New Media Exploration? - by Chie

As Karl and Veesh introduced web based programs in the last class, such as word processor or game which utilize Flash to provide rich and light content, I’d like to introduce an online photo editing program Picnik.com.

Picnik allows users to edit their photos online. They just need a web browser, but never need Photoshop with Picnik.com (if they are not demanding)! Some web sites or web photo albums have had online editing function but Picnik is definitely advanced and high-speed processing. Once they upload their photos from own PC or Mac, even from ANY web site, they are able to edit the photos in the web browser and then save them in their computers. Not only basic editing, such as rotate, crop, resize, color, sharpen, red-eyes, but also it has filters, text, and shapes so on.

Of cause it doesn’t have high editing ability as much as Photoshop does, and if you want to use advanced filters, shapes and fonts, you have to subscribe "Premium" for $24.95 for a year. Advanced users must be better to buy Photoshop, but I think free functions are enough for just regular users and even price of Premium is not too expensive.

New Technologies have cleared our limits one by one. For example, Photographers used to edit photos in a dark room. They needed different filters, chemicals, exposed time, amount of light, time and skills to create high quality arts. Since digital cameras have invented, they do not need the dark room anymore. But still, a high performance computer and enough money to buy Photoshop or so are required. Now, Flash allows all users who are online to work on creative photos whenever they are.

Actually, I was amazed its speed to upload, edit, save photos and the variety what I can do. It says "Picnik itself is a lightweight and 'download-less' experience. But it does require Flash 9 to be installed in order to have the rich, full-featured experience of photo-editing within a browser."

I guess I'm going to learn the mechanism how Flash works for those web based programs from now. It is so exciting to think what we can do with this amazing tool which could get over some obstacles we have had. We probably will have more variety of online tools like Picnik.com. Someday in the future, I might be able to work on a corporate project with my friend, a web designer in Japan, simultaneously on the Internet.