It's an interactive world
By Martha Spizziri -- Modern Materials Handling, 6/1/1999
If you spend any time surfing entertainment-oriented web sites, you've probably seen some pretty cool stuff out there-sites with animation, video, graphics that move or expand when you run the mouse over them.Using interactive technologies like JavaScript-a language developed by Netscape Communications Corp.-web developers are making their sites more interactive. If your browser is reasonably recent, it probably can handle JavaScript or Microsoft's version of JavaScript, Jscript.
Now, even some materials handling sites are getting into the act. For instance, the web site for consulting firm Quad II (quadii.com) offers multimedia educational sessions-Power Point presentations with accompanying audio narration.
Rick Bushnell, president of Quad II and a Modern Materials Handling columnist, notes: "Right now, we're giving this [presentation] away to support our education of the many supply chains for whom we work." Whether or not future tutorials will be available free of charge remains to be decided. Bushnell says that Quad II is considering different options, including a "pay per view" model, sponsorships, and providing segments to individual companies to put on their web sites.
To view the presentation, go to quadii.com and click on 'Online Presentations.'
A site we've mentioned in earlier columns, www.autoideas.com, is another that's using interactivity. Take a look at one of the site's recent tips on two-dimensional bar codes at www.autoideas.com/ideas/MaxiCode.htm for an excellent example.
But are these innovations truly useful, or merely gimmicks? Are they sufficiently easy to use? Let us know what you think. E-mail me at ms@cahners.com.
There are no other articles related to this article.Talkback
Related Content
Related Content
Sponsored Links
View All Blogs
