Content with Cross Platform?

Content with Cross Platform?

For those who know me, here's something not often heard.

This will be the first and last time I will mention 'Windows' or 'Macintosh', something that an article about cross platform computing may seem strange without. But there you are.

Done.

So, are you ready to hum along to a tune for the next 5 minutes?

Of course not, because what I will write about briefly is the bit everyone is interested in.

I hope.

You see, there is no platform debate with fridges, TVs, microwaves etc.  All the things we need to use in this modern world. Ok, we argue about which car we like the best, but its perception, looks, preference not functionality that split the crowd - oh, a certain snooty pride.  These are all technologies - diversion to geek land alert:

Wikipedia states:

Technology originates in the Greek words technologia (τεχνολογία), techne (τέχνη, which means "craft"), and logia (λογία, which is "saying" or "ordering", in the sense of arranging).

that should make life better, easier (well, thats the idea), fun, more informed, more interesting.

Why should it be any different in the world of Information and Communications Technology? - diversion to geek land alert:

Information and Communications Technology, a broad subject concerned with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information

We all make our own minds up about the technologies we adopt based on may factors. Some people, stick to the old ways; some prefer to let others advise and then blame them if it doesn't work out. Then there is compulsion, such as the upcoming digital TV transition. No choice, you will be assimilated digitally.  No going back there then?.  What we all do is consider cost, looks, ease of use, reliability, advice, how much we want to rely on others etc etc...... and long should it remain a personal choice.

The cross platform - diversion to geek land alert:

Cross-platform is a term which can refer to computer programs, operating systems, computer languages, programming languages, or other computer software and their implementations which can be made to work on multiple computer platforms. For example, a cross-platform application may run on Microsoft Windows on the x86 architecture, Linux on the x86 architecture and Mac OS X on either the PowerPC based Apple Macintosh or the x86 based Apple Macintosh systems. A cross-platform application could run on all common platforms, or simply more than one. This type of software could also correctly be called multi-platform software.


I'll start again (no more diversions - look up Wikipedia yourself if you like).

The cross platform I refer to here is really about the facilitation of 'open', 'transferable' things that the digital world is gradually absorbing.  An example is music. You buy music, and you want to use it in the way YOU want to use it.

In the 'olden times' you bought a CD, and if you wanted to listen to it in your car you recorded it to cassette.  Now somewhere someone might have told you that was strictly not legitimate, but today we see a music industry moving to an online model because it is safe and right to do so. Whether you use iTunes or one of the less popular music dowload services, you are not actually restricted from moving the music around if you want to because technology can hold the key.  Doing it legally is another story.

Music is one thing - talking ICT you know that there are no restrictions in moving files around a network, sharing with friends etc, but what you may not realise is that some software leads you unceremoniously into a trap.  The trap is 'lock in'.  How do I get that Front Page file into anything else? Why can I not use an image elsewhere? How come this web page is only available on Internet Explorer? Why can I not open that important document I created last year on the latest version of Office?  This is where the cross platform thing really creates angst. It just should not be.

There is a great debate in the world of video at the moment.  What format is the most open for video, a fast growing contributory content arena(people are publishing many thousands of videos a day all over the world).  The debate really comes into its own where archiving and collections are considered.  I suppose the same  the issue must have come with print - in the days when someone must have argued about ink, layout, language, illuminated fonts?  So, back to video: Do you plump for Windows Media, a proprietory format which is free but no longer supported on some platforms, Quicktime, which is free, open and the basis of mp4 (the video equivalent of mp3 for music), Real Player, one of the early players, but costly to author to?  The choice is there for you to make and interesting the BBC publish in all formats depending on where, on their site, you are. Confused?

The real issue at stake here is that everyone wants the content in the format and version that they are most confortable with.  Technology can do that these days, and the idea of the content YOU want, delivered on the platform YOU want to use it on, when YOU want was a core strand in our recent Digital Challenge bid.  Look for platforms that 'do-it-all' and you may just find the swiss army knife of ICT.  But then, you do not want to just receive content do you....you want to be able to use it.  So, think  - its not just about delivery of content, its about how it will be used tomorrow.

Content reuse will be the basis of the next article...... "Content with Recycling"