Histarchers,

As you can see below, Tim has some important points.  I plan to neatly
dodge the copyright issues by only using original footage, or footage
where I can easily obtain permission (for example, I am on good terms
with Owens-Brockway historians).  For the most part, the iPod
presentation will combine digital video (i.e, taken with a camera that
creates visual computer files rather than video tape or CD) with power
point slides of bottles belonging to members of the Bottle Rearch Group
or from eBay (i.e., public domain).

Marsha King also brought up a good point: presenting the class in other
formats, such as CD, DVD, or video tape.  I suspect I could pretty
easily give the same presentation twice, once for the iPod setup and
again, showing Power Point slides on screen as I talk while filmed by a
DVD camera.

My thoughts are to show people what is valuable to record and what sort
of information we can obtain from different aspects of a bottle.  I am
still in the thinking process at this point.  Just figuring out what
should be included as "basics" is more complex than meets the eye.

Bill



>>> Timothy Scarlett <[log in to unmask]> 4/19/2007 2:42 pm >>>
Hi Bill,
This is a great idea.  I'd use this in my lab course!

I'm sure you've thought about this, but in case you have not,  
consider the cost of doing it well.  Software and technical help for  
importing and manipulating digital images, sounds, etc., is  
important.  Also, I expect you'll want to use archival video clips or 

glass blowing and bottle machines, imported from VHS or older media.

When considering this, also keep in mind that copyright protection  
that can kick in when transforming images or media from one format to 

another (analog to digital) or when using historic images from  
archives.  This can be sticky- different laws apply when reproducing  
a logo (like Budweiser, for example) if you are using a print image,  
an antique artifact, or a moving picture further dependent upon if  
you own the original reproduced item or not and whether the company  
is still in production or not.  Producing this for your university  
puts you into a different copyright category than just an independent 

person posting digital files to YouTube.  Your University should  
provide you with some help answering these questions if you work up a 

quick storyboard and get their advice.  Get their advice on paper  
with someone's signature.

Cheers,
Tim

Timothy Scarlett
Assistant Professor of Archaeology
Department of Social Sciences
Michigan Technological University
[log in to unmask] 
(906)487-2359 (office)
(906)487-2468 (fax)
------------------------


On Apr 19, 2007, at 4:50 PM, Lockhart, Bill wrote:

> Hi Histarchers,
>
> My campus is in the process of developing a series of iPod courses  
> for the military, and I realized that this might be a good  
> opportunity for me to develop a single, one-class presentation for  
> use by archaeology professors.
>
> My thought is that I could put together a 50-minute class on the  
> basics of bottle identification and dating, then make that  
> available through NMSU's iTunes University for use by archaeology  
> professors or anyone else who wanted to offer a basic  
> presentation.  That could include, for example, field crews, lab  
> crews, local historical societies, etc.
>
> Assuming that works well, I could make a series of individual  
> classes * one for beer bottles, one for beer cans, one for soda  
> bottles, milk bottles, etc.
>
> Right now, this is still in the idea stage.  All of the  
> infrastructure is in place, so the actual delivery of the class is  
> not in question.  What I am seeking feedback on is whether this  
> would actually be welcomed and if it would be used.
>
> I encourage any feedback.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
>
>
> Bill Lockhart
> Associate Professor of Sociology
> New Mexico State University
> Alamogordo, NM
> (505) 439-3732
>