Digital Workshop

I think this was to be expected - but not this soon

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/adobe- ... teid=yhoof

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networking/fl ... /1633?tag=


Ken H

Interesting news Ken - thanks.

More detail here

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/adobe-surrenders-to-apple-in-mobile-flash-war-20111110-1n85p.html

The report says that Adobe will continue to invest in Flash for desktop computers though.

I guess the burning question is (for me anyway) is will mobile devices become customer preferred over desktop and laptop devices?

Bit of a conumdrum really?

Cheers

Graham

I have been thinking about this in reverse mindset. If I create a rich interactive publication, what do I have to give-up to put it over to the mobile platform. When I consider that, I am not thinking so much about technology, but about 'attention spans' and practical interface considerations. e.g., (in old-school apps, would I ever want to navigate an Excel spreadsheet on a 7" tablet? Well, not intensively. ...in multimedia, can I offer a full-feature set that operates very well on displays of PCs and larger Tablets... then take away the database and persistence when moving to more mobile devices.)

The one 'wild-card' here is the cloud. So despite the display size and degree of interaction, certain apps or Pubs can still give the User an interest in engaging with the Pub when they can resume where they left off (persistence). It is getting quite complex.

Does anyone know where html5 cookies are stored? (I am thinking of local storage... where it that written to disk for Windows and other OS)

HTML5 'cookies' - web storage API



I think the cloud is more than just a wild card. It's the future. The idea of one day using saas technology to turn on my device and have a platform and it's associated applications at my fingers is incredible. The idea of switching platforms as easily as ALT-TAB or changing hardware specifications as simply as turning a tap offers a world of potential to both me an my clients as well as helping save the world!

Mack of tomorrow

If Flash goes then sites like Weebly are going to have a massive job updating their flash-based user interface.
...and as a matter of interest:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/goog ... cript-fan/

@Mackavi

Mack,
Do you have any pointers or links... how does an author/creator/developer begin to get one's hands around this? ...in terms of: say you write some content, and want to include action, interaction, animation, form-collection. How to you create the logic table for what will work on the User's current-now device?

You may find this interesting.
http://www.wired.com/cloudline/2011/11/ ... ll-the-os/
The Cloud Will Kill the OS: a Syllabus
Excerpt:

Hi Lar,

Not sure I quite I follow what your asking. And yes the article is very interesting. I suppose it leapfrogs over the multiple OS concept, but then again unified and technology don't have a great history of going hand-in-hand.

To coin a bad pun, the cloud is fluffy!

Mack

Mack, I think I was asking too much in one whack at it.

There are really two parts... how do I architect a MM product from the start? And secondly, how do I provision that produced or published product out to multiple platforms?

The "pub" project I am envisioning would include of course text content, animation, and Use-interaction (initially 'basic': buttons, mouse-overs, drag/drop, some text-input). Viewing and reading could be non-linear. So far, so good.

The 'kicker' is that the pub is to be a tailored workbook. User selections and navigation serve-up different content from a database. User input in the form of Text-input, multiple choice selections, and even navigation/paths-taken -- would be saved to the DB. Portions of the content and most all of the User data would be encrypted.

**Let's say for now, I ignore the part where User wants to access his previous input/answers (from a PC-based session) on his mobile phone. I do not expect to achieve full synchronization, but eventually would be faced with this scenario where data-bits might have to be dove-tailed together.**

Most of my viewpoint comes from the dilemma of presenting and interacting with content --- as provided across multiple platforms. Underlying that focus, comes the practical issue of figuring out how to begin laying this out for full-features here, limited features there, ...and the design considerations for what's practical on the mobile display.

Related, but is maybe a side-issue, I am finding that Opus may not be my primary tool for this project -- given my emphasis on content and on the rules & depencies in the branching. Opus may be relegated to developing the presentation container while adding engaging User-Interaction. So looking for that primary tool.

Hi Lar,

I think the crux of the post lies with the multiple platform. If you know what your end user is willing to use in terms of hardware, then you'll have a better idea of the development platform.

Our clients ask us to solve interesting problems with Opus and this includes covering the aspects you've posted. We've built a system that allows encrypted data and multimedia to be loaded into a training program. We've built e-learning that requires advanced sequencing and navigation BUT its based around Opus or Flex which is going to limit your audience.

Limit is a rather nasty term! At the end of the day, you can develop for every platform but that takes time - which costs money and therefore it depends of whose paying.

Yes, it would be amazing to have one method of building for PC / Macs / Linux / Desktop / Tablet / Mobile - but the hurdles for that are more than just technological - there is getting the players to co-operate; getting the players to accept less money from open instead of bespoke standards; controlling progress and innovation and doing all this in a time scale that isn't going to encourage Joe User to look elsewhere for tomorrows technology today.

Mack

Hi Lar,

Apparently Stanford Online will be offering a free course for SAAS in the New Year. Might be worth a look at it, if you're interested in the cloud and the technology used to deliver to multiple platforms.

It's not posted yet, but should be listed here eventually.

https://engineering.stanford.edu/extended_education

Mack