A major overhaul of telecoms law across Europe is due on 24 November as the European Parliament votes on new rules.
The package comes amid controversial laws being introduced in France and the UK to cut off persistent illegal downloaders.
Protecting internet access and users' rights was a high priority for MEPs hammering out the Telecoms Package.
Many critics say the eventual compromise solution is too weak and will not prevent disconnections.
Other measures in the telecoms package include an aim to harmonise the way mobile broadband is rolled out across the EU, which would help in the push to achieve 100% broadband coverage in Europe by 2013.
It also seeks to improve co-operation between member states' telecoms regulators and make it easier for incumbent operators to both provide and buy network services.
Two other parts of the telecoms package have already been approved.
A law on citizens' rights aims to improve how quickly customers can change their mobile telephone number and strengthen personal data and privacy protection by, for example, allowing users to opt in to the use the cookies.
Fair hearing
Perhaps the most scrutinised part of the package is that which relates to file-sharing.
It comes as individual member states introduce tough penalties for those who download content illegally.
France has introduced a "three strikes" policy for those who share illegal content. If letters fail to stop them, illegal file-sharers risk being disconnected.
And the UK's Digital Economy Bill also seeks to impose technical restrictions, including disconnection, on persistent pirates.
Earlier this month, MEPs agreed on a compromise solution to protect user's rights which read: "A user's internet access may be restricted, if necessary and proportionate, only after a fair and impartial procedure including the user's right to be heard."
What the fair and impartial procedure will mean in practice is, as yet, unclear.
MEPs also agreed that restrictions on a user's internet access can only be taken "with due respect for the principle of presumption of innocence and the right to privacy".
But an earlier amendment which ruled that any application for cutting off internet access must go through a judge was rejected.
Some critics say the compromise is too weak while some lawyers argue that it could put the UK's newly introduced Digital Economy bill at odds with the Telecoms Package.
Meanwhile protests over the UK bill have grown, with 11,000 signing an e-petition against it while others predicted "civil unrest" as a result of the bill.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Three Technology Necessities For The Online Student
So, you've made the decision to return to school and finally finish that degree. Great! With the abundance of online degree programs available today, there is no reason that you shouldn't be able to find something that not only helps you achieve your goals but also is fun at the same time.
Regardless of which school or program you choose, technology will play a significant role in the ability to complete all the coursework and degree requirements. Now, while it is not necessary to have the latest computer and equipment, the student experience will be significantly enhanced with use of at least some of the most up-to-date tech advancements available.So what technology might be considered a necessity for that student experience?
Broadband Internet Service -
Now, this may seem to many to be a "no brainer", but the reality is that many people online today are still using dial-up service. While dial-up will work in some cases, your online degree program may very well require that you have high-speed internet access. This will make downloading class material and participating in live, online discussions much faster and enjoyable. Once you see for yourself, going back to dial-up will scare you.
Internet Phone Service -
I know many of you may be thinking that this one is not a necessity. However, I would disagree for two main reasons. First, with the increasing utilization of broadband internet service, the use of internet phone service has continued to increase in popularity both here and abroad. With services such as Skype, more and more people will be using the internet as a medium for 2-way voice dialogue. If you are attending an international-based online degree program, this may very well be a necessity.
Secondly, the use of internet phone service is relatively inexpensive. Again, with services like Skype and Vonage, you can talk as long as you want for one low flat rate. In fact, you can even call many international locations with no extra charge. For a student who is financially strapped, the ability to talk long-distance for very little is quite a necessity.
Digital Audio Player -
One of the advantages of an online degree program is that you can often tailor the program to fit into your schedule. Because of the fact that you can go to class almost any time and do the work when you want, it is important that you be diligent in proper time management. One significant part of that is maximizing "down time". Many online courses utilize audio and video files that can be produced by the instructor and then downloaded by the student. Using an mp3 player (or something similar), you have the ability to download the course material and then listen to it when you want to. This could include in the car, at the gym, etc. The point is that with use of a digital audio player, you can stay in control and yet maximize your learning opportunities.
