Podcasting

The Conversations Network - My feedback

Lance Robinson — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 13:00:00 GMT

I realize that The Conversations Network is young, but here are my first thoughts and constructive criticisms anyway.

The recommendations page should have an "Add to queue" link right there beside the program listing, so that I don't have to click on the program detail link and visit another page in order to add a program to my queue. Sometimes I can tell by the title that I want to add it right away.

Also on the recommendations page, I'm not sure what the “relevance“ graphic is - since the relevance appears to be exactly the same low amount on every recommendation in the list. Checking “Exclude items you've already rated“ appears to have no effect, as does checking “Sort by overall popularity“.

I like the features that the ratings and recommendations bring to me - but I want this functionality for more than just ITConversations, and I want it without having to visit a website. Instead I just want to download the shows with Primetime Podcast Receiver, and listen to them during my drive and workout time. It would be cool if I could rate programs from right inside my podcast client (I'd actually offered to implement something like this in PPR with Doug before, but he was reluctant). It would be easy to outline a small specification for an XMLRPC based authentication, ratings, and recommendations API for things like this. Podcast clients and podcast or videoblog producers (like The Conversations Network) could choose to implement this API to offer some pretty awesome functionality to their listeners.

The forums are a great touch - but an RSS feed to go along with them would be good. RSS makes keeping up with forums much easier and faster.

The Conversations Network site itself offers a lot of smartness through its Netflix-ish interaction. Why not keep it going and offer “Latest Recordings” listings (across all channels), “Top-rated recordings” listings (it looks like this might be possible on the recommendations page, but itss not clear to me that this actually works), and “Critics Picks“ (how about a list of Doug's personal favorites, or some other interesting critics).

Today Robert Scoble is looking for podcast recommendations. Another really neat feature for The Conversations Network would be the ability of members to be able to make their ratings history public. An RSS feed of my 4 and 5 star rated podcasts might be interesting to someone else. This would be another good feature for a podcast client as well - being able to publish a feed of favorite podcasts from multiple sources.

Technorati tags: ITConversations

The Conversations Network

Lance Robinson — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 12:51:00 GMT

I just took Doug Kaye up on his offer for a free membership (for existing ITConversations members) at The Conversations Network through March 31.

As much as I've enjoyed ITConversations over the last couple of years, I suppose its about time I contribute to the great work that Doug and his crew are doing. If you have never listened to any of the great ITConversations programs, do yourself a favor and do it now!

My favorite ITC series':

Memory Lane (there aren't enough of these to satisfy!)
Larry's World
Tech Nation

My favorite ITC covered events (wish we could get Gnomedex added here, but I'm sure Chris Pirillo will have something in the works for us):

Technorati tags: ITConversations

NerdTV Feed

Lance Robinson — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:56:00 GMT

Dave points out that there is a podcast feed for NerdTV. PPR subscribed. Unfortunately the feed only contains one item at a time. I'll have to download the old episodes manually.

Technorati tag: podcasting

Amnesia at ITConversations

Lance Robinson — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 15:30:00 GMT

Hey Doug and Halley, how about a few more trips down memory lane? I think I must have been spoiled last fall when there were frequent episodes, and now I am left wanting. Is the slow down a matter of time availability or lack of popularity in teh series? I hope not the latter.

I have been enjoying one of the newer additions - Larry's World has been filling the gap for me, I definitely like this style of interview (but Halley's voice is much more enjoyable to hear :D).

Still listening in PPR and in my car everyday. Thanks for all your hard work.

No C-SPAN podcast or RSS feed may be displayed on any website, including personal websites

Lance Robinson — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 17:32:00 GMT

Someone posted this in the Podcasters mailing list. Thats right, C-SPAN is podcasting. Just don't link to them. From http://www.c-span.org/podcast/, at the very bottom of the page:

"No C-SPAN podcast or RSS feed may be displayed on any website, including personal websites."

Clear Channel: "Podcasts painful"

Lance Robinson — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 10:31:00 GMT

Billboard interview with Mark Mays, president/CEO of Clear Channel Communications. In this interview he is asked about satellite radio and podcasting being a thread to radio.

Podcasts good for business?

Lance Robinson — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 23:03:00 GMT

Dave Taylor says podcasts are no good for businesses because we can't effectively search them for specific content that we want to hear. That may be so, however:

I can't read a blog during my frequent road trips and commutes to and from work (amoung dozens of other activities, like jogging, lifting weights, or mowing the lawn).
Even if I had mobile connectivity, its not easy to read blogs on a mobile device. Its very easy to listen or watch podcasts on a Pocket PC or similar device no matter where I am, online or not.
Bloggers cannot possibly convey all that a podcaster can. Proof? Take two of the most popular podcasts, IT Conversations and the video podcast Channel 9.
I don't really give a damn if Dave Taylor can excerpt them or not. Podcasts weren't created so that Dave Taylor could quote them. Podcasts were created to distribute audio to a wide audience in a method that gave the consumer the ability to consume the content when and where they want to. I for one have learned a great deal thanks to the work of people like Chris Pirillo, Doug Kaye, and many more not-so-recognizable names.

Vlogging is stupid, and so is this argument

Lance Robinson — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 21:13:00 GMT

I'm so sick of this argument: "Is podcasting audio only?".

Ugh. I can think of one reason why the answer to this question should be no, and that is that podcasting is a crappy name.

That said - there's no reason for multiple words to describe the same technology. Wether it be mp3 audio, wmv video (MS Channel9), jpg photos (iBod), iso images, exe updates (aka "appcasting"), or any other file type, they can all be delivered via RSS enclosures. They can all be automatically cast to a mobile device.

Yes, it would be pointless to cast these to an iPod. Who's fault is that? Apple.

Where can I cast wmv's or jpg's so I can actually use them? Windows Mobile, you say? You mean my pocket PC has Windows Media Player pre-installed on it? And it plays more than just audio? Wow! Great! This should NOT be a newsflash.

Microsoft's Podcasting Solution

Lance Robinson — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 13:42:00 GMT

Robert Scoble has called out on Channel 9 for user suggestions as to what MS should do about Podcasting, I suppose in response to iTunes. I've seen people like Rob Greenlee suggesting adding functionality to Windows Media Player. I think thats a fine suggestion - but not until they take some functionality OUT of WMP first. That thing is so over-bloated that I can hardly run it. I hardly ever run WMP because it consumes so many resources on my machine, it slows down my work.

Halley Suitt's Memory Lane

Lance Robinson — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 02:04:00 GMT

Halley Suitt's Memory Lane has always been one of my favorite of the IT Conversations series'.

I was afraid that she was done, since there hasn't been a new Memory Lane episode in quite a while. Finally after almost 6 months, I see that two weeks ago Halley published a podcast where she interviews Meg Hourihan, co-founder of Blogger.

Halley, keep up the great work. I've really enjoyed all of your Memory Lane episodes.