How did the idea for hashtags originate in Twitter?

Was Twitter a casual by-product introduced by its users or had it already been preconceived? What are its origins before Twitter?

Essentially there was a widespread desire in the early Twitter community to provide some means for groups to organize themselves. Many looked to the model of Flickr and other standard web-based group systems as inspiration. It occurred to me, however, that a significant amount of Twitter usage occurred over SMS or other low-bandwidth channels, making group management tedious, if not impossible. Discovery of groups while on the go was another problem.

Thus, the simplest solution was to embed the group token in the tweet itself and use functionality like 'track' to follow the topic (Twitter removed the track feature long ago, but trending topics injected new life and relevance into hashtags).

Thus any user could create a new group simply by tweeting with a word — however, there needed to be a way to separate the "meta from the meat". I chose the hash symbol because it was a convention already established in IRC channels and on Jaiku. Any user could then "join" a group conversation simply by appending a given hashtag to their tweets.

If spammers ended up taking over a hashtag due to popularity, the ease with which hashtags are created enabled non-spammers to abandon the hashtag and move on quickly. Indeed, the very ephemerality of hashtags is what makes them easy and compelling to use in a fast-moving communication medium like Twitter.

FWIW, I never imagined that hashtags would catch on as they did — especially since Ev specifically told me that Twitter would instead use machine learning to group tweets and that hashtags were too "nerdy" to ever go mainstream.

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Twitter doesn't support "channels" or Chat Rooms, so #became an easy way to search for all the tweets about a topic.

In 2003/2004 depending who you ask several services started using "triple tags" which included things like Geo-Tagging.

In 2006 Flickr users started to use #Tag as a sort of meta-Tag, rather than using a tag as something explicit about the picture, a #tag meant that something qualitative or funny was tagged in the picture, like #livingforthemoment or #doingthingswewillregret

Chris Messina may have been the first to use the #Tag format on twitter, hard to tell, but the Hashtag has been around since at least 2003 and with some digging likely I could find examples of it being used in Chat on BBS and MUDs as far back as the 1980's

What is the best film of the Star Wars trilogy and why?

As always, there's a problem with defining "best," because typically people think of it as "favorite," which might not necessarily be the "best" in filmmaking terms -- which is itself a subjective determination, I know, but hopefully folks know what I mean about a difference between which one you prefer versus the one you think is superior in sheer quality. Sometimes they are one and the same thing, but other times they might not be.

My favorite film of the series is "Empire Strikes Back" for all of the reasons Tom Harris mentions, plus the fact that it has the greatest light saber duel of the series, it has the greatest line of the series (from Vader, and you know which one it is), it has the second-greatest line of the series (Han: "I know"), it has the best moments depicting Yoda ("That... is why you fail") in the series, it has the best Vader uniform of the series, it has that fabulous chase through the asteroid field that is the best space chase sequence of the series, it may be the only film of the series with true twists and shocks (the door opening at Cloud City to reveal Vader at the table, Leia shouting out to Han that she loves him, Luke fighting fake-Vader in the cave on Dagobah only to see his own face under the mask, Vader revealing that he's Luke's father), it introduces Boba Fett, and it has the most buy-in to the characters of any film in the series (meaning it's the best distillation of every individual character and the actors are really going all-in to portray their emotions and personalities).

There is an epic feel to this film's moments and themes that gives it an air of classic legend, and it's helped along that path by a musical score that is probably the best of the series as well.

On the other hand, it does also have some extremely cheesy dialogue in many places, it doesn't make sense that Luke's entire training to become a Jedi (and remember, after this training, he is a Jedi, because he returns to Yoda in the next film and is told he's learned everything he needs already) takes about a day or two, since he flies through space to Dagobah, crashes and meets Yoda, and does all of his training in the same time it took the others to have their chase through the asteroid field, get to cloud city, change clothing, and go to lunch (with that surprise guest). Yoda ends up wise and dignified, but he starts out like Grover from the Muppet Show shouting "Mine! Mine!" for a shiny penlight.

And like all of the first three films in the series, it is a tale about a galactic empire fighting an interplanetary rebellion, yet there are two planets in the entire film and only a handful of ships, and each film never takes on the true size and scope that the prequels could attain due to the advances in filmmaking technology and special effects. Say what you will of it, but "Attack of the Clones" had a final battle that looked like an interplanetary civil war had started, and "Revenge of the Sith" was a galactic space opera of epic proportions that looked like an Empire versus the start of a rebellion.

The latter film there -- "Revenge of the Sith" -- is the other contender for "best of" in my opinion. While "Empire" holds a special place as my favorite and is a neck-and-neck contender for first place, I think "RotS" is pound for pound the strongest space-fantasy epic etc etc etc of the entire series. There's no denying the scope of this film, that it feels like an adventure spanning a galaxy, that there are powerful character arcs that include major changes in the lives, personalities, and worldviews of all major characters, and it's a really terrific story full of tragedy and drama and destiny. And as an adventure, the action and ships and aliens and battles and effects are spectacular to behold, and the score of this film rivals "Empire" as well. It is a huge, smashing successful end to the trilogy and to the story encompassed in the six films, which gives this one added gravitas.