Please understand that while we have listed the above technology as necessities, it 's availability and/or affordability to you will not determine your online education success alone. These three technology necessities will greatly enhance the educational experience, but your success will also depend on your ability to stay focused, study hard and effectively manage your time. As with many technological improvements designed to make our lives easier, it is not difficult to become distracted and spend countless hours focused on things such as entertainment. However, your job as a student will be to minimize the distractions and accomplish the goal of obtaining your degree.
Let technology aid you, not hinder you.
Regardless of which school or program you choose, technology will play a significant role in the ability to complete all the coursework and degree requirements. Now, while it is not necessary to have the latest computer and equipment, the student experience will be significantly enhanced with use of at least some of the most up-to-date tech advancements available.So what technology might be considered a necessity for that student experience?
Broadband Internet Service -
Now, this may seem to many to be a "no brainer", but the reality is that many people online today are still using dial-up service. While dial-up will work in some cases, your online degree program may very well require that you have high-speed internet access. This will make downloading class material and participating in live, online discussions much faster and enjoyable. Once you see for yourself, going back to dial-up will scare you.
Internet Phone Service -
I know many of you may be thinking that this one is not a necessity. However, I would disagree for two main reasons. First, with the increasing utilization of broadband internet service, the use of internet phone service has continued to increase in popularity both here and abroad. With services such as Skype, more and more people will be using the internet as a medium for 2-way voice dialogue. If you are attending an international-based online degree program, this may very well be a necessity.
Secondly, the use of internet phone service is relatively inexpensive. Again, with services like Skype and Vonage, you can talk as long as you want for one low flat rate. In fact, you can even call many international locations with no extra charge. For a student who is financially strapped, the ability to talk long-distance for very little is quite a necessity.
Digital Audio Player -
One of the advantages of an online degree program is that you can often tailor the program to fit into your schedule. Because of the fact that you can go to class almost any time and do the work when you want, it is important that you be diligent in proper time management. One significant part of that is maximizing "down time". Many online courses utilize audio and video files that can be produced by the instructor and then downloaded by the student. Using an mp3 player (or something similar), you have the ability to download the course material and then listen to it when you want to. This could include in the car, at the gym, etc. The point is that with use of a digital audio player, you can stay in control and yet maximize your learning opportunities.
Please understand that while we have listed the above technology as necessities, it 's availability and/or affordability to you will not determine your online education success alone. These three technology necessities will greatly enhance the educational experience, but your success will also depend on your ability to stay focused, study hard and effectively manage your time. As with many technological improvements designed to make our lives easier, it is not difficult to become distracted and spend countless hours focused on things such as entertainment. However, your job as a student will be to minimize the distractions and accomplish the goal of obtaining your degree.
Let technology aid you, not hinder you.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Understanding Streaming Video
There are two ways to view media such as video or audio on the internet and that is downloading and streaming video.
Downloading
When you download a file the entire file is saved on your computer 's hard drive, which you then open and view at your leisure. The one major advantages is having quicker access to different parts of the file once downloaded, but it has the big disadvantage of you having to wait for the whole file to completely download before any of it can be viewed. If the file is quite small this may not be too much of a problem for you, but for large files it can tax your patience.
The easiest way to provide downloadable video files is to use a simple hyperlink to the file on your site or server. A slightly more advanced method is to embed the file in a web page on your site using special HTML code.
Making video files available this way is known as HTTP streaming or HTTP delivery. HTTP means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, and is the same protocol used to deliver web pages. For this reason it is easy to set up and use on almost any website, without requiring additional software or special hosting plans.
Streaming
Streaming video works a bit differently, you or your visitors, the end users can start watching the file almost as soon as it begins downloading. The file is sent to the user in a constant stream, ideally, and the user watches it as it arrives. The main advantage with this method is that no waiting is involved, depending on the download speed of your service. Streaming media has additional advantages such as being able to broadcast live events, sometimes referred to as a webcast or netcast.
True streaming video must be delivered from a specialized streaming server.
Progressive Downloading
There is also a hybrid method known as progressive download. In this method the video file is downloaded but begins playing as soon as a portion of the file has been received. This simulates true streaming, but doesn't have all the advantages.
HTTP Streaming Video
This is the simplest and cheapest way to stream video from a website. Small to medium sized websites are more likely to use this method than the more expensive streaming servers.
