User:Mark Kilby

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[edit] Background

  • Living in the United Kingdom
  • Married with two daughters, Elena and Louisa

[edit] Distractions

  • Hobbies
These days there is precious little time outside family. He barely manages to get out in a dingy twice in a year. When time allows he would like to do some offshore sailing, and some skiing. Hobbies are confined to surfing, reading techie books, listening to his teach-yourself-French CDs (if you are a French speaker and happen to meet him, do not be alarmed), and playing online chess (strictly for fun).
  • Computing
  • Captivated in the eighties, a time of Space Invaders and games consoles (Grandstand 2000)
  • These days he mostly...
  • Enjoys reading of new technology.
  • Uses the FORscene video platform.
  • Surfs the net, websites he finds useful...
Alibris if a book exists then you should be able to buy it here new or used Irows provides spreadsheets as a software service, it's free. It's creators now work for Google and irows is no more. Suggest looking at Google's offering. Clesh internet video for people that want a stress free life, the consumer flavour integrates with DV cameras, web, mobile phones, and comes with full professional grade editing capability (the proper professional version does a lot more), both viewing and the editing works right inside a browser, no special video sofware needs to be installed - all it needs is Java - check whether you have Java by visiting this site
Gmail is packed with features and storage capacity, it's free eBay to help find a new life for things you'd otherwise throw away (it's not cheap!) BBC for the coverage, readability, and freshness of the content
Solwise stockists and experts on a phenomenally useful and suprisingly little known device that plugs into your household mains power supply and enables it to be used as a high speed local area network (no wireless signal strength and security issues and no need to lay cables) Auctiva manage ebay listings over the web, also reduces cost of listings, can be a little querky RealVNC easy to use software to get remote access to a PC, and it's free too
WebCab handy web utilities Webapplist list of free-to-use online web applications / tools and utilities (including video editing) Future of car design - 100mph / 189mpg (two cylinder turbo diesel)
OnlineTools list of free-to-use online web applications / tools and utilities (similar to webapplist above) Future of flight? Take your hats of to this team and their unique product, then again best keep your hat on if you visit their garage as the video on the front page demonstrates. Amusements - also available on youtube
Video transcoding freeware This global map can be annotated by anyone and everyone Challenge makria to a game on this site chess site. It's free.
Helpful French property management site Take a look at this code if you are learning / want to learn about HTTP, run it, modify it, and enjoy! Web search on the command line
  • Interesting Articles
  • Bacteriophage - will the humble phage save us when antibiotics fail us. I.e. when bacteria develop widespread resistance to antibiotics.
  • FORscene - the not so humble champion web based video platform.
  • The Evan Davis blog - the BBC's ecconomics correspondant.
  • Videography
  • Has uploaded to the Wikimedia Commons the following video footage
  • Welcomes visitors to subscribe to his podcasts here and here (iTunes works well) or through a regular browser here or here, or (as of July 2007) the Clesh sharing site here. All these videos and the podcast itself are generated quickly and easily using a system called Clesh (also know more widely in its professional form FORscene). It's designed to be a one-stop-shop platform for internet and mobile video. Upload content over the web, over the air direct from a mobile phone, or from a DV camcorder via firewire. Edit your work so it looks its best, for example you can top and tail footage, re-order and combine different shots, re-arrange / add audio, add in still pictures, add subtitles and so on. Then output your work to the web as a video stream, to mobile phones, discrete video files, podcasts, etc. It's totally web-based, responsive, accurate, and powerful, and it should work for 9 out of 10 internet users (you just need the 'Java' software installed). It really takes the pain out of internet video. Just sign up for an account to get started. The software is recognised as cutting edge, reflected by its use by leading professional broadcasters such as the BBC. Of interest Wikipedia contributors - it can output video directly in ogg format.
  • Since roughly 2004 he has owned a variety of digital camcorders
  • JVC GR-DV700
The 1.3 mega pixel still photo capability out-performed the stills capability on more modern video cameras despite them having much higher resolutions. Theft forced a change. Unfortunately the thief also took his footage of Asimo's visit to the London Science museum. Tip for camera owners - don't leave your tapes inside your machines. Request to thieves - take the camera by all means but please eject the tapes first.