There is, quite honestly, not much that I can find to criticize about this film, and the biggest complaint I hear about it is that, compared to the cast of the original three films, the actors in the latter trilogy don't have the same magical chemistry. To that I always feel I have to say, most films actually lack that magical chemistry, but that's because they reached a special place in that ensemble that few films really do achieve. Lacking that same degree of chemistry doesn't mean the others failed, because that's an extremely high standard and in truth "RotS" has very fine acting from very solid actors, and it's just by comparison to that rare example of the gold standard in ensembles that these criticism can even be leveled.

I think we also have to accept that for a lot of us, our extra-special feelings for the original series and insistence that it was nearly flawless etc stem at least in some tiny measure from the fact many of us were kids when we first saw it, and quite frankly there'd never been anything like it before. It was magical and breathtaking and new. The later trilogy suffered from the fact that technology had caught up, viewers were used to seeing such magic, and the original films had that aura of unattainability. If we are perfectly honest with ourselves, I think we have to admit that there is in many ways as much cheesiness and... let's say "less than ideal" dialogue in "Return of the Jedi" as there was in any of the prequel films, and there was plenty of goofy jokes and kid stuff (Ewoks, anyone?) in that film as well. But again, it was that magical place of ensemble acting and characters we'd come to love so much for their newness and originality and how different the whole thing was. Anything else was bound to seem like a pale reflection after that, wasn't it?

Even if, rather than being a pale reflection, it was actually among the finest sci-fi/fantasy films ever made, a great space adventure with an operatic climax that closed out probably the darkest, most serious, and -- I will go ahead and say it -- best written film of the entire series. "Revenge of the Sith."

So I have to call it a tie. And sure, that's a cop-out, but this is Star Wars and in that magical series, we can have TWO "bests"!

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Where can I change a MOV file to a MP4 file?

My girlfriend who is visiting her grandparents in NY sent me a video but it is a .mov file and I want to put the video on my PSP. is there a place or site where I can get it changed to a MP4 or M4v? A site where it's free and requires no downloading please.

 

Although MOV is highly compatible with Mac OS X, however, some MOV files just can't be opened in QuickTime or there is just the sound but no picture, like MOV footage from JVC GY-HM100, or some particular MOV files can't be streamed to Apple TV. That's really annoying and what you want is to convert the MOV file to other format like MP4 in order to play them smoothly, either for playback on your Mac, or for your digital players like PSP.

To convert mov to mp4 mac> (Snow Leopard included) you need a professional yet easy to use MOV to MP4 . Double click the .dmg image to install it and follow the step by step tutorial to convert yourconvert mov to mp4 mac.

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Jeff Zucker's Year-End Letter to NBCU Employees

Holiday tidings segue to Comcast/GE merger as company waits government 'green light.'

On Wednesday, outgoing NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker offered his own sort of NBCU's Best of 2010 list in a year-end letter to staffers, before getting down to serious business. He wrote:

"As the year draws to a close, I wanted to extend to you, and your loved ones, the happiest of holidays and wish you each a very Happy New Year.

"This has been a fantastic year for our company, on both creative and business levels.

"Whether you think about the unbelievably successful Vancouver Olympics ... the worldwide sensation of the despicably adorable Minions ... Butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs flying off the shelves at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter ... and so much more ... 2010 was a year to remember for NBC Universal. And that is a complete tribute to each of you, whose hard work and dedication has made it all possible. Like the entire media industry, we are not without our challenges, but we are as well situated for them as anyone. Thanks to you.

"As you know, we are still awaiting government approval of the new joint venture between Comcast and GE, which will mark a whole new era for NBC Universal. We have made substantial progress this month with both the FCC and the Department of Justice, and expect that we will get a 'green light' in January. The official close of the transaction would happen shortly after government approval. Until then, of course, business continues as normal. And we will give you frequent updates once the new year begins.

"Meanwhile, I do hope that each of you will find some time in these next few weeks to be with family and loved ones, and to remember how fortunate we are.

"I send you my best wishes, wherever you are, for a wonderful holiday and very Happy New Year."

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'How Do You Know' Price Tag: $120 Million, $50 Million Just for Talent

This week's The Hollywood Reporter looks at the James L. Brooks dramedy featuring Reese Witherspoon ($15 million) and Jack Nicholson ($12 million).

Oscar-winning filmmaker James L. Brooks doesn’t work often, and he doesn’t work fast. And when he does work, he commands a budget as jaw-dropping as his history of brilliant work (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News). When many studios are shying away from star-driven adult dramedies, Sony lavished a budget on Brooks’ How Do You Know that even has talent reps with clients in the movie marveling.

THR has learned that the film, which centers on a love triangle, cost $120 million to make, though the studio drove that down to about $100 million thanks to tax rebates from Pennsylvania and D.C. One reason for the price tag is old-fashioned salaries for the pic’s talent: Reese Witherspoon ($15 million), Jack Nicholson ($12 million), Owen Wilson ($10 million) and Paul Rudd ($3 million) received their quotes, and Brooks will earn about $10 million plus backend for writing, producing and directing. That’s about $50 million for the major talent alone.

