Slightly Remarkable

As far as design and usability goes, Odeo has got it made. The design is beautiful and everything is very easy to use. If Odeo can provide the functionality that I want or think it should have (and so far, it’s delivered), there’s no doubt in my mind that it will be a success. It looks like I’ll probably be getting a little more comedy in, instead of just reading Web-related entries. (By the way, anyone care to tell me how you’d analyze or “write” code in a podcast? I know you don’t say, “Less than symbol question mark php if is set dollar sign variable name then…”)

My thing is, I don’t see how podcasting can exceed the limits it’s already reached. Podcasting is great for things like comedy or news reports, but what about video? It’s the 21st century, after all, and we are still just listening to things? I think podcasting — listening — is a half-step between reading and viewing. I think it’s just temporary, and in the near future I hope we’ll all be “vidcasting” instead. “Pardon me a moment while I go listen to a Spanish I casette tape” isn’t something you hear anymore.

The reason I don’t consider reading obsolete (as I do listening) is because reading is a part of language that simply can’t be done without. People still read news papers, but I think more people read the news off the Internet (oh, did I mention for free?), but just because people do it doesn’t mean it’s not obsolete. Another reason I prefer reading to listening (in most cases) is because I can listen to my lovely music while reading or studying. Reading also leaves no room for misinterpretation. And, like I mentioned earlier, how do you “speak” in code?

What are your thoughts? Have you tried Odeo beta? If so, what do you think of it? Do you plan on podcasting? Why or why not? Do you think podcasting is a good thing, a bad thing, or just a fad that will pass in time? Why or why not?