http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/archive/tags/mac/default.aspxTags: macen-USCommunityServer 2.1 SP1 (Build: 61025.2)http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/archive/2009/01/21/inaugration-photosynth-on-the-mac-via-silverlight.aspxWed, 21 Jan 2009 12:43:58 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:9356144nhodge2http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/comments/9356144.aspxhttp://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/commentrss.aspx?PostID=9356144http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/rsscomments.aspx?PostID=9356144<p>No matter your political standing, the election and inauguration of Barak Obama is a moment for all time. Even if you are not a US citizen, like myself, you probably watched (or saw) the ceremony.</p> <p>Crowdsourcing digital images from the front of the millions of well-wishers; CNN ‘synth’d photos using Microsoft Photosynth to create a unique view of ‘<a href="http://cnn.com/themoment">The moment</a>’. I noticed that one of the Obama children, and new VP Biden, were taking digital photos.</p> <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/photosynth">Photosynth</a> has been a Windows-only experience.</p> <p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight">Silverlight</a>, this has been extended to Mac and Windows browsers without the special plugin:</p> <p><a title="Photosynth on Mac via Silverlight: Inauguration" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3215238056/"><img border="0" alt="Photosynth on Mac via Silverlight: Inauguration" src="http://static.flickr.com/3099/3215238056_686f8ccb36.jpg" /></a></p><img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=9356144" width="1" height="1">silverlightmacphotosynthhttp://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/archive/2009/01/19/microsoft-tag-mac-pdf-to-bitmap.aspxMon, 19 Jan 2009 13:11:00 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:9339791nhodge2http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/comments/9339791.aspxhttp://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/commentrss.aspx?PostID=9339791http://blogs.msdn.com/nickhodge/rsscomments.aspx?PostID=9339791<P><A href="http://www.microsoft.com/tag" mce_href="http://www.microsoft.com/tag">Microsoft Tag</A> renders vector version of the colourful tag. This is not conducive to easy use on the web.</P> <P>A question from <A href="http://twitter.com/cameronreilly" mce_href="http://twitter.com/cameronreilly">@cameronreilly</A>&nbsp;of <A href="http://thepodcastnetwork.com/" mce_href="http://thepodcastnetwork.com/">The Podcast Network</A> via twitter: how do you actually make the Tag useful?</P> <P>One of the coolest things on MacOS X 10.x is the ability to natively open PDFs. Using this feature, and the inbuilt Apple Preview application: we can generate a bitmap image.</P> <P>OK, why isn’t bitmap a supported format? Well, please note that Microsoft is taking feedback as the system is only in Beta. And yes, one day Tag will be “released” as Final.</P> <H4>In the short term, here are the steps:</H4> <P>1. Make the Tag after logging in; or select a pre-made Tag; click on the “Render” button on the right hand side of the table:</P> <P><A title=Picture-1 href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475216/" mce_href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475216/"><IMG border=0 alt=Picture-1 src="http://static.flickr.com/3497/3209475216_cf06fbcdb1.jpg" mce_src="http://static.flickr.com/3497/3209475216_cf06fbcdb1.jpg"></A></P> <P>2.Choose the Tag format from the pop-up that appears.</P> <P><A title=Picture-2 href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475904/" mce_href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475904/"><IMG border=0 alt=Picture-2 src="http://static.flickr.com/3485/3209475904_3e6d5fa3de.jpg" mce_src="http://static.flickr.com/3485/3209475904_3e6d5fa3de.jpg"></A></P> <P>3. On my Mac, Apple’s Preview is set as the default application to open a PDF. Note that the free Adobe Reader does not permit saving as an image (the commercial version does). Opening the PDF is Preview is important.</P> <P><A title=Picture-3 href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475476/" mce_href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209475476/"><IMG border=0 alt=Picture-3 src="http://static.flickr.com/3396/3209475476_8bf4095266.jpg" mce_src="http://static.flickr.com/3396/3209475476_8bf4095266.jpg"></A></P> <P>4. Within Preview, with the Barcode.pdf open; <STRONG>File&gt;Save As…</STRONG></P> <P><A title=Picture-4 href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209474250/" mce_href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3209474250/"><IMG border=0 alt=Picture-4 src="http://static.flickr.com/3451/3209474250_2bcc303890.jpg" mce_src="http://static.flickr.com/3451/3209474250_2bcc303890.jpg"></A></P> <P>5. And choose “JPEG” (or PNG, GIF: a bitmap format for the web) and save to an appropriate place.</P> <P><A title=Picture-5 href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3208629071/" mce_href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37473564@N00/3208629071/"><IMG border=0 alt=Picture-5 src="http://static.flickr.com/3371/3208629071_df51b6cdd8.jpg" mce_src="http://static.flickr.com/3371/3208629071_df51b6cdd8.jpg"></A></P><img src="http://blogs.msdn.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=9339791" width="1" height="1">microsofttagmac