Tour of Blobber

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Overview

Blobber is designed to offer a simple but effective set of functions ranging from in-page text chat to facilities enabling webmasters to communicate directly with site visitors in real-time. It works in a web page viewable with a standard web browser (MS Internet Explorer only - see below), and requires no download or installation by site visitors.

Requirements

PC running MS Windows
MS Internet Explorer version 5.5+

Visual Interface

Blobber functions are available via tabs that appear down the right-hand side of the browser window. These tabs can be clicked by users to make them slide into the window. They can be made also to float in the middle of the window and easily parked back into the right-hand edge.

Webmasters can program the tabs to interact with the pages currently open in viewers' browsers either manually in real-time or by programming them to respond to pre-defined triggers. The individual tabs currently available are:

The Webmaster Tab is the primary tool for a site operator to communicate directly with people viewing a page. There are various ways that a webmaster can program this tab including moving it into the page and dynamically changing the text and the picture. Uses may include giving site visitors up-to-date information, notifying them when the webmaster is logged in or out or inviting them to a text chat.

The Population Tab shows the current real-time population count for the web site and also for the current page. The text for this tab can also be changed dynamically by the Webmaster and programmed to slide into the page either manually or as a response to various triggers that can be set such as the population count reaching a pre-determined number.

The Chat Tab shows the current population count of the Site Chat. Also on the tab is a link that when clicked will launch the Site Chat in a separate window. As with the other tabs, the text on the tab can be changed dynamically and programmed to respond to pre-defined triggers. For example it may be the policy of the site to enable text chat only if a site moderator is available. To achieve this, the tab would be programmed to appear showing the chat link only if the webmaster is currently logged into the site.

Implementation

Blobber is easily implemented on a web site. Firstly an online form is completed to register the site ownership and the main URLs of the site. Then a single line of HTML code needs to be inserted into the head section of every page of the site on which Blobber is to appear.

Once logged in the Webmaster can manipulate the tabs in real-time or program them to respond to pre-defined triggers via another form.

Members of the beta community will be automatically registered in a Blobber news mailing list and given the option of joining a discussion list.

Future Developments

The current beta program offers only a limited selection of Blobber functions. It is our intention to develop more functions depending on the feedback and suggestions we receive from our beta community.

Future developments will be discussed at length in the Blobber discussion mailing list.