  • Panasonic NV GS120
An OK camera, the mpeg-4 facility is handy (.ASF output), no manual focus and no analogue input, and the 1.7 mega pixel still camera is a disappointment. The flash is badly located too. Still, you can unload your cassette whilst attached to a tripod.
  • Sony DCR-IP220 MICROMV
Great camera with lots of whizzy gadgets, good usability, and ultra tiny cassettes. The one problem being no regular Digital Video output.
  • Panasonic NV GS200
Upgrade to the GS120. All the same functions but more mega pixels (2.3 but the images are still no better!). Adds a manual focus ring plus analogue input. The flash is still badly mounted and rendered useless once a lens is attached. The mpeg-4 recording facility is quite handy (.ASF output) and it manages with DV in/out.
  • Other devices:
  • Kodak DX6490 .MOV output, 320 x 240 pixels at 20 fps (more details)
  • Nokia 6630 .3GP output, 176 x 144 pixels at 12.5 fps (more details)
  • Nokia N73 (.MP4 output), 288 x 352 pixels at 15 fps (more details)
  • Nokia N95 (.MP4 output), 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps (more details)
  • For an internet video platform (uploading, hosting, editing, and publishing to the internet as Java applets, to mobile phones, and to ogg format) he uses the Java-based Clesh (a derivative of FORscene) primarily because he believes it is the best system for managing and distributing video on the internet for both authors and viewers alike (on the grounds of future proofing, low cost, ease of use, reliability, and accessibility). Read more about Clesh here. If you have an opinion on video, FORscene, and Wikipedia you will find the strength of debate stimulating. Just enter a few choice words into Google such as Wikipedia Applet Video FORscene to pick up on the various discussion threads or follow the shortcut here.
  • Playback of ogg video files:
  • This procedure represents the experiences of the author only, it does not constitute advice of any kind. What is offered is only a broad description of the work involved, the exact procedure needed will differ for computers of different types as well as the competence (and patience!) of the person involved. There is comprehensive media help available here for anyone that requires it.
(1) Go to the VLC Media Player site to download the appropriate video player software to 'your computer'
(2) Install the VLC software you have just downloaded
(3) Start the VLC Media Player (wait a short while for it to start up...)
(4) Use the VLC Media Player to 'open' your ogg video file (if playing a Wikipedia video you must first have download the ogg file)
(5) Press play!
  • As an aside, some computers require certain privileges to do this sort of work (e.g. an explicit ability to download files or install software) and in some cases this sort of activity may be deemed inappropriate (e.g. if the computer involved belongs to an employer).
  • Once you have installed your software you will probably need to maintain this by installing updates.
  • The procedure above is largely avoided if solutions are built using Java Applets, e.g. FORscene / Clesh. Wikipedia is shortly due to offer media streaming using Java Applets. This will mean it is far easier for more people to watch footage held on Wikipedia. This wider audience could also encourage more people to upload footage to Wikipedia; providing the copyright clauses can be navigated with some confidence.
  • Consequently this will require greater care and effort to police in order to enforce any infringements by act or ommission with respect to restrictions on photographing certain areas and restrictions on publishing certain material. This is a complex area, further information is available in external links below. This will be vital in maintaining Wikipedia's reputation, and even survival because infringements can attract unwanted attentions that can be expensive to defend. For example large corporations with deep pockets and a very forceful mindset with respect to protecting their identity/ies.
  • The approach which is to distribute video as discrete files exacerbates this potential problem. The move towards Java Applets as the primary means to distribute this kind of media will greatly help limit any damage should infringements take place. In contrast, video in FORscene/Clesh when published can if wished always be retracted or refashioned if an infringement is discovered. So in this respects it provides the author / third party supplier substantial protection. FORscene/Clesh can publish video as discrete video files but only under the explicit control of the author. When the distribution is done as discrete files and is not controlled, then it is far harder to exert control over how that file is used or distributed no matter which system is used.

[edit] External Links