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All posts for “technology”
Funny Computer Explanation from the 90s
There is just something funny about the not-too-distant past, especially when it comes to explaining technology. Here the interestingly named (and still in the media) Kim Komando explains computers for a TV audience in a series called Komputer Kindergarten. The editing is choppy, but still fun to watch.
Email readers can watch here. Via Gizmodo.
New Video: Application Programming Interfaces - APIs
Posted by: leelefever on March 21, 2013- 11:25am
Categories: APIs, Common Craft Video, internet, technology, web
Today we’re announcing a new video: Application Programming Interfaces - APIs - Explained by Common Craft
Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, are a fundamental part of the Web. By connecting websites and applications to specialized functions over the Internet, they can help websites become more fully featured and productive.
Watch it now.
What it teaches:
This video tells the story of Carson, who has an idea to sell interactive maps on his website. Rather than buying and... Continue Reading
Explaining Animated GIFs - Or Not
Posted by: leelefever on November 14, 2012- 10:12am
Categories: Art of Explanation, Explanation problem, GIFs, technology
The word "GIF" is in the news recently thanks to being named the Oxford American Dictionary's word of the year. Today I saw a video that's part of the PBS series Off Book, which explores the history and usage of the animated GIF.
The video is included below, but before we get to that, I want to point out an explanation problem. At about 30 seconds into the video, Patrick Davidson of MemeFactory appears to answer the question "What is an animated GIF?"
Here's how he did that:
An animated gif... Continue Reading
New Video - Big Data Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on September 19, 2012- 8:24am
Categories: big data, data, Explanation, New Video, technology, video
Today we’re announcing a new video explanation: Big Data - Explained by Common Craft
What it Teaches:
Incredible amounts of data are produced every day, so much that we can’t use it all. Big data is a term used to describe the tools and processes that seek to make this data useful and productive. This video uses the example of traffic data to teach:
Where big data comes from and how it’s collected
Why special tools are required to use it
The three big challenges: Volume, Variability and... Continue Reading
QR Codes and How to Track Them
Posted by: leelefever on August 14, 2012- 12:44pm
Categories: analytics, art of explanation, book, QR Codes, technology
As I’ve mentioned previously, I have a book coming out in October and it will contain QR codes. The big idea is to give readers of The Art of Explanation an easy way to watch the videos we use as examples in the book. Scan the code with a smartphone --> watch a video. It’s easier than typing a long URL. Of course, we made a video explaining QR codes, if you’d like to learn more.
The QR code in the photo above is from a previous draft and not a trackable version.
There will be 16 QR... Continue Reading
New Video: Crowdsourcing Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on July 18, 2012- 11:22am
Categories: business, crowdsourcing, New Video, technology, video, workplace
Today we’re announcing a new video: Crowdsourcing - Explained by Common Craft
These days crowdsourcing is changing how we think about getting things done. This video follows the story of a person who discovers how a “crowd” of strangers can help him accomplish a goal. It teaches:
• Why crowdsourcing is needed
• How goals are accomplished using crowdsourcing
• How crowdsourcing helps with speed, quality and cost
• What motivates crowd members to contribute
• How crowdfunding helps turn... Continue Reading
New Video: Website Cookies Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on June 26, 2012- 11:42am
Categories: cookies, internet, New Video, technology, web browsers, website
Today we’re announcing a new video: Website Cookies, Explained by Common Craft.
This video was suggested and voted on by Common Craft members who will use it to educate others in classrooms and on the Web. It teaches:
How and why cookies are saved to your computer when visiting a website
The role cookies play in helping websites remember you
The two basic types: session and persistent cookies
How advertisers may use cookie data
How website owners use cookie data for analyzing traffic
... Continue Reading
Explanations Lower the Cost of Figuring Something Out
Recently Jay Rosen published a fascinating article on his PressThink blog that focuses on politics and how the parties have learned to exploit an “electoral blind spot”. As Rosen puts it:
The blind spot is the point at which voters stop paying attention because the costs of figuring out what’s really going on are too high.
It’s a fascinating article, and I really love this idea of “costs of figuring something out”. The article is about politics and the press, but I think the idea applies... Continue Reading
New Video: QR Codes Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on September 6, 2011- 10:21am
Categories: Common Craft Video, Explanation, mobile, technology
You may have seen these little codes around. They're in newspapers, on storefronts and products. They're called Quick Response (QR) Codes and they're meant to used with your smartphone. They could be a very big deal in the future. This video is one of our most requested titles and explains how QR codes make the real world clickable.
This video, like most in our library, is available with voice-overs in 8 languages. The languages are:
English
French
German
Spanish
Portuguese
Dutch
Italian ... Continue Reading
Video: BitTorrent - Explained by Common Craft
Posted by: leelefever on January 31, 2011- 4:00pm
Categories: Bittorrent, Common Craft Video, Explanation, technology, video
Today we’re publishing a new video: BitTorrent Explained by Common Craft
Watch the video.
Chances are, even if you’re one of the millions who use BitTorrent every day, you don’t really know how it works. That’s part of the magic that makes it so popular - it just works. It helps you download files from the Internet faster than any other method. This video explains the moving parts that work together to deliver the file to your computer.
Those of you who tune-in to the Common Craft blog... Continue Reading