Cox Crow

Does the Document Type Really Matter?

Some people are uncomfortable writing HTML. Some are not familiar with the Save As … feature.

But that doesn't matter, much.

Many applications can make and use hyperlinks in their documents, including everything in Microsoft Office. And if you assume that everybody can read your document, regardless of type, then it doesn't matter what type it is. You link between them.

The reader experiences a subtle context shift when moving between a Word document and an Excel document and a PowerPoint document and a Project document — but each has been wrapped in Internet Explorer, giving the illusion of document-centric computing.

Then depending on what's going on behind the scenes, the document being read may be edited, and saved: the new version replacing the old. It's only a simple matter of programming, after all; the stumbling block is building the link.

I just received an HTML e-mail containing an image linked to a Flash presentation, which linked to a Word document which linked to another document, linked to a form drawn with Excel. These were used not because those formats were the appropriate medium, but because those were familiar. They may not be organized efficiently — I may never find them again — but they were bundled together with links.

3:52:54 PM # Google It!

Media Integration With My Life Feature Request

Tivo, please print the appropriate Spanish Word-of-the-Day when you record the show. Thank you.

2:34:58 PM # Google It!
categories: Media

Down the Shore

We went down the shore for a break. Nota Bene: Do not leave New York later than 07:00 if you wish to avoid the traffic.

I spent a lot of time napping supervising the Little Sister while she napped, and caught up on some reading. And there was a discount book shop where I found copies of Founding Brothers and Linked — struck those two from my wish list.

2:24:02 PM # Google It!
categories: Family