Searching for the Elusive Jumping Beans

• Animated Screen Beans
  We're experimenting with creating animated Screen Beans, and we'd like some input from you. If you'd like to send us email with the answers to the questions below, or any other comments you have, we'd be delighted. Two animated samples, each using different technology are below. Each require you to download a browser plug-in to view them; links and approximate download times are included for each. These are really worth trying-- they're fun!

FutureSplash Movies

This animation is 4K in size, and was created using CelAnimator (Beta) from FutureWave. To view this animation, you need to download the FutureSplash plug-in, available for Windows 95/NT, Windows 3.1, and Macintosh. The download file is 142KB, so it's pretty quick to download (we're talking 3-5 minutes). Put a bookmark at this page (so you can come back easily), and then click here to download FutureWave.

We happen to think this technology is totally cool. Unlike all of the other formats, these animations are created using drawn (vector-based) files, not bitmaps, which means that like the screen beans themselves, they can be scaled to any physical size with no change in file size or quality. FutureSplash allows you to create very small animations that take up much less room than other varieties, with very high quality. You be the judge.

Animated GIF Files

These animations don't need any special software for downloading, but they are only supported by the latest versions of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. So, if you have either of those browsers, you should see a cute little dancing bean. Sorry about the white space around the bean... a little user error on my part.

PowerPoint Animation

This is a PowerPoint animation. To view this animation, you need to download the PowerPoint Animation Player for Windows 95. This file is 800K, but allows you to see animations created using PowerPoint 95 for Windows. If you want to create animations like this, down load the Animation Publisher as well, then you can export PowerPoint presentations as web-based animations! To download either or both of these files, place a bookmark at this page (so you can come back) and click here to download.

I like these: if you'd use any of the images above, visit Freebie and the Bean to download them and get html instructions.

The Questionnaire:
1. Would you be more interested in using Animations in PowerPoint or your web site?

2. Techy Question: do you have a preference for specific animation file type: animated GIF, Shockwave, Director, FutureWave, AVI, etc. If you do have a preference, please tell me why you prefer that format.

3. What types of things would you like to see animations do?

4. In PowerPoint, would you use an animation that always played within a white box, as opposed to having a transparent background?

5. What browser and version do you use?

6. Have you downloaded any of the following:
a. Shockwave player
b. FutureSplash player
c. Microsoft PowerPoint ActiveX animation player

Thank you so much for your helpful direction. We'll keep you appraised of our progress on this topic!

Submit Helpful Information

Return to Home Page

Help me. I must own Beans right now.

A Bit Better Corp. 280 Second Street, Suite 200, Los Altos, CA 94022 USA
phone: 415-948-4766; fax: 415-917-1134

PhilOBeans@Bitbetter.com