[backstage] Re: Backstage- End of an Era
Hello folks, I wanted to throw in my tuppence worth in the form of a sort of retrospective from my point of view. Opinions my own, and any similarity to those of persons living or dead are entirely coincidental. The good: * Getting BBC people out into the public and meeting developers (both at BBC-hosted events and otherwise) and shows that BBC staffers are people too ;) * Showing that the BBC's creativity is not limited to its traditional output * A forum to ask technical questions about stuff * BBC people being open and honest (less good: having to face the internal grumbles as a result) * (most importantly) demonstrating that the sky will not, in fact, fall in if things are opened up The bad: * I can't speak for anybody else, but I think the timing is potentially terrible. Backstage started winding down not only as I discovered it, but as the stuff Backstage has been helping to make happen has become increasingly more important. * As a knock-on effect, the big takeaway impression is of stuff which is in the process of being decommissioned and a website which hasn't been updated properly in forever, which is a shame. * It's mostly just BBC. The ugly: * This list. Or rather, the fact there's only _one_ list. I think having a general discussion list (heated debates and all) is great, but I think, and others have expressed a similar sentiment, that having 'general discussion' and 'technical help and enquiries, and announcements' all on one list served to discourage the latter and attract people who are interested in the former but less the latter. So I reckon you can break it all down into different things I'd like to see happen or continue in *some* way: * Things like /programmes, /nature are clearly brilliant. More of this across the BBC, please. * A forum of some sort for help and advice in making use of this stuff -- whether it's hangers-on like me, or involved experts like Yves * A place to announce prototypes and such (I'd assume the RD blog would be high on the list for BBC stuff, but there needs to be something for the third-party stuff and unofficial hacks by BBC staff) * General discussions... thing. Somewhere for these to go (friends-of-backstage?) * BBC presence at events, and BBC-hosted events -- hackdays, Maker Faire, etc. I presume this would be fairly easily be turned into a BBC RD interest rather than a BBC Backstage interest as it is now. * A cross-broadcaster vehicle underpinning promoting a lot of this. Where's the data on ITV? Channel 4 (actually, wasn't it there, then switched off recently)? Five? Sky? -- I realise this one's ambitious, but I think it's something which needs to happen. * A voice for developers, hangers-on, hecklers, etc., to whinge and praise when things are done badly/well. So, yeah. That's my take. Make it so :) M. - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] Re: Backstage- End of an Era
On 22 October 2010 13:51, Mo McRoberts m...@nevali.net wrote: So I reckon you can break it all down into different things I'd like to see happen or continue in *some* way: Come on Mo,this list has very rarely acheived significant volume to even justify splitting it into 2 lists. I'm dissapointed to see Backstage go, but am sure we'll see more available data made accessible across the bbc in future. Thanks to all who contributed over the years. Martin Hatfield @hairyhatfield
Re: [backstage] Re: Backstage- End of an Era
On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 16:21, Martin Poppy Hatfield mar...@moppy.co.uk wrote: Come on Mo,this list has very rarely acheived significant volume to even justify splitting it into 2 lists. It's nothing to do with volume -- everything to do with audience. There has been, over the past year, _loads_ of stuff going on which is relevant to Backstage, and of interest to developers, but it doesn't make the list. M. - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
[backstage] Travel Alert Android App
Hi, I hope this is the right place to announce this ? I have just release a free Travel and Traffic alert App for Android using the BBC TPEG Feeds. You can find it in the Android Market, just search for either 'chartcross' or 'Travel Alert UK'. Mark Piggott
Re: [backstage] Re: Backstage- End of an Era
I've got a little story to tell, before this list disappears In 1990 I had the pleasure of doing a recording session at Maid Vale a full band with the Royal Philharmonic, about 110 people. We set up the studio and found that the small monitors (speakers) on the desk were out of phase. Incorrectly wired. In my commercial world, this would have just been fixed... there and then. In the BBC world, the studio assistant began by telling us that, as they were hard wired, we were therefore wrong. we carried on complaining and eventually a maintenance man came to have a look. complete with crisp white coat and pipe. We weren't allowed to touch the wiring ourselves health and safety you know!! He opened the plug and found it incorrectly wired. Hurrah... fixed in less than five minutes. The BBC assistant then proceeded to tell us that the studio had had a bass problem for so long that an £87,000 budget had been agreed to make changes. Changes which were no longer necessary as out of phase speakers cancel out bass. Our own budget was £250,000 for three days work, work that we came very close to just cancelling. This sums up my experience of Backstage as well. I am no computer tech but I understand the internet and its world far better than most. I have been on it since 1987. Backstage has taught me much, at the same time it has infuriated me... :-) I shall though, be very sad to see it go. I am afraid that the commercialisation of the BBC has been nothing if not cack-handed. :-) Many times I have thought that Backstage was more important to the BBC than the audience. and some of the really heated discussions have been very interesting, if for nothing more than the potentially tiny changes in the true vision of the BBC employees. Although last week there was a post trying to show how positively proactive the Beeb is in trying to keep the net (distribution) neutral whilst hiding themselves behind Siemens, Rights Holders and GEO/IP.. hahahahaha whoever can square that argument is wise indeed. Best wishes all RichE On 22 Oct 2010, at 17:38, Mo McRoberts wrote: On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 16:21, Martin Poppy Hatfield mar...@moppy.co.uk wrote: Come on Mo,this list has very rarely acheived significant volume to even justify splitting it into 2 lists. It's nothing to do with volume -- everything to do with audience. There has been, over the past year, _loads_ of stuff going on which is relevant to Backstage, and of interest to developers, but it doesn't make the list. M. - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html . Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] Re: Backstage- End of an Era
