Phat & Funky Websites!

In a few years, though, high-speed Internet connections will be the norm, and most users will have software that can support these demanding media. Any e-business owner or Internet developer should be aware of these technologies and how to best use them, because they represent the future of the Internet.

Sites like Ifilm, Atom Films, Entertaindom, Space, and The Parent's Place are using these technologies now and pushing them to the limits. They are using cutting edge Internet media and, more importantly, using them well. These sites can be used as a primer for learning the best ways to incorporate new Internet media into a web site.

What do these sites do right?

• They exploit the new media effectively.
  These sites take advantage of new media to capture their audience. They exploit the technologies and push them to their limits. A good example of this is Atom Films, where they use fast-loading Flash animations to add life to the home page. This immediately lets viewers know that the site is about: streaming media and Flash animation.
• They deliver exciting content.
  Many developers think using these technologies will make their sites more exciting. This has led to a backlash against some of these tools, because so many sites deliver dull content using them. On the Internet, the medium is not the message, because no one wants to wait to download a technology demonstration. The best sites use these technologies as a tool to deliver unique and exciting content.
• They don't use high-bandwidth technologies unless they have to.
  Most viewers are still surfing with 56-Kbps (or slower) modems. That's why sites like Ifilm have a standard Net-portal front end that loads quickly and is immediately familiar. This makes it easy to enter the site and find interesting content. They avoid scaring away viewers with pages that download too slowly. Finally, they save the bandwidth-busting media for deeper in the site,  where they know people will want to use it. 
• They use the best tool for the job, and provide multiple ways of accessing the files, where needed.
  The site owners know when to use each new media tool. Flash is great for low-bandwidth, high-impact animations. MP3 has quickly become the standard for delivering high-quality audio. Streaming video isn't dominated by one format, so most sites provide several of the top formats: QuickTime, Real Video or Windows Media. Many
  The copyright of the article Phat & Funky Websites! in E-Business Basics is owned by James Lewin. Permission to republish Phat & Funky Websites! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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