Not getting rid of anything (yet).
As I mentioned to Anymouse in another recent message, the Quicktime videos haven't been deleted. In fact, I created both Quicktime and Flash versions of the latest round of intermediate bronze videos. It would have been a waste for me to go to all the trouble to produce them, and then not actually allow access to them. I have some more programming to do, but they'll be back shortly.
However, our Quicktime videos are scarcely used anymore (I think it had dropped below 5% the last time I checked), so its cost-effectiveness is definitely in question. I'm holding on to them for now, but I may not hold on to them forever.
One of my recent ideas was to change the way we present the videos: Instead of giving you one global option to choose Flash or Quicktime, which forces us to produce and store two copies of everything, we would have users choose one or the other on a per-video basis. This would allow us to be more selective about which videos are produced in which format. Quicktime, with it's frame-advance feature, would be excellent for a bonus option on shorter, more basic figures. Extended amalgamations, minor variations, etc would be redundant and pointless in this format, so we could offer just Flash for those.
There are also other things in the works, some of which will remain "top secret" until we actually release them, which may also end up making Quicktime's frame advance feature redundant and unnecessary. Lots of ideas, and no final decisions have been made yet. But rest assured, if I ever decide to put Quicktime to rest, it come at a point where it will not be missed.
Regards,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com