The cost also was high because of the time Brooks devoted to production and postproduction and his decision to reshoot the beginning and end of the movie. “He’s slow and meticulous,” a person familiar with the production says.

Another challenge: How Do You Know opens Dec. 17 against Tron: Legacy, Gulliver’s Travels and Yogi Bear. “That’s a big weekend,” sighs a talent rep with a star in the film, which could have the slow-but-steady adult space to itself. Brooks’ 1997 holiday release As Good as It Gets rode Oscar buzz to $314.2 million worldwide, but his most recent December effort, 2004’s Spanglish, fizzled. “They thought it would do a couple hundred million worldwide,” a source says. “It did $55 million all-in.”

But Sony hopes How Do You Know will perform like It’s Complicated, an $85 million-budgeted Universal pic from Nancy Meyers.That film pulled in nearly $220 million worldwide last winter.      

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Mexican Cinema Claims Small Percentage of Country's Total 2010 Box Office

MEXICO CITY -- Theater chains in Mexico are enjoying a record-breaking year in admissions, yet homegrown fare continues to struggle at the box office.
 
Exhibitors here expect to close out the year with 191 million tickets sold, which positions Mexico as the world's fifth largest exhibition market in terms of attendance figures, according to an annual report by the National Film Chamber. The report ranks Mexico fifth behind India, the U.S., China and France.
 
Despite the upswing in revenues, domestic releases captured a mere 5.6% of the box office share, a disappointing result when compared to double-digit market share figures reported in other top Latin American film-producing nations such as Argentina and Brazil.
 
Opinions vary on why Mexican cinema, which has seen a spike in production volume in recent years, has come up short at the box office. Some industry players blame Hollywood, saying studio fare is gobbling up the bulk of Mexico's 5,000-plus screens. Marina Stavenhagen, head of state-run financing agency Imcine, believes that's only part of the problem.
 
"Eight-nine percent of public film funding goes toward production development and only 11% goes toward distribution, but there are many other factors," she said at a Friday news conference.
 
No Mexican films appeared on the list of the year's top 10 highest-grossing films. Of the 310 titles screened here this year, Disney's Toy Story 3 topped the charts with 777 million pesos (about US $63 million).
 
The two biggest local hits of the year were the romantic comedy No Eres Tu, Soy Yo (It's Not You, It's Me) and the narco-themed political satire El Infierno (Hell). All told, Mexico produced 68 features and released 54 pictures, yet only No Eres Tu exceeded the 100-million-peso mark.
 
The National Film Chamber projects continued growth for next year, estimating that theater operators in Mexico will sell nearly 205 million tickets.

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3D TV Channel Announces Six New Series

Joint venture of Sony, Discovery and Imax expects to have an estimated 200 hours of 3D programming by the end of 2011.

For emerging 3D channels -- including the 24/7 entry slated to launch in early 2011 as a joint venture of Sony, Discovery Communications and Imax -- one of the key challenges is to make available a steady stream of content.

The joint venture on Monday announced six new titles to its planned network programming slate, and it expects to have an estimated 200 hours of 3D programming by the end of 2011.

The result could be among the world's largest libraries of 3D content, and the majority of it would be original productions commissioned by the channel, according to Tom Cosgrove, president and CEO of the venture.

As the channel is for the U.S. market, this library may also become available to 3D ventures launching in other countries.

"We are certainly considering it," Cosgrove told The Hollywood Reporter. "We are in initial conversations with folks about doing that. ... The big complaint that most people have about 3D is that there is just not enough to watch, so part of the mission of the channel is to fill that gap."

At this stage, the venture is focused on creating native 3D content rather than converting 2D material to 3D.

"We are still evaluating (conversion) technology," Cosgrove said. "For us, the sweet spot of an affordable price to do this as close to flawless as possible hasn't quite come together. ... At this point, our emphasis has been on native 3D productions or acquiring content that was shot in native 3D.

Production for the venture is testing a Sony prototype camcorder that was previewed this year. It also is putting through the paces another prototype of a 3D camera that was built by Sony and co-developed with Discovery, also unveiled this year.

However, Cosgrove said that his venture is "fairly agnostic in terms of the brands of cameras that we use. There's lots of different rigs out there and single-body cameras."

Cosgrove also noted that Imax is working on proprietary conversion technology to prepare its large-format films for the small screen.

"What is meant to be seen on a 70-foot screen requires some changes to the convergence," he said. "They have been able to bring it into that television format."

To speed production, the venture has encouraged training at Sony's 3D Technology Center on the Culver City lot. "We have sent through hundreds of people already for those classes," Cosgrove said, adding that the organization has paired new 3D filmmakers with experienced ones for field training.

Content announced Monday included three original series -- with the working titles Bullproof, High Octane and Making the Brand -- and three acquisitions: Discovery's Ghost Lab, Sony Pictures' Open Season and Imax's Space Station.

This programming will be added to a lineup of previously announced content including African Wild (working title), China Revealed (working title), Jewels of the World (working title), Attack of the Giant Jellyfish, The Haunted, Into the Deep 3D, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Monster House.

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