FileZilla

File Transfer Protocol. FileZilla is a program which allows for the transfer of information between hard drives. You can download and use this FTP free of charge. If you're having trouble finding FileZilla, look here.

When you execute the program, you will be prompted to information for Host, Username, Password and Port. The Host is tiger.towson.edu. The Username is your Towson login ID. The Password is your password. Leave the port blank.

The interface is quite simple. The screen on the left is your hard drive. The screen on the right is your virtual drive. When loading soundslides for example, simply drag the renamed publish_to_web folder from the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen.

Play around with FileZilla, it's a useful tool. I use FileZilla to upload html pages and soundslides onto the internet when I don't have access to my virtual drive on campus.

Embedding Soundslides

If you've never worked with Soundslides before, embedding them can be a pain-in-the-ass. If you have some experience with Soundslides, you'll probably agree they can still be a pain-in-the-ass. Either way, follow these simple instructions to embed Soundslides in your blog without the pain-in-the-ass.

First you need actually create a Soundslides presentation. Once you've done that, the program will give you a (publish_to_web) folder. Before you do anything else, rename this folder with a single, lowercase word.

Next, move the renamed folder into the WWW folder of your virtual drive. If you can't access your virtual drive, click here.

Now, go to the Soundslides Embed website, which will prompt you to enter the URL of your Soundslides. Type http://tiger.towson.edu/~(login ID)/(renamed Soundslides folder)/index.html and click continue.

Don't include the parentheses in the URL as shown in the URL above. If you followed these instructions correctly, a screen will appear that allows you to manipulate the size of the Soundslides player. When sizing the player for your blog, treat the player as though it were a Youtube video. The bigger the better. Don't try to squeeze in text beside the player.

Copy the code (Ctrl + C) and paste it (Ctrl + V) into your blog post as you would a Youtube video. Resize if necessary. If you didn't get this far, make sure your renamed folder is lowercase and spelled correctly and try again.

Hosting Websites

Blogger gives you the options when it comes to multimedia content but Blogger doesn't supply every demand. There are several websites that can help you provide content to readers. Youtube is probably the first site that comes to mind because of the ease with which you can upload and embed videos.

If you embed a Youtube video, insert a slug line directly below the video to let readers know exactly what they're watching. If you want to show readers more than one video, post the first and link to the others. If you're uploading your own video, click options, disable related videos and enable delayed cookies.

Box.net providers users with a free account and the capability to share audio files. When you upload an audio file on Box, you have the option of linking readers to it in the form of a podcast. Readers can even download the file.

Scribd.com works in a similar fashion to Box.net. Scribd allows you to embed documents onto your blog as a viewable PDF. Readers even have the option of reading the document on full screen without having to download it.

Soundslides can be a useful tool but difficult to embed if your new to the software. I've written a how-to post on Soundslides, read it if you're having difficulty. Soundslides embeds like a Youtube or Blogger video and lets you sync pictures with audio in a sort of slideshow format. Try to keep your Soundslides under two minutes in length.