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Table of contents » Chapter 2 » Chapter 2.5
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Path: Home » Publications » Handbook on cultural web user interaction »
Table of contents » Chapter 2 » Chapter 2.5
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Handbook on cultural web user interaction
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2.5. Interactive and user side servicesThis section aims to present ICT applications that can be adapted for the end user, providing interfaces and selections of contents and of personalized services. The single services are organised into some macro-categories, to help readers to make their choice. URLs have been checked in August 2008. 2.5.1 Interactive communication services mediated by the information provider 2.5.1.1 Electronic mailing list An electronic mailing list (sometimes written as elist or e-list) is a special usage of e-mail that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. It is similar to a traditional mailing list — a list of names and addresses — as might be kept by an organization for sending publications to its members or customers, but typically refers to four things: a list of e-mail addresses, the people (“subscribers”) receiving mail at those addresses, the publications (e-mail messages) sent to those addresses, and a reflector, which is a single e-mail address that, when designated as the recipient of a message, will send a copy of that message to all of the subscribers. Science Museum, UK 2.5.1.2 Newsletter A newsletter is a news bulletin in written or image form periodically sent out by electronic mail, often in HTML format. It is usually requested by those who receive it.Some portals and providers make an invasive use of them for advertising. Tate, UK 2.5.1.3 Forum Egyptology community 2.5.1.4 Blog, photoblog, videoblog, geoblog Centre Pompidou, France 2.5.1.5 Virtual reference services Online reference service, generally known as “Ask the librarian”, offered via e-mail or chat by the library. Sometimes is optimized for handheld devices. Library of Congress, USA (Ask a librarian) 2.5.1.6 Mobile devices: SMS/MMS/Bluetooth Short Message Service (SMS) is a communications protocol allowing the interchange of short text messages between mobile telephone devices. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a standard for telephone messaging systems that allows sending messages that include multimedia objects (images, audio, video, rich text) and not just text as in Short Message Service (SMS). Institutions are beginning to send information using these technologies. Servizio bibliotecario vimercatese, Italy (SMS Service) 2.5.1.7 Instant messaging “Instant Messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network such as the Internet. It is important to understand that what separates chat and instant messaging from technologies such as e-mail is the perceived synchronicity of the communication by the user - Chat happens in real-time before your eyes. For this reason, some people consider communication via instant messaging to be less intrusive than communication via phone. However, some systems allow the sending of messages to people not currently logged on (offline messages), thus removing much of the difference between Instant Messaging and e-mail. Some IM systems allow users to use webcams and microphones which make them more popular than others. Due to this feature users can have a real-time conversation. In addition IM has additional features such as: the immediate receipt of acknowledgement or reply, group chatting, conference services (including voice and video), conversation logging and file transfer. Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) is a presence enabled messaging service that aims to transpose the desktop messaging experience to the usage scenario of being on the move” (Wikipedia). Several libraries are already using this kind of technology for interaction with users. University Libraries of Nevada, Las Vegas, Instant messaging reference service 2.5.1.8 Videoconferencing “A videoconference (also known as a videoteleconference) is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. It has also been called visual collaboration and is a type of groupware. It differs from videophone in that it is designed to serve a conference rather than individuals. The core technology used in a videoteleconference (VTC) system is digital compression of audio and video streams in real time” (from Wikipedia). Natural History Museum, London, UK (Educational Videoconferences) 2.5.1.9 Streaming “The term streaming identifies a flow of audio/video data transmitted by a source to one or more destinations through a telematic network. This data is reproduced as it arrives at its destination. There are basically two kinds of streaming: Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) (Conferences: audio) IN DEPTH Streaming Museum It is a real-time exhibition in cyberspace and public space on seven continents, launched on January 29, 2008. The project presents an ongoing program of multi-media exhibitions in collaboration with international curators and cultural institutions. Streaming Museum is conceived as a source of free cultural content and public service messaging on the environment, education and health, accessed via the Internet and in high visibility public locations. http://www.streamingmuseum.org/info/ 2.5.1.10 WebCam Webcams (web cameras) are small cameras whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web. Centre Pompidou, France 2.5.2 Interactive learning services 2.5.2.1 Online tutorials, Online help Online courses and tutorials, available through websites of public cultural institutions. Plot, Park Library Online Tutorial - Resources for Librarians and Educators 2.5.3 Virtual interactive tours Interactive tours on collection highlights, exhibitions, popular themes, etc. The London Canal Museum, London 2.5.4 Commercial interactive services 2.5.4.1 E-commerce Electronic commerce or e-commerce consists in buying and selling, marketing and providing products or services through network linked computers. In the telecommunications industry it can also mean the group of applications dedicated to commercial transactions. British Museum, UK (Shop Online) 2.5.4.2 Online ticketing On line booking service for museums, exhibitions and events. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain 2.5.5 Interactive forms Many institutions use interactive forms for subscriptions, reservations, desiderata, suggestions, comments etc. New York State Library, 2.5.6 User-side services 2.5.6.1 Podcasting MoMAudio, USA 2.5.6.2 RSS Feed Victoria & Albert Museum, UK 2.5.6.3 Social bookmarking National Army Museum Chelsea, UK (social bookmarking buttons) 2.5.6.4 Folksonomies, social tagging Del.icio.us 2.5.6.5 File-sharing (texts, images, video) The sharing of files within a common network can take place through a network with a client-server or peer-to-peer structure. Global Museum Podcast Index 2.5.6.6 Mashup This term is used to describe the creation of Web services by freely using the information of other sites or services, extracted using public interfaces. This procedure is possible thanks to the use of application programming interfaces (APIs), which allow a program on one computer to invoke services from another. Google maps has a very widely used API, for example. Sputtr 2.5.6.7 Story-telling Story telling is the ancient art of conveying events in words, images, and sounds often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories have been shared in every culture and in every land as a means of entertainment, education, preservation of culture and moral instruction. Crucial elements of storytelling include plot and characters, as well as the narrative point of view. The evolution of technology has changed the tools available to storytellers. Traditionally, oral stories were passed from generation to generation, and survived solely by memory. With written media, this has become less important. Conversely, in modern times, the vast entertainment industry is built upon a foundation of sophisticated multimedia storytelling (from Wikipedia) Every object tells a story 2.5.6.8 Interactive games A video game is a game with rules that are automatically controlled by an electronic man-machine interface. Like any game, a video game symbolically reproduces particular cultural contexts, taking them from their default environment and applying them to contexts and situations that can go from the most faithful simulation to parody. Cultural institutions often use them for educational or entertainment purposes. Public Records Office – Just for kids, UK (see 1.1.8.9) 2.5.6.9 Masterpiece on your desktop This is a widget which allows you to view a different work from the collection every day. And the ‘reverse side’ of every work provides more information about the work and the painter. Rijksmuseum Museum Amsterdam, 2.5.6.10 Add a comment This facility offers the possibility for a user to add a comment to a text or on an image. Tate Britain, UK (Write your own label) 2.5.6.11 Send to a friend This facility offers the possibility for a user to send the content of a webpage to another person, thus sharing his enjoyment of the content. Kindermuseum Wien, Austria 2.5.6.12 Votes and polls These facilities offer the possibility for the user to vote for his favourite content items. Moma, RedStudio, USA 2.5.6.13 Travelogue service This facility offers the possibility to organise a journey by selecting and saving information in a convenient location. Simply click on “add to travelogue” button to save information for one’s trip; design one’s own tailor-made route and create a map of one’s trip; make personalised tourist leaflets; create one’s trip planner, add notes to each stage of the trip. Spain.Info 2.5.6.14 Personalised agenda and calendar Personalised diary for saving information. For those who are bewildered by the amount of daily activity at the Institution, the system offers the opportunity to set up a personal profile indicating specific interests and selecting from the range of event types and the subjects. Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain 2.5.6.15 Personalised map This facility takes the form of a map on which it is possible to save personal information. This adds an extra, geographical, dimension. 2.5.6.16 Personalised visitor plans This function supports a personalised plan for the visit, taking into consideration how and when, with whom and for how long the visitor is planning to come, as well as in what is he interested. Part of the content concerning an exhibition can be retrieved by the visitor after the visit. Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, France (Mes service Visite+) 2.5.6.17 Personalised web gallery / The virtual curator This facility offers the possibility to select images from the digitised collection in order to create a personalised Web gallery, adding personal comments and descriptions. The user can create a “My Personal Museum” space in which to collect, interpret and exhibit regarding a theme, an artist, or a favourite object. This type of facility can be very interesting for school projects. Virtual Museum of Canada 2.5.6.18 Virtual postcards This facility offers visitors to the site the possibility to make and send self-made virtual postcards. Virtual Museum of Canada 2.5.6.19 Learning environments Learning environments are online facilities where the users can explore and discover collections through narrative topics, images and other content-rich resources such as library and object records. UK National Museum of Science and Industry Museum Group – Ingenious Project 2.5.7 MUVEs (see also 1.2.6) Online, multi-user virtual environments, sometimes called virtual worlds”. The most common platform is Second Life (see 1.2.8.4-8). Whyville is a virtual world where boys and girls from all over the real world come to chat, play, learn, and have fun together. Second Life |
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Copyright Minerva Project 2008-09,
last revision 2008-09-19, edited by Minerva
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