For this method you don't need any special type of website or host, just a host server which recognises common video file types (most standard hosting accounts do this). Bear in mind you can't stream live video, since the HTTP method only works with complete files stored on the server. This method is very popular and will be used on this site and video syndication sites such as YouTube.
Create a Streaming Video File
There are many streaming video formats and the main one are probably familiar to you already. The most popular are Macromedia Flash, RealMedia, Windows Media, Quicktime and MPEG.
Each format has its pro and cons and people have their own preference. Ideally you should have files in all formats but this is far from practical and it is best to choose one or two at the most. Flash is the format recommended on this site and the Flash Player is usually found on the majority of computers connected to the internet.
There are two ways to create stored streaming video files
Once you have created you video in, let 's say, .avi format then you need to prepare it for uploading to your web site ready for streaming by one of the following methods.
1. Use a conversion utility program. This takes an existing digital video file (avi) and converts it into the streaming format of your choice, in this case Flash video.
2. Export streaming files from video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Ulead Video Studio.
Conversion Utilities
A conversion utility is a stand alone program which imports a video clip and exports it in a different format. Examples include RealNetworks Real Producer External Link and Sorenson Squeeze External Link. There are simpler, cheaper and even free software programs for converting videos into Flash format which are perfectly adequate for the scope of this web site.
Basically, you simply open a file and select which which format to save it as. You can set various parameters to optimise the final video. The program will then chug away for some time while it makes the conversion.
Downloading
When you download a file the entire file is saved on your computer 's hard drive, which you then open and view at your leisure. The one major advantages is having quicker access to different parts of the file once downloaded, but it has the big disadvantage of you having to wait for the whole file to completely download before any of it can be viewed. If the file is quite small this may not be too much of a problem for you, but for large files it can tax your patience.
The easiest way to provide downloadable video files is to use a simple hyperlink to the file on your site or server. A slightly more advanced method is to embed the file in a web page on your site using special HTML code.
Making video files available this way is known as HTTP streaming or HTTP delivery. HTTP means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, and is the same protocol used to deliver web pages. For this reason it is easy to set up and use on almost any website, without requiring additional software or special hosting plans.
Streaming
Streaming video works a bit differently, you or your visitors, the end users can start watching the file almost as soon as it begins downloading. The file is sent to the user in a constant stream, ideally, and the user watches it as it arrives. The main advantage with this method is that no waiting is involved, depending on the download speed of your service. Streaming media has additional advantages such as being able to broadcast live events, sometimes referred to as a webcast or netcast.
True streaming video must be delivered from a specialized streaming server.
Progressive Downloading
There is also a hybrid method known as progressive download. In this method the video file is downloaded but begins playing as soon as a portion of the file has been received. This simulates true streaming, but doesn't have all the advantages.
HTTP Streaming Video
This is the simplest and cheapest way to stream video from a website. Small to medium sized websites are more likely to use this method than the more expensive streaming servers.
For this method you don't need any special type of website or host, just a host server which recognises common video file types (most standard hosting accounts do this). Bear in mind you can't stream live video, since the HTTP method only works with complete files stored on the server. This method is very popular and will be used on this site and video syndication sites such as YouTube.
Create a Streaming Video File
There are many streaming video formats and the main one are probably familiar to you already. The most popular are Macromedia Flash, RealMedia, Windows Media, Quicktime and MPEG.
Each format has its pro and cons and people have their own preference. Ideally you should have files in all formats but this is far from practical and it is best to choose one or two at the most. Flash is the format recommended on this site and the Flash Player is usually found on the majority of computers connected to the internet.
There are two ways to create stored streaming video files
Once you have created you video in, let 's say, .avi format then you need to prepare it for uploading to your web site ready for streaming by one of the following methods.
1. Use a conversion utility program. This takes an existing digital video file (avi) and converts it into the streaming format of your choice, in this case Flash video.
2. Export streaming files from video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Ulead Video Studio.
Conversion Utilities
A conversion utility is a stand alone program which imports a video clip and exports it in a different format. Examples include RealNetworks Real Producer External Link and Sorenson Squeeze External Link. There are simpler, cheaper and even free software programs for converting videos into Flash format which are perfectly adequate for the scope of this web site.
Basically, you simply open a file and select which which format to save it as. You can set various parameters to optimise the final video. The program will then chug away for some time while it makes the conversion.
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