Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 11:30:41 +0100
From: "Kjell Øystein Arisland" <kjell@candleweb.no>
To: Elizabeth Coolbaugh <cool@rdnzl.eklektix.com>
Subject: Re: clickwalk.com site and the Linux Weekly News

Elizabeth Coolbaugh wrote:

> Hi!  My name is Liz Coolbaugh and I'm the Managing Editor for the
> Linux Weekly News (LWN).  One of my readers sent me the URL for your
> site,
> mentioning that they thought you were a Linux-based site, based on
> reference in news TV2 (which showed a wallpaper full of Penguins).

That is correct. ClickWalk runs on a RedHat Linux-server with an Apache
Web-server and PostgreSQL database. The pages are generated by
a Java servlet under Apache JServ.

We also use Linux on our PCs for development.

> I browsed your site a bit and really enjoyed it.  I'd like to put in a
> Link of the Week for you in this week's LWN.

Thanks, we won't mind at all  : )

> However, knowing a
> little bit more about your site before I do so would be a good idea.
> I'd appreciate it if you could drop me a note and tell me as much
> about yourself, your company and the site as you wish.

Enclosed is a press release that we are currently sending to US
newspapers and Websites.

In addition, here are a few relevant facts and opinions. If there is any
additional information you would like, please let me know.

First a short version of the thinking behind ClickWalk:

The ClickWalk concept is user interface oriented. We believe that
the Web is such a success because it is useful, fun and easy to use.
The "fun" and "easy" parts both stem from a graphically oriented
user interface and the use of images mixed with all the text data.
In other words, visualization is a key issue.

However, the visual aspects of the Web are (IMHO) poorly
understood and exploited with variable success. The reasons are
many, among them are HTML itself.

ClickWalk is an attempt to create a visual interface to information
that is related to geographical locations. In other words a user
interface for local portals with emphasis on the visual apects.

In developing ClickWalk, we have tried to make speed of access
our number one priority. Therefore our pages are roughly 30Kbytes
total including the small version of the images, excluding maps. The
optional map package (four maps) is currently roughly 5Kbytes total,
but this will probably double when we blend in background street
maps.

I could talk forever about this (I have worked as a lecturer at the
University of Oslo, and tend to get long-winded), but will stop here.

We are currently looking for partners to build ClickWalks in other
cities. More about this at "http://oslo.clickwalk.no/partners.html".

The total ClickWalk system that we are offering is described in
"http://www.clickwalk.com/anytown.html"

About the company:

ClickWalk was developed by CandleWeb AS, which is a small
company (7 employees) developing Java applications, mainly as
consultants. ClickWalk AS is owned mainly by CandleWeb AS.

Fredrik Vraalsen is the main code-developer for ClickWalk.
He is also one of our Linux aficionados, and can answer any
more detailed questions. His email address is
fredrik@candleweb.no.

Thanks again for your initiative.


Sincerely
Kjell Øystein Arisland
ClickWalk AS

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Press release from ClickWalk AS   Oslo, Norway

New invention lets you wander city streets on the net.
------------------------------------------------------

The Norwegian company ClickWalk AS presents a new invention that
enables users to take virtual city strolls with ordinary Web-browsers.
The technology is available now, and Oslo, Norway is the first
ClickWalk city. The Oslo newspaper Dagbladet uses the technology in its
new net-portal to Norway's capital.

8.000 photos

The inventor is Norwegian net-pioneer Kjell Øystein Arisland, who also
started the Internet service provider Oslonett in 1991. (Oslonett had
its day in the world press when it posted daily results from the
Lillehammer Winter Olympics on the Web in 1994, an Internet first.)
Arisland and his company has worked over 2 years developing ClickWalk,
and it is finally ready for prime time. The world's first ClickWalk is
so far based on 8.000 photos from Oslo, which will be presented in
three formats, altogether 24.000 image-files. Currently, the most
central parts of Oslo are available, as well as the Vigeland sculpture
park and Akershus fortress.

Simple and fast

The city is covered by a number of viewpoints, and users walk around by
clicking on icons to turn, zoom or go to the next viewpoint. At each
viewpoint photos have been taken in all directions, and the images have
been processed to panoramas which are shown in different sizes on
demand. At any time, maps can be opened at the bottom of the screen,
showing the exact current position in four different scales. The maps
can also be used for jumping to another part of the city.

Many applications

ClickWalk has many useful applications, and the most important are
e-commerce, real estate, sightseeing and general information, such as
nightlife, travel and public transport information, says Kjell Øystein
Arisland at ClickWalk AS.


URLs:

Oslo ClickWalk  http://oslo.clickwalk.no/

Dagbladet:Oslo http://oslo.dagbladet.no/

Contact person:

Kjell Øystein Arisland, ClickWalk AS
Phone (+47) 22239040, email: kjell@candleweb.no