Comments on: The First SCOTUSblog Podcast

By: David

David — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 11:40:00 +0000

Please make it Mac friendly so I can put it on my iPod.

By: Blawgcast.com

Blawgcast.com — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 20:32:48 +0000

Podcasting at SCOTUSBlog

Here’s the First SCOTUSBlog Podcast. In a follow-up post called “Podcast Reactions,” Tom Goldstein notes: In general, I’m a bit doubtful about podcasts as particularly…

By: Joel Burcat

Joel Burcat — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 18:03:54 +0000

I appreciated the very quick podcast update. I have been tracking the takings cases and have an interest in getting news as quickly as possible, so it was useful to get some information so quickly on San Remo. Naturally, I know you do not consider this a substitute for a more detailed evaluation, but for a quick “from the front” report, it was priceless. By the way, my Firm’s Microsoft-only software handled the podcast perfectly (it sounded as though you were embedded with the Supreme Court, were you on a cell phone?). Thanks.
Joel

TG responds: Thanks much. For the parts describing the opinions, I was out on the steps. I’ll be trying to get it to sound better next time.

By: Marcia Oddi

Marcia Oddi — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 17:09:04 +0000

A thought. After your leadin but before you go through each decision in detail, give a brief summary, including the names and a descriptor (eg “a takings case”) for each case decided. That is what I do when reading — skim down the list to see if there is anything I’m particularly interested in.

By: Bill Siebert

Bill Siebert — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:57:29 +0000

Add me to those who would prefer the file be .mp3. PalmOne, the maker of my PDA, requires $15.00 worth of third-party software in order to play a .wma file on my device — and then won’t guarantee that the software will break through Microsof’s digital rights encoding. Since I listen to voice files primarily when driving, rather than in the office, the podcast is not useful to me otherwise.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:23:28 +0000

Sounds good. Please keep the text coming though. Podcasts are great for listening when you have a flight or commute, but as others have stated, getting RSS text is much better because you can scan the text quickly and focus on what you need. Podcasts require a much greater attention span since you really don’t know what is coming up with each second, minute, etc.

Finally, you should be able to get a 7 minute MP3 into the same size as your WMA file. I’m not sure what tools you’re using, but it’s definitely possible.

By: Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:09:10 +0000

Tom –
When I try the podcast, this is what I get:

Access to this web page is restricted at this time.
Reason:
The Websense category “Message Boards and Clubs” is filtered. Access to this file is restricted. File type: Audio.
http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/June20Cast.wma

I have no trouble getting to SCOTUSblog, is there some way you can avoid getting tagged this way?
Thanks, Roger

TG responds: So sorry Richard. My only bet is that it may be some kind of restriction on your end. I’ll see if anyone else is having the problem.

By: Marcia Oddi

Marcia Oddi — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:02:49 +0000

The download only took a few seconds to acquire via DSL, and opened my RealPlayer as a 7:05 min. good quality podcast.

By: Arthur KC

Arthur KC — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:47:32 +0000

Worked like a charm…thanks

By: David Moran

David Moran — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:37:10 +0000

The podcast is very nice. However, as someone still awaiting the decision in an argued case, I heavily rely on your blog’s usually quick reporting as decisions are being announced. This morning was agonizing because Lyle’s post simply announced that there were some “second-tier” decisions announced (which could have included mine but didn’t) and then didn’t tell us which cases had been decided and how they came out. I assume Lyle didn’t supply the details because he was expecting the podcast to be ready earlier. Anyway, I’d much prefer that you keep the details coming as fast as you learn them. If you can do that by podcast, that would be great.

Thanks.

Dave Moran

By: phil

phil — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:34:00 +0000

Would you consider using a different format, such as .mp3? It’s a shame to make a podcast that cannot in fact be played on an ipod.

TG responds: The problem is that .mp3 files that have reasonable sound quality are massive (in my meager experience). I’ll try, however.

By: Will Baude

Will Baude — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:26:25 +0000

It’s much less useful than a textual post for those of us who A: read SCOTUSBlog at work during the day to keep abreast or recent developmens, and B: don’t have soundcards on our computers even if we were willing to make a racket in the office.

But if it’s sufficiently easier or faster to produce, that may outweigh the nuisance of the medium.

TG responds: Thanks Will. We definitely don’t view it as a substitute.