Techsurvivors

Welcome to Techsurvivors => Tech => Topic started by: dboh on April 25, 2012, 08:24:11 AM

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: dboh on April 25, 2012, 08:24:11 AM

I just went to my library's home page to check status of my reserves, and this little animation thing appeared in the upper righthand corner. What could it possibly  mean?

[attachment=2569:CornerThing.jpg]

This was not there last night. The page "folds" down to reveal this bullseye-like thing. It seems suspicious (in a spylike way).

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 25, 2012, 10:40:50 AM

It's most likely a Flash animation. You can usually enable <Glimmerbolcker> or <Click to Flash> and see if it's still there. I'd suspect it's simply the logo for the company that supplies the library with the software that is used for their site. Doesn't look like a bullseye to me, but a large green "C" perhaps with a "D" in the middle. Check the footer of the page and see if there is any indication of a "supported by", "Hosted by" or something like that. There should be a link to contact the Webmaster, also. Looking at the source could also be helpful. If you'd supply a link we could also see the site. "Spyware" seldom announces its presence...

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: kimmer on April 25, 2012, 12:07:33 PM

dboh, it might help if you would provide a link to the library site so we can see this in action.

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: dboh on April 26, 2012, 06:47:40 AM

Turns out that it was a request to take a survey. Silly me, not thinking to associate a bullseye with marketing.

FWIW, here's the link: http://www.bexleylibrary.org/

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 26, 2012, 09:58:51 AM

Looks even less like a "bullseye" this way.

[attachment=2570:SafariSc...Snapz011.jpg]

[attachment=2571:Bullseye.jpg]
I believe this is what was behind the curled corner...

I wish I had something like GlimmerBlocker for my home phone...

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: Paddy on April 26, 2012, 11:07:44 AM

And for the curious, yes, it IS a Flash animation. (Mouse over it and the page curls down more and there's a HUGE link to the survey.) While I'm not a big fan of all things Flash, this is, from a marketing point of view, probably a more effective method of getting the Library users to notice that there is a survey - though getting them to take it is another issue entirely. Of course, where it falls down completely is on those of us who have Flash turned off and only see a little square in the upper right corner with a gray "Flash" in it to indicate that there is anything there. Since Flash things on webpages quite often aren't of any interest, the likelihood of a user with Flash turned off clicking on it is somewhat low - or it would be for me! However, I suspect we're a very small minority of those browsing the internet. I couldn't find any all-encompassing statistics that I'd dare trust, but some webmasters report that about 3% of their visitors appear to have Flash disabled. Of course, that's from a few years ago - as the number of visitors using iPhones etc. increases, that number will go up as well.

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: kimmer on April 26, 2012, 11:52:25 AM

Glad that mystery is solved. It is kinda eye-catching and clever.

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 26, 2012, 01:00:35 PM

It is , in my humble opinion, a perfect example of the uselessness of Flash. There is already a rather large section of the page asking for people to take the survey. Adding the graphic is not only redundant but band-width wasting and not even supported by browsers on the most successful mobile hardware. Wonder how much money they spent on it... Simple CSS(2) could have easily even displayed a tooltip or even a drop down/popup image/text.

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: dboh on April 27, 2012, 07:33:04 AM

QUOTE(Paddy @ Apr 26 2012, 12:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, where it falls down completely…

I'm not one for gimmicks without a purpose, but this library has been upgrading their Web site and social media presence to be what they (or, more likely, some consultant), consider more relevant. Where before it was not much more than an electronic catalog, it's now got all this stuff going on.

I still don't get the association between a bullseye and a patron survey, but then, so much of marketing is more about "look at me!" than it is about promotion. I'd bet whoever came up with the idea and design of this thing has more of an IT background than a marketing one.

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on April 27, 2012, 09:07:48 AM

Nor do I get the association with a logo composed of the first letter of a companies name "Counting Options" as being a "bullseye." It's simply to round letters, one inside the other. Perhaps you should contact them that some people have gotten the impression that it is sending a subliminal message that they are being "targeted!" 8-0

Someone at the library has been able to convince those with the money that the site needs "updating" and/or "refreshing." That may even be a single person. If the new design actually provides new services or makes them easier to use, then the money is well spent, even if some may not actually see the Flash stuff. I think the biggest problem is that, unless money and time is also spent on letting people know of the new features, they will simply not make much difference. I would think that most people visit a library site looking for answers, not to see if they've changed the colors of the site.

Change is fine if it makes things better in some way (subjective opinion, of course). Otherwise, what's the point (an objective question)?

Title: Does Anyone Know What This Thing Is?
Post by: dboh on April 28, 2012, 07:48:31 AM

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Apr 27 2012, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps you should contact them that some people have gotten the impression that it is sending a subliminal message…Someone at the library has been able to convince those with the money that the site needs "updating" and/or "refreshing."

There's now a banner on the page asking people to take the survey, so someone must have spoken up.

I've worked with a number of nonprofits over the years, and there's often a board member who has all kinds of ideas but little real-world experience. Unfortunately, I've lost a lot of design work because a board member will think they know "someone better." Such is life.