter or between their blog and their LiveJournal account. This makes sense. In each of these cases the syndicated content is either a copy of the original, excerpts linking back to the original, or a subset of the original. It’s not a situation where multiple sites and multiple services are dumping all manner of content into one pile of madness. Imagine if my LiveJournal updated every time I posted a Tweet?

For those places where the lines are a little blurry I like digest posts. If I have a blog about my life, and I also happen to use Twitter to account for a very detailed breakdown of my life, making a digest of Twitter posts in the blog about my Life just makes sense. If I happen to use Tumblr to post interesting tidbits of interest to Technically minded people, then a digest of that finding its way to my Technical blog makes sense.

Having all of your content in every place all of the time is just silly, wasteful, complicated, and annoying. But, if that’s what you want, there are services that do this and do it well, like FriendFeed. Taking a look at my FriendFeed, you can see how annoying having everything in one place might be for someone who was only interested in black and white photography of the female form. But, of course, if you want EVERYTHING, then FriendFeed works for you.

So yeah. Reading the thoughts of others on this has encouraged me to separate even more. If you can’t handle a few more adds to your LiveJournal friends list or a few more notches in your Google Reader, then maybe you aren’t all that interested in the first place.