I hate webcams

More fiddling around with web cam display options, mostly along the lines of how to either avoid or alternatively ensure the use of ActiveX controls. Maybe the best way is to provide a choice: click here to use ActiveX (witha What is Active X? link); click here to use Java, click here if using Firefox. Probably could do it all using some javascript, but I don’t want to have to program all the variations. Or, just show static image with IE.

Met with Allen and his web designer Kate for 45 to dicuss the problems. Allen remains frustrated. All he wants is something simple that works, and I’m telling him he can’t have it. Here’s some examples of what he liked:

I clicked on "Click here to see a live update from the webcam, from the roof of Olin Library, looking north!" and was taken to

    http://campuscentercam.its.wesleyan.edu/view/index.shtml

o Using Safari web Browser on my Macintosh, I did NOT see an image
o using FireFox web browser on my Macintosh, I did see the image.
o Using IE on (virtual) PC, I was asked the usual "Do you  want to install this ActiveX control?" questions. Note that my IE Internet Options were set as I described to Kate this afternoon

o Using Safari web Browser on my Macintosh, I only saw a Java option: but that’s OK, as 1) Macs don’t do ActiveX and 2) Java is pre-installed on all Macs

o Same situation using FireFox, Mac

o Using IE on (virtual) PC, I was asked the usual "Do you  want to install this ActiveX control?" questions. Note that my IE Internet Options were set as I described to Kate this afternoon

So, for all intents and purposes, these are no different than our cameras:

o You need Java installed, or
o You need to tell IE to allow Active X

Looking at trying something completely different, like SMIL or QuickTime….