TOOLS - Free on line editorial tools available within
the “Walking About©”
platform
Walking About is a software platform created by the folks at
Edit.Geo.Mobile S.r.l. that allows for real time publishing of
geo-referenced multimedial information by way of PC or Smartphone
using the Internet.
The Walking About technology is made to highlight small or large
territorial systems, to create jobs, to publish offers by
professionals or specialists and also to develop corporate, personal
or recreational events.
With Walking About anyone can become an Editor of one's own
communication channel with a theme (Theme Channel), or they can
limit themselves to be a user of the information. Users are visitors
that access the site to take advantage of the information provided
by the Editor its Moderators and Assistants.
Assistants can help the users present in a certain area asking for
help (for example as a tourist guide) either virtually or directly
in the location the user is at by making himself traceable.
Assistants go through a training and qualification procedure before
they become such.
Theme Channels can be free or have a small fee, be public or
private, and qualified or not.
The platform Walking About has provides simple instrumehts for the
editing and geo-referencing of hyper-text. It is supported by a
social network somewhat like Skype or Facebook which in a few
minutes allows for the creation of a communication channel that can
be used as a guide, manually or by hypertext in real time via a
network or a smartphone.
A view of some possible uses is available on the website
http://walkingabout.it/index.php
Registrants can take advantage of the free channles already in place
but above all download the software application for Android and
iPhone where they will be able to have access to the guides, the
hyper-maps and all other services.
Most importantly registered users can become Editors of one or more
channles and communicate with all of their friends via the web or
their smartphone. Users can authorize their friends to locate them
for reasons regarding work,social or security reasons. The services
offered on Walking About can be accessed via the web on a browser at
the site www.walkingabout.it on a smartphone on which the client
application has been downloaded for free from the Walking About
website or from the Android and iPhone store as of November 25.
Platform characteristics and
nature of achieved products:
The detailed description of our
free services and instruments available for geo-referenced editing
can be found on the site www.walkingabout.it under the tab "Documents"
where you can find technical documentation as well as the
"WA
Desk User Manual" which includes instructions of the
editing software.
The following paragraph introduces new users to the simple but
powerful management system of territorial information and the
processes this tool can develop for you.
Theme Channels:
Theme Channels are made up
of a group of themed maps that overlap, selected by the user of the
Theme Channel according to their needs. For example, entertainment,
cultural tourism, no itinerary traveling, shopping etc... The user
can ask for the location of specific monuments or activities that
are happening at the moment or even certain objects.
Similarly one can contribute to a friends research request whom may
be in the area and who has rendered themselves visible or traceable.
The tracking systems in the application Walking About and the e-mail
service allow for fast and efficient communication for any type of
activity whether for professional reasons or simple pleasure.
The information is outputted to the client either vocally or
graphically as shown in figure 1 on a smartphone or as in in figure
2 on the web from a personal computer.
When users are in movement in the territory they can activate
automatic functions that will signal interesting things in the area
or they can memorize routes traveled (see "WA Field User Manual").
Anyone can create a Theme Channel but only qualified Theme Channels
will be published in an official registry once the channel's Editor
has undergone a verification process with validation of his
Curriculum.
Hyper-POI
and Hyper-Maps
The platform's instruments allow the editing and insertion of POI (points
of interest) on Google maps in a Theme Channel. The Editor and its
moderators can insert multimedial POI content, hyper-text, link,
routes, comments and pictures in real time therefore creating a true
travel diary that can be taken advantage by friends and clients
alike.
As mentioned before the site Walking About has the tools available
to create in a simple manner hyper-POI and maps that can be
overlapped in multilayers.
The maps with POI are immediately available to whomever has accessed
a Theme Channel from any part of the world at any given hour.
You can see some demonstrative samples of Multi medial
geo-referenced hyper-text on the site
www.walkingabout.it and can
be used as area guides via your smartphone using Android or IPhone.
Broadcasting the
information:
The once created geo-referenced hypertext can be broadcasted via the
social network integrated in the platform Walking About that is
immediately available to other users via internet or a smartphone.
The role of an Editor in a
Theme Channel and Support Provided by Edit.Geo Mobile:
The Editor is the
owner of the Theme Channel. He has complete autonomy to decide the
development of the channel, its collaborations, and the eventual
commercial decisions if he chooses. He operates under the law of
civility and respect. Therefore he takes on collaborators by having
them sign an electronic document that binds users to the terms of
agreement set forth by Edit.Geo:Mobile and residents of the site
Walking About.
The Editor is wholly responsible for his users and registrants of
his Theme Channel.
Ordinary computer and telematic services present in the platform are
distributed by Edit.Geo.Mobile under license GNU. The Editor does
not pay Edit.Geo.Mobile user rights unless their is a change of
policy on behalf of the the organization that provides services
under similar license.
Other services like the creation of personalized guides distributed
through the Apple and Google markets will be seen on a case by case
basis. The personal guides can be covered by Copy Rights and agree
with Edit.Geo.Mobile S.r.l. policy on advertising.
The Editors who use the platform primarily accept that Edit.Geo:Mobile
introduces side banners on the page
www.walkingabout.it and in the
client space purposely reserved for publicity. Other forms of
advertising such as pop-ups, cartoons etc... of interest to the
Editor can be agreed upon to be added between Edit.Geo.Mobile and
the Editor.
Edit.Geo.Mobile does not owe anything to the users of the platform
under no motive that has not been agreed on and legally handled
between the parties.
The services supplied by Edit.Geo.Mobile are presented without
temporary ends. Edit.Geo.Mobile does not assume responsibility of
the storage and custody of data, outside of the usual backup
procedures of the site. The Editor must provide and maintain a copy
of the information added by him and his collaborators.
Technology:
The platform Walking
About integrates three types of network technology: The POI
geo-referenced by Google, the social network and the multi medial
internet software.
Edit.Geo.Mobile aims to develop a platform open to all the main
technology particularly that relative to mobile telephone thus
develop clients for devices such as smartphones and e-books.
The platform Walking About has been developed on Open Source
technology.
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