Understanding the difference between HTTP Streaming vs Progressive Download – so what is the difference?
by Siu Lun on Mar.08, 2010, under Computer, Web
I’m stumped the past few days, it turns out a term that I’ve used since the first time I’ve uploaded a video for Flash to ‘play before it’s finished downloading’ is actually an arguing point that seems to be fussy with no definite answers that can be found on the web.
It could have been a misused terminology but I’ve always thought HTTP Streaming – literally means, progressive download via HTTP.
Since, from the outset, when you reference a video file to play in Flash. Unless it’s true streaming via a streaming server. It’s always been in the http protocol.
I guess the matter is made ‘worst’ by the fact that there are HTTP Streaming servers around that imitates streaming but allows for progressive download at the same time such as: http://stream.xmoov.com/
So… what is the difference actually? I’ve read an artcial that says HTTP Streaming refers to HTTP Tunneling – i.e. streaming by tunneling streams in the HTTP protocol. Others, seems to think the same as me. I suppose the tunneling one make sense, but it all just seems like semantics to me. I know the idea between real streaming, tunneling real streams to HTTP and false streaming via HTTP/progressive download are all very common, but is there a definite term to seperate all of these?
A search on google only yields differing results.
An interesting find.
UPDATE: Some clarity that also suggest the trap of the term HTTP Streaming – http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=10789
I’m actually surprised it’s written in late 2008, when people have been using that term since at least 2006. I guess there was never a defined definition.
UPDATE 2:
“Streaming” – the definition of it does not in anyway say that streams cannot be preloaded, all it says is that it is data packets being constantly sent to the recipient. Therefore ‘technically’ from a language perspective, HTTP Streaming can mean ANYTHING, including, “PUSH” data such as COMET. Therefore, it’s best to avoid that terminology whenever possible because of it’s ambiguous nature.
web development, pushing the boundaries in Hong Kong
by Siu Lun on Mar.04, 2010, under Business, Ramblings, Web
In my current role, I’m trying to do what seems like an impossible task. Changing the web development landscape in Hong Kong.
Being in a large multi-national company in Hong Kong, I’ve been empowered to help develop a world-class interactive agency. This means I have the projects that can show the world, all I need is to find and gather the right people, work with the right people, train the right people and overall raise the bar of web development in Hong Kong to a whole new level.
This might sound big, and well, to be frank, I do believe it is. In my environment now, it helps being around similarly ambitious people. The hard part of course, is to educate such people without being patronising, and it’s a lot about working with people while being courteous. I find it very challenging, especially with working with over 200 individual minds with their own quirks and traits.
Nevertheless, we try every step to push the limits, we’re pushing the limits in every level. It is a challenging road for all involved, but everytime we emerge with a project that’s better than the last. There comes a limit though that we’ll touch one day on the level of skills, and overall enthusiasm. I’m trying to find the right people, convert what we have. It’s a little like a missionary on a mission to convert the populace.
It’s a hard road, I’m learning as I’m going along, while bringing everybody else up to speed, but success will eventually come.
Tokyo
by Siu Lun on Feb.16, 2010, under Life
I’m in Tokyo for Chinese New Year. Escaping the crowd of gate keepers down my apartment in Hong Kong that awaits you to hand them red pocket money even if you’re not married yet.
I went to Japan in December, with the company I’m with now to Osaka. That was my first time here, it was a good experience.
I love the culture, the atmosphere, the language, the food. I feel like I can call this home any time I want. The only barrier for me coming is of course the language, to which I’ve already tried studying it in university, then there is the fact that I’m not rich enough to just immigrate here, and there is a fat chance I can come here as a foreign worker in the web industry.
Well I don’t mind, being in Hong Kong and being able to come here every now and then is satisfying enough. I still want to one day work here and live here though. I’ve always felt I’m more japanese than chinese/english.
If there is any web development houses/agencies in jp that wants to hire me, please get in touch 
… whenever the occasion I’d seriously consider it.
But back to my main point on this post about Tokyo, or perhaps Japan in general. The reason I love japan is that it has all the eastern culture, ethics, food etc.. yet it also has that western feeling of individualism and freedom.
Japan is fast becoming THE fashion country of the east like France/Italy is in Europe. Japan is also where doujinshi, mangas, and other free flowing material normally considered morally wrong or contrabands can actually exist and is widely accepted. The thing that people don’t understand about such things is that it opens up a golden door of imagination to the young minds. Influencing each other, making them think about what’s possible and what’s not. This is what I love about humans. The ability to innovate. You don’t get that in a lot of countries, and those that do actually shows in the world as being the most advanced.
I can’t say much for my ‘home’ country, China, which has a history of revolts, uprisings, changing of dynasty, but to the core of it all – corruption. This is also down to the fact that culturally, chinese likes to make sure everybody is doing well – within the family that is.
This creates an effect where people look out for others to the point that it doesn’t matter if you fail in school, as long as you’re the son of an important person, you’d do well in future life. It’s no longer following the darwining evolution of ‘the fittest’ survives. Hence it is a rather ‘backwards’ culture, which every now and then creates unhappiness in it’s inhabitants until somebody decides to do something about it.
I don’t like that about China, but I do like the fact people in China really do care about their family. There are good and bad side to both systems.
Enough about that though, the point of this post is actually just to highlight Japan as not only the technological capital of the world, but culturally it is also very polite and fashion is top notch. Moreover acceptance here of the weird and wonderful sub-cultures are fantastic.
Sorry I just love innovative places that can be highly liveable with people being courteous towards one another (most of the time)
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