Streaming Media - October/November 2007 - (Page 16) letters to the editor Takes One to Know One Is it any surprise that someone who has the name of the technology in his title—National Creative Director for Flash Development—is a proponent of Flash technology (Chris Colinsky, “Silverlight Is No Flash Killer,” August/September 2007, p. 103)? Perhaps it’s because his livelihood is connected to the success of Flash that he may be blinded by the tree and cannot see the forest (future). Dave Prall Narrowstep New York INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES is a regular feature in the magazine where we allow vendors or anyone else with a vested interest in a topic to offer their take on it. While we’re aware that said vested interest might call the validity of those perspectives into question, we also believe that the people who actually are closest to the technologies and trends are often able to provide valuable insights that others are not. After all, just because Narrowstep is a Silverlight partner doesn’t mean that you’re not able to offer any valid opinions on either it or Flash, does it? That’s why INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES is open to you or any guest columnist who wants to comment on industry developments; if the commentary is useful, fair, and reasonable—as was Colinsky’s, despite (or perhaps because of) his title—we’ll consider it for publication. something to wave at their boss and say, "If I had this, it would solve all of my problems." The industry is happy with this because those who manufacture need to make money or go out of business, and media outlets comply. It is not green to do this, as it creates more junk in our junkyards (to say nothing of the fuel used to truck this stuff around), but no one is addressing this problem or thinking of that, are they? I know it is your job, but all outlets that are reviewing industries or are part of them feed into these problems. I know these are niches, but both of us have seen these arguments before across all media. I guess my problem with it is that if it doesn't solve any problems, what good does it do? The definition of streaming can be argued all day, but there are other practical problems that are much more important. I just get fed up with the false arguments and the questions that people already have the answers for. I just wonder if they get raised only to have something to talk about. I'd frankly rather read a thinner magazine if it would help me more from day to day. Gary Duerr Rahway, NJ Actually, the stance that our industry is “prone to great exaggeration and dramatic positioning” was that of Doug Mow, Tom Gilley, and Dane Atkinson, whose June/July 2007 article “Streaming vs. Progressive Download” spawned the letter to the editor in question. That said, you’ll find a sympathetic voice in “Format Wars Forever,” Damien Stolarz’s EMERGING MEDIA column on page 84.—Ed. If You’re Not Part of the Solution . . . Your stance that the industry is "prone to great exaggeration and dramatic positioning" (“Progressive Party,” Letters to the Editor, August/September 2007) is whose fault exactly? I have heard various forms of this argument from media magazines many times. Come back with me as we explore the "TV will defeat the movies" argument or the "Beta vs. VHS" argument. Forget the "paperless office" campaign. I could go on and on. Every time there is a new wrinkle in technology, there is a media organ ready to pit one technology against another—sometimes accurately, sometimes not, depends who you ask. Things evolve and it takes years for a new standard to take hold, even when it is better than the old one. My opinion is that the supposition of these false arguments sells a lot of paper and keeps a lot of people in business and has for some time. Unfortunately that doesn't solve the basic problem. It just muddies the waters for those too lazy to do the research into their real needs and what will best accomplish them. But it does give someone out there 16 STREAMING MEDIA October/November 2007 The Solution . . . Damien Stolarz’s “The Cookie Monster” (EMERGING MEDIA, June/July 2007, p. 40) was an excellent and very well-written article. The beautiful thing about precise targeting in this way is that it represents a superior value proposition for all parties: content owners, advertisers, and the consumer. Mike McGrath RealXStream.com WRITING TO THE EDITOR We welcome comments and suggestions regarding Streaming Media. Letters must include your name, email address, and company affiliation, if appropriate. Letters may be sent to letters@streamingmedia.com. http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0807/index.php?startpage=104 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0607/index.php?startpage=42 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0607/index.php?startpage=42 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0807/index.php?startpage=16 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0607/index.php?startpage=42 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/streamingmedia/0607/index.php?startpage=42 http://RealXStream.com
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