YouTube and The Sucky Uploading Tool

Why the greatest company around repeatedly fails to fix a simple script that uploads videos is beyond me.  Frankly, I see it as an embarrassment to the company.  I for one know that many people have had issues with uploading videos on YouTube.  It does not even require an effort to search online as I talk to people on a daily basis that have had issues.  It is not the users’ fault either.

I just learned that it might be an issue with the latest flash player, but even if that is the case, I have had issues for well over a year now.  I’ve even performed clean installs.  It just makes no sense.

YouTube, a company that supposedly represents some of the best innovation online has never had it right with their upload tool.  Ever since I first joined the site, I have had issues that just baffle me.  YouTube, Google please fix this problem!

Webware 100: It’s That Time Again–Voting Opens

The Webware 100 online awards event is back in session once again for 2008.  Your favorite internet applications will be battling it out for a prime position within the various categories of the Webware 100 awards.  In 2007, over 480,000 people voted for their favorites in categories like browsing, communication, entertainment, media, and publishing.  This year, even more people are likely to cast their votes for favorites in a growing field of internet applications and services.

Although there are several new services and applications being added, the chances of any drastic winners is very unlikely.  The web 2.0 slowdown in innovation is catching up.  It is becoming harder to come up with a revolutionary idea, and while some services like Qik offer something new, it still is somewhat disappointing to already know the most likely winners.

Regardless, you can vote for your favorites right now.  I would suggest voting for a smaller application that could use the media exposure, but that is just me.

YouTube Experiment—Three or More Videos Uploaded Per Day For 30 Days

Once I get my MacBook Pro—yes, I know I keep mentioning a MacBook Pro—I am going to attempt to post three or more videos every day for the next 30 days. Call it an experiment of some sort. With my new laptop, I should be able to easily upload videos via Quick Capture. I’m attempting to do this for a few reasons, but mostly it is just because I want to see if I can pull it off.

The reasoning behind all this? I have seen people who have uploaded at least five 5 – 10 minute videos per day, everyday, for a very long time now. I think they are insane. With all the freedom I have, I can’t even find the time to make one video within the past several months. I know that most of the people I watch actually have typical day jobs. I just can’t imagine doing something like that. I have to at least attempt it.

The quick capture feature will—hopefully—be a go for the MacBook’s iSight camera. If not, I may have to adjust the rules and goals slightly. I did see other users successfully using Quick Capture though, so I am confident that things will go smoothly with that regard. I have set up a few rules and goals for me to follow as well.

The Rules

1. I must aim to post at least three videos every day in a 30 day time period.
2. If I fail to reach three videos during any day, I must make up the required amount within three days.
3. If at any point I end up behind more than six videos, I fail the experiment.
4. Videos must be at least one minute in length to count. Preferably longer than that, but the point is to actually provide videos with some purpose.

The Goals

• Have 100 new videos uploaded within 30 days.
• Have at least 5 of these videos generate video responses.
• Have an average of 50 views per video.
• Have an average of at least 5 comments per video.
• Have at least three videos reach over 1,000 views.
• Have at least two videos reach over 5,000 views.
• Have at least one video reach over 10,000 views.

Questions To Be Answered

1. Can I pull it off?
2. Will I gain more subscribers than I did previously with posting videos on an irregular basis?
3. Will I lose any subscribers?
4. Will view counts be reasonable?
5. Will people comment?
6. What will be the general consensus by others of what I am doing?
7. Will this affect my work? (If so—how and why?)
8. Will this be considered as work or fun to me?

Knowing me, I will probably be yapping about something related to technology most of the time. It might be a few weeks before I start this experiment, but I will keep everyone updated!

The Future Of Website Hosting

I am fairly disappointed with the service I have received from CirtexHosting. There is only so much you can expect for around $60 a year, but the inconsistency of the service is beyond reasonable.

Web hosts often overload their servers by stuffing many accounts on one single server. Some servers have over 250 – 350 accounts on them. Imagine 350 people trying to use one computer in a store at the same time. It is nearly impossible, right? This is the basic concept that shared website hosting companies apply today. Things are going to go wrong.

You get what you pay for. That is true in so many ways in life. This is true with website hosting. The point is that if anyone is going to be creating a website that is intended on making money, please make a decent investment on a reliable webhost. Do your research. Check out HostJury, which I believe to be an honest resource for hosting reviews. A webhost offering 5GB of storage for $50 a month will in all likelihood be substantially more reliable than a webhost that offers 500GB for the same price.

I will be switching away from CirtexHosting to something more reliable for Tech In Demand. I’m considering Site5, Steadfast Networks, A Small Orange, and SYN Hosting. If anyone has any suggestions or personal experiences with web hosts, I will be glad to hear/read them. Please leave a comment about your experiences with web hosts.