Why bother with the menu and question? Unless there are multiple programs on the disc, the act of inserting the disk means they want to watch the video. Just get on with it. No need for HTML encoding, just an autorun.exe to a common mpeg-1 or mpeg-2 file.
On Thu, May 21, 2009 at 5:03 PM, Alex G. <alex...@gmail.com> wrote: > Sorry for not being clear. I meant a locally run HTML code. Autorun would > invoke (silently or with an option to cancel, or not at all, depending on > the OS and its configuration) a local HTML page residing on the same media, > that could ask nicely, "would you like to play this awesome video that we > created for your > enjoyment?"
Programming ethics. Give the user an option to opt out. Your disc is only a guest in his/her house (computer).
> the act of inserting the disk means they want to watch the video
And the act of opening an email means you want to run the virus attached to it?
Autorunning anything without an option to cancel, is extremely bad manners. Which is exactly why autorun behavior has been greatly restricted with Vista and Win7 platforms.
The user must remain in control of his/her computer. Not the programmer. You don't come into someone's house, grab a beer and jump into the jacuzzi, without asking. Yet a lot of today's software does exactly that.
I dunno. For some reason it reminds me of too many apps that continually ask "Are you sure you want to do that?". YES! I put the cd in, please play it! Or don't, but don't *ask* me if I want to play it!
But it is true that autorun can be a security issue. Some pundits recommend disabling it. However, that would disable your menu also.
On Sat, May 23, 2009 at 3:49 PM, Alex G. <alex...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Why bother? > Programming ethics. Give the user an option to opt out. Your disc is only > a guest in his/her house (computer).
Agreed, it can be annoying. Then again, well-behaving apps and many Windows modules will have a check box, "don't ask me again", and will do the default action on subsequent runs. A web page can be designed to do that too.
On Sat, May 23, 2009 at 6:36 PM, Tony B <ton...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I dunno. For some reason it reminds me of too many apps that > continually ask "Are you sure you want to do that?". YES! I put the cd > in, please play it! Or don't, but don't *ask* me if I want to play it!
> But it is true that autorun can be a security issue. Some pundits > recommend disabling it. However, that would disable your menu also.
It is a convention to ask before you run something, but I tend to agree that the act of putting a disk into your drive means you intend to run it (otherwise, why put it in? for storage?).
In fact, a client recently told me not to bother with any menus - just make the disk autorun, which makes me wonder if clients actually appreciate giving them the choice. We producers decided a few years back that we should be polite and give our clients these options, but do our clients actually WANT THEM?
Methinks we sometimes overdo it. In this case, I think autorun is in order.
On Sun, May 24, 2009 at 10:55 AM, Alex G. <alex...@gmail.com> wrote: > Agreed, it can be annoying. Then again, well-behaving apps and many Windows > modules will have a check box, "don't ask me again", and will do the default > action on subsequent runs. A web page can be designed to do that too.
I wasn't even thinking in terms of DVD menus. I put projects on DVDs maybe an average of 1-2 a month, and about 70% of them specifically ask for auto play (no menu).
But don't get me started. For about 70% of those that take a menu, they want me to include a line somewhere on the menu to "press play to begin". This really irks me in 2009 - to think some clients would be so stupid as to put in a DVD and stare at the menu screen and have no idea to press Play.
On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 2:18 AM, Randy Quimpo <randy.qui...@gmail.com> wrote: > In fact, a client recently told me not to bother with any menus - just > make the disk autorun, which makes me wonder if clients actually > appreciate giving them the choice. We producers decided a few years > back that we should be polite and give our clients these options, but > do our clients actually WANT THEM?
The act of opening a door to a restaurant - does it always mean you intend to eat the 1st choice on the menu? What if it's a flaming taco dinner for four, and you are just one diminutive person with a taste for a smoothie? :)
On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 11:18 PM, Randy Quimpo <randy.qui...@gmail.com>wrote:
> It is a convention to ask before you run something, but I tend to > agree that the act of putting a disk into your drive means you intend > to run it (otherwise, why put it in? for storage?).
At the end of the day, it's a question of trusted vs. untrusted media. Video DVDs and music (not combination, i.e. not music+data) CDs are trusted, inherently. Their behavior is fully predictable, with the exception maybe of my brother-in-law DVDs that he keeps in his dresser. Just any file-based media with autorun should *not* be able to execute without confirmation, otherwise it's a huge, huge security risk. Remember Sony root kit fiasco? And you thought, you could trust Sony.
That said, if the flash drive came in a package that clearly explains what the video is about, i.e. the user will know what to expect - you are absolutely right, there is no need for a menu or a confirmation request.
On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 2:22 PM, Alex G. <alex...@gmail.com> wrote: > The act of opening a door to a restaurant - does it always mean you intend > to eat the 1st choice on the menu? What if it's a flaming taco dinner for > four, and you are just one diminutive person with a taste for a smoothie? > :)
> On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 11:18 PM, Randy Quimpo <randy.qui...@gmail.com>wrote:
>> It is a convention to ask before you run something, but I tend to >> agree that the act of putting a disk into your drive means you intend >> to run it (otherwise, why put it in? for storage?).
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