Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The U.S.-Mexican War . Interactive Timeline PBS
This beautiful timeline--and the show--slipped by last year (likely a deficit in the budget at the local station). This makes a great subject for analysis!
1) Why not break it up the way the main site is: Prelude to War, War, Aftermath? There's just too much to take in at once.
2) Similarly, the War coverage needs levels. The invention of Daguerreotype and the penny press make interesting facts, yet break into the initial telling of the story for a neophyte.
3) Obviously, 'twould be nice if the timeline better integrated with the text material. Some links have popups in the Flash--nice. Others open a new window with HTML text of jarringly different design. The popup should be standard, unless a symbol warns the reader.
4) Strangely, the postwar section, in describing the finding of gold, pops up a video only about Indian oppression. Tell the story--and only the story!
5) And, of course, sound!
I really love this one--as it is so ambitious and beautiful, and yet so shows the faultlines of the Flash | HTML DMZ. Adobe is working it..but we also need creative design to help bridge the chasm.

Anyone want to fund a contest to encourage students to so experiment?

No comments: