Cathy Knoll's dashboard

I'd like to "stuff the ballot box" to raise this request to the top of the list! I was not aware of this feature request when I made the same request this morning. As I said in that message, the numbers of folks who will utilize Seesmic will expand exponentially once we can communicate to selected groups of people The possibilities include "invitation only" groups as well as groups that are wide open to individuals who have similar interests. These groups don't mind wide and open participation, but the members want to keep the conversation on topic, and are not interested in having the conversation splattered around Seesmic's public timeline. So, GO FOR IT! GROUPS ROCK!

THANKS for the prompt reply! I didn't see that request pop up as an option when I was drafting my request. But I'll check it out and add my vote.

(Howdy, Sonny! BTW - your fast-flying fingers tend to invert the letters "u" and "e" as in the words "request" and "question." But I love you no matter how you spell the words!)

Wow! Great list of ideas! And the details are very helpful! (BTW, hi mom!)

Fortunately, we are already working on private groups, so it's on its way. However, adding your vote to the original reqeust, will raise priority, and also allows you to be notified when we make the change.

I don't anticipate getting many video replies for these Autism VODcasts from the FAQautism community since most folks have low-tech capabilities and because they tend to prefer protecting the privacy of their friends with autism. On the occasions that an Autism VODcast post has received five or ten replies from the Seesmic community, the topic of the replies understandably moved off on a tangent. That has been VERY confusing to people in the FAQautism community.

Also, the collage of video replies really clutters up the screen. I realize that many other people like the collage because it visually illustrates the popularity of their post. But, like many other practical applications of Seesmic, the Autism VODcasts don't have that need.

I realize I was among those who requested that the Seesmic logo appear on the embedded Seesmic videos. But now the screen is very cluttered:
(1) Seesmic appears three times: above the video, in the bottom right of the video screen, AND below the video.
(2) The folding collage covers the bottom section of the screen
(3) buttons for "Auto Play Off" and "Reply" appear at the top of the screen.

All of that is to say that I would prefer that the collage of comments that shows up at the bottom third of the screen of the video be removed. Can the video replies appear below in comments just like the written comments? I'm not opposed to the posting of video comments - I just don't want the folding collage of video comments cluttering up the bottom of the screen. So, if there is no way to post the video comments in the comments section BELOW the video, I guess I would have to pick the option of only showing the video I selected

In a perfect world, I would also like to see "Auto Play Off" moved into the menu or to the bar below the screen.

I'm an advocate for CLEAN SCREENS!

Thanks!

(Hi mom)

Just to clarify. Are you asking to have a version of the embeddable video that ONLY shows the single video you selected (with out any replies ever)? Or are you asking to hide all the replies until after the video has played?

YIPEE! I just tried another test video for 2 minutes. The "connection lost" message did not show up. Hopefully, this new ability to connect will remain intact. THANKS, SEESMIC FOLKS!

This is Monday, June 30 and I'm still getting "connection lost" when trying to post a video. Is it still a problem for other people? HELP!

How do I send you a screenshot of my persistent "connection lost" error message? – Cathy Knoll, on June 30, 2008 11:53

Greetings, Folks. THANKS for adding the Seesmic logo and raccoon. I realize you didn't need my message to know that needed to happen = just wanted to add a vote to the request. The VODcast I embedded on FAQautism.com today had lots of logos and other goodies. Some suggestions from my humble perspective:
1. Many folks with whom I communicate have modest computers, modest internet connections, and modest technical knowledge. Therefore, SIMPLICITY is the key.
2. It seems to me that the two buttons in the middle of the screen just add clutter and confuse the user.
3.I would recommend keeping the reply button in the upper left and delete the second reply button in the middle of the screen.
4. If a person wants to play the video again, they just click on the play arrow in the bar below the video screen, right? The "Play again" arrow in the middle of the screen just adds to the clutter and confuses the user.
Hmmmm....I seem to be repeating myself :-)
5. I don't know why there is a "Menu" button. I clicked on it and had NO CLUE what the message meant. Again - clutter and confusion.
6. Now the raccoon appears twice and the word "Seesmic" appears twice. It seems to me that the best way to avoid clutter and confusion is to keep the "less is more" philosophy in mind. (Personally, I like the raccoon in the upper left hand corner by the title and the Seesmic in the bottom right corner of the actual video. But I can also see value in other arrangements.)
7. Just for my own blog, the cool pictures of folks in the comment stream is unnecessary since users can see the conversation unfold when they click on "comments." Maybe I feel this way since I anticipate more folks will send text comments than will be brave enough to send a Seesmic video reply.

Okey dokey. I'll quit bugging you folks.

hi tom just to be picayune the language to be added should be ASL [American Sign Language]. This would obviously be different from any of the other sign languages that may or may not be in use by Seesmic users. Thanks! – sean808080, on June 19, 2008 15:47

Great conversation! I think there might be two different ideas here:

1. Adding signed languages to the list of languages in Seesmic.
2. Adding a text field to the Seesmic interface so that people could add text comments to video posts.

The 1st idea already exists on this existing thread.

The 2nd one already exists on this existing thread.

Cathy, the deaf community has been present on Seesmic for many weeks (even months?) now, and it is simply growing, so that you probably got your attention caught at a moment when someone was signing in the timeline. There definitely are many conversing with other signing Seesmic users and probably testing the platform.

It has been asked here that in the "language" section it can be added ASL or SL for "signed language", in case someone using FSL for instance (for French Signed Language) or any other sign language could select their language options appropriately.

I personnally think it is up to anyone who understands (or not) signed language, to manage to engage if they wish to do so. The same, in my opinion, with any other language that we don't (or do) understand but do not master (Korean or Turkish, or else).

It's a great platform for everyone, isnt' it?

Howdy! Actually, I wasn't envisioning an interpreter on staff, but rather someone in the general, public Seesmic community who would take a look at signed posts, to continue the conversation if they desired to do so, and to post a verbal video post when appropriate to help those of us who are not fluent in sign language understand the conversation. I'm assuming a whole community of folks fluent in ASL will crop up and have ongoing conversations now that visual communication is possible. YEA, Seesmic!

In my humble opinion, It would be a futile undertaking for Seesmic to get into the business of interpreting everything for everyone. For example, because of cultural gaps, I don't understand some of the "hip" posts and topics on Seesmic.