PanoTools:
Size of the QuickTime download as an inhibitor?
Eric O'Brien 2005-Sep-28 07:55:53
[Cross Posted]
On Sep 27, 2005, at 12:00 PM, tflyfish2002 wrote:
> This is not so much as a problem when compared to the fact that QT has
> to be downloaded by a user if it is not already on their system. Most
> will browse away rather than wait don't you think?
>
> barry--- In #removed#, "Andrew Hudson-Smith"
> <#removed#> wrote:
>>
>> I dont like the fact that you have to upload your panoramas to the
>> TourGuide server.
>>
>> I'm not sure about anyone else but im not happy to see my files
>> sucked into someone elses filespace so i dont think i would use it.
>>
>> Andy
This is a common feeling and I can't deny that I don't share it to some
extent. However, what kind of DATA is available to support it? (How
REAL is the "problem?")
Is there any actual DATA about how much of a problem this actually is?
Apple would certainly do itself a favor if it would SHARE any such data
it might have. If it doesn't have any then it should instigate some
unimpeachable research and PUBLICIZE the results. Viewers may or may
not be skipping out on QuickTime content because of the gigantic
download, but out of fear that viewers are or might do so, developers
CERTAINLY are.
What are the characteristics of the population of Windows users who are
first time viewers of panoramas and who also do NOT have QuickTime
installed? "First Time viewers," because if they had ever viewed QTVR
content before, they would already have QT installed and would not face
another download (unless it was an upgrade).
What are the characteristics of the population of Windows users who are
potential viewers of panoramas, but who have never viewed a movie
trailer at Apple, never been curious enough about iTunes to try it
out... don't own an iPod... etc. That is, there are many avenues by
way of which QuickTime can come to be installed on a Windows machine.
What are the characteristics of the population of Windows users who
have never gone down ANY of those paths? And then: to what extent is
that population likely to be potential viewers or customers for QTVR?
Resistance to downloading large files over slow links?
Again, I'm not convinced. Show me some data! Even in the old days,
when I had only a telephone modem, I STILL was willing to download
files so large the process might take hours to complete. I'd just walk
away from the machine at the end of day and let the process continue
it's slow way.
Resistance to multi-megabyte application downloads, but....
I expect that everyone grumping about the gigantic size of the current
QuickTime Download is also, without fail, serving only 150K panoramas.
Right? In these days when Full Screen Panoramas are quite the rage, it
is not unusual to come across 2, 3 or 4 MB pano files. It seems
reasonable to expect that viewers willing to wait for a 2 MB pano to
download would also be willing to wait a little while more (and only
ONCE) to download the files needed to view it. Surely no one is
servering 4MB pano files, but also complaining that Apple's QT download
is too large! ;)
Just to be clear that I am not an apologist for Apple... Do I think
that "32MB" is FAR too large a download for a "viewer?" Yes I
certainly do! Am I offended that I am forced to also download a music
player (that I may not want), just to be able to view some interactive
panoramas? You bet. Am I irritated that the download process and
viewing of QuickTime content infer that I probably need the "Pro"
version, when in fact that is simply not true? Mildly put, "yes."
eo
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