In response to Bill Gates Letter -The Next Sea Change
In response to the Sea Change
Bill gates recently wrote an internal document to his
executives, titled "The Sea Change". This letter speaks of the
movement towards internet delivery of content, for Microsoft,
its software and numerous other applications. So I went to bed
that night after reading that article, and I had a dream......
Last night I had a dream about the fusion of Broadcasting and
Internet television, and its current closest medium, podcasting.
As podcasting has evolved over the past few years, it has
morphed into all sorts of shapes of programming. But the real
"Wow" factor behind podcasting is yet to be talked about, or not
highly publicized at all.
That is, the merging of what we know as the "internet" and
current broadcast, cable or satellite programming. It has long
been discussed that the internet and television would one day be
one in the same. But there has not been much talk into how this
transition, into a new future of "Informative Entertainment" or
"Intelligent Programming" will develop.
The question and conundrum that most dreamers faced is, what
catalyst will form that will make this bridge possible. Well in
my opinion, the catalyst is "podcasting". Let me explain further.
Podcasting is the fusion of "pod" and "broadcasting". "Pod"
stands for personal-on-demand, so the word means personal
on-demand broadcasting. It is based around an internet platform
and xml/rss programming. Podcasting has now opened a new section
of its market, which is called Video-podcasting, or Vod-casting.
Vod-casting is the transmission of video over the internet in
podcast format, for viewing on the web, or on personal devices.
Video podcasting has opened the floodgates for internet
television to directly compete with traditional broadcast
television. Over the next few years, companies like Microsoft
will introduce home T.V. set-top boxes, which will stream
internet feeds directly to televisions in your home. This is the
birth of home internet television in its purest form.
As this medium grows, podcasting will become internet
programming. The popularity of podcasting will grow the market
to morph once again into a new-age of internet broadcasting
companies. These podcasts will become T.V. shows with new
programming, or re-runs. These shows will be able to be
subscribed to, just like cable, but on an individual basis. As
these shows grow in popularity, internet broadcast networks will
start to form, and the traditional companies like ABC, CBS, NBC,
and all the cable and satellite channels will have to conform to
new technology to prevent being swept aside.
As the popularity of internet television grows and everyone has
the ability to watch iTV in their home, a new vision will
immerge. This new vision is what I call "Informative
Entertainment" or "Intelligent Programming".
Now you ask, "Well, what is this" and "How will that work?"
Well, let's start with the basics. Everyone owns a DVD or two
right? If not, you have at least watched one, I hope. Now, when
you put a DVD into the machine and turn it on, it takes you to a
menu screen. This menu screen gives you options to choose from,
such as scenes, extras, director's cut and so on. These extras
are huge draws for DVD sales, like Shrek, Star Wars, Madagascar,
etc. The reason they are a big success, is because they put the
power of choice in the hand of the user. Whatever your choice
may be, the DVD will follow, and execute.
So what if podcasting had the ability to implement "user
options"? What if you could watch a Video Podcast, and have the
ability to choose different features of that podcast by simply
placing your cursor over the screen and choosing your option.
What if you had the ability to alter and control video, with the
same user applicability that you can on a webpage or search
engine.
You see, as I pondered this question, I thought about how this
could even be possible, given our current internet code
framework. Now I am not a tech junkie at all, in fact the only
programming course I ever took was in 7th grade and it was on
ms-dos basic. We were making video games with 40 x 40 bitmaps,
with 16 bit colors, and h-line, v-line programming.
My current partner in my Podcasting Company, What I Want
Podcasting, has extensive knowledge in c+ programming and
understands today's world of code writing. In the few years I
have worked with him, I have picked up on a lot of knowledge he
has, just by being around him.
So in my dream the other night, I saw a formula. Now this
formula is basic in its inception, but I believe a very good
beginning base for code-writers to understand the concept.
Video Extensive Hyper-text Markup Language powered by MRSS
technology is what I am speaking of. (Vxhtml-mrss) . This is the
name I have given it; however it is yet to determined what it
will grow into.
In order to bring user manipulation of video and interaction
capability, the user must be given an interface. This interface
must be translucent in its visual appeal, and it must be
synchronized based on bitmap programming to the video below.
Example:
Let's say you are watching a commercial for a car, an
intelligent commercial. This car is driving down the road, and
the narrator is telling you about the performance of the
vehicle. Now picture yourself with a cursor or arrow, like on
any website. You can then place that arrow on pre-programmed
places in the video, such as the wheels of the car, the engine
of the car, or the windows of the vehicle. Once you click on
that location, the intelligence begins to work. You "the user"
has chosen to learn more about, let say, "The wheels." So in
theory, as you click on the wheel, a new video will start
streaming that tells you all about the wheels of that particular
car. These video will be programmed, and are ready to play once
the user has chose that particular location of the video.
So now you can see how the translucent layer comes into effect.
The layer allows you to manipulate the cursor over the moving
video. Then, the bitmap allows you to pre-program coordinates
according to the motion of the video, so that when the cursor
interacts with the video, it selects a feed which was already
pre-programmed to that location.
Let's transition now to the code side of things, and this
formula that popped in my head while sleeping.
We need additional support from the browsers, although I believe
Microsoft and Netscape have new browsers that very close if not
there already, in order for this to take place. So let's talk
about how the programming will work with this.
My understanding is that Markup Language does not support goto
commands. Which is why html or xhtml exists, it is used to make
the two work together. This process will combine xhtml with mrss
to make this a reality.
With the evolution of mrss, comes the ability to use numerous
multimedia channels for online access to content. These channels
are what will allow the seamless transition of video from one
user choice to another.
Here is the formula and its legend below.
T1 = Beginning of Video - Original Starting Point of the Feed
A = Cursor (user interface tool)
(X1, Y1, Z1) = Cursor Selection (User Choice) [Also, the Bitmap
Coordinate location]
(RST1, RST2, RST3) = MRSS feed
(T2, T3, T4) = New Audio or Video files to be played (most
likely MP3 or MP4)
The formula:
T1 is playing
If A= (X1, Y1, Z1, etc.)
Then goto string (RST1, RST2, RST3, etc.)
String RST then plays ( T2,T3,T4)
Car Commercial Example:
T1 = Beginning of Car Commercial
A = Cursor
(X1 )= Wheel
(RST1) = Wheel information feed (mrss)
(T2) = New Video about the Wheels
In order for this model to work, the formula below be
implemented in to a Java, J-script, or C++. This code then
should be implemented into the Hyper Text which should in theory
allow it to function off the XML, which drives it the source of
the MRSS.
Here are the key factors in review for this concept to begin its
birth:
An interactive translucent interface must be developed. This
interface must use pre-synchronization to mirror the movement of
the video. Interface must use coordinate location in conjunction
with pre-synchronized scripts to trigger user request.
These requests need to be seamless. In order for this to be
seamless, better browsers must be developed that use a new type
of coding. Maybe Video xhtml, or whatever this topic morphs
into. In order to succeed in developing formulas that
incorporate the "goto" function of this process, programming
must be done on the Hyper-text side of the equation to make the
XML work in conjunction with the MRSS.
Now this is my dream, physically adapted to paper and in my own
words. This should at least spark the topic of discussion
further in our press, and at it most grand effect, spark the
minds of programmers and large corporations around the world to
make this practically applicable in today's society.
If you are interested in talking about this subject more, please
contact me (Ryan M. Hoback), at
rhoback@MotivatedEntrepreneur.com, or
rhoback@WhatIWantPodcasting.com, or 305-670-0998.
"In the aspiration towards greatness, comes the application of
vision to practical society in it's purest form"
Ryan M. Hoback