I don't post much here these days, you have been able to see the virtual tumbleweed here for some time. In terms of success, it seems to me that, during the era of Blackberrys where an internal BBC list was an enlightening, intelligent, well-informed, helpful and only occasionally obsessive diversion, that we had the attention of many BBC people. Anyway, it pleases me to be associated here with people who can argue clearly both the technical and socio-economic issues associated with the BBC's online presence. There were lots of successes. Everything from the Look East mailing list to influences on the iPlayer and the very structure of the BBC site. A lot of what was done was subtle help, some things more obvious as pointed out above. Meeting up with backstage people on the various occasions was always stimulating. As they say, all good things must come to an end. Brian On 22 October 2010 17:38, Richard P Edwards re...@mac.com wrote: I've got a little story to tell, before this list disappears In 1990 I had the pleasure of doing a recording session at Maid Vale a full band with the Royal Philharmonic, about 110 people. We set up the studio and found that the small monitors (speakers) on the desk were out of phase. Incorrectly wired. In my commercial world, this would have just been fixed... there and then. In the BBC world, the studio assistant began by telling us that, as they were hard wired, we were therefore wrong. we carried on complaining and eventually a maintenance man came to have a look. complete with crisp white coat and pipe. We weren't allowed to touch the wiring ourselves health and safety you know!! He opened the plug and found it incorrectly wired. Hurrah... fixed in less than five minutes. The BBC assistant then proceeded to tell us that the studio had had a bass problem for so long that an £87,000 budget had been agreed to make changes. Changes which were no longer necessary as out of phase speakers cancel out bass. Our own budget was £250,000 for three days work, work that we came very close to just cancelling. This sums up my experience of Backstage as well. I am no computer tech but I understand the internet and its world far better than most. I have been on it since 1987. Backstage has taught me much, at the same time it has infuriated me... :-) I shall though, be very sad to see it go. I am afraid that the commercialisation of the BBC has been nothing if not cack-handed. :-) Many times I have thought that Backstage was more important to the BBC than the audience. and some of the really heated discussions have been very interesting, if for nothing more than the potentially tiny changes in the true vision of the BBC employees. Although last week there was a post trying to show how positively proactive the Beeb is in trying to keep the net (distribution) neutral whilst hiding themselves behind Siemens, Rights Holders and GEO/IP.. hahahahaha whoever can square that argument is wise indeed. Best wishes all RichE On 22 Oct 2010, at 17:38, Mo McRoberts wrote: On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 16:21, Martin Poppy Hatfield mar...@moppy.co.uk wrote: Come on Mo,this list has very rarely acheived significant volume to even justify splitting it into 2 lists. It's nothing to do with volume -- everything to do with audience. There has been, over the past year, _loads_ of stuff going on which is relevant to Backstage, and of interest to developers, but it doesn't make the list. M. - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/ - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
Re: [backstage] Travel Alert Android App
Mark, It works OK for me. It would be even better if you could use the GPS for your location on the map, and organize the list by distance from me. On 22 October 2010 16:55, Mark Piggott mvpigg...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: Hi, I hope this is the right place to announce this ? I have just release a free Travel and Traffic alert App for Android using the BBC TPEG Feeds. You can find it in the Android Market, just search for either 'chartcross' or 'Travel Alert UK'. Mark Piggott
[backstage] With some folks moving on to rd...
... I know that the friends list will still be here, but would there be a back door into rd people like this list? I hope there would be... Cos it's been fun, and productive. Oh... Also, is there any update about getting the n900 whitelisted for the mobile iplayer site? Just wondering...
Re: [backstage] With some folks moving on to rd...
I'll stick around, and I doubt you've actually seen the last of Ian. Backstage won't be his day job, but the principles that have brought this community together remain dear to him and many others round here, a On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 6:53 PM, Alex Cockell a...@acockell.eclipse.co.ukwrote: ... I know that the friends list will still be here, but would there be a back door into rd people like this list? I hope there would be... Cos it's been fun, and productive. Oh... Also, is there any update about getting the n900 whitelisted for the mobile iplayer site? Just wondering... -- Ant Miller tel: 07709 265961 email: ant.mil...@gmail.com
