Multimedia, Web Authoring and More

Multimedia, Web Authoring and More

Overview

• Advanced applications– Multimedia– Web authoring– Graphics programs– Virtual reality– Artificial intelligence– Project managers

MultimediaMultimedia integrates all kinds of information. Pages are linked by buttons. Story boards show logic, flow and structure. Authoring programs create presentations.

Multimedia

• Also called hypermedia

• Integration of a variety of media such as video, music, voice, graphics and text

• User participation, or interactivity, is an essential and unique capability

• Branching out from an entertainment vehicle into business, education and the home

Multimedia

• Links and buttons - presentation usually a series of linked pages

• Buttons - for navigating from one page to another

Storyboards

• Used in project preplanning

• Record logic, flow and structure

• Specify content, style, design and links

Multimedia Authoring Programs

• Macromedia Director

• Authorware

• Toolbook

Web AuthoringCreating Web sites is called Web authoring. Graphical maps present overall site design. Web authoring programs support design and HTML coding.

Web Site Design

• Determining overall content to be communicated

• Overall theme broken into component parts

• Site design often graphically depicted, with lines indicating links

• Incorporating various multimedia elements

HTML Code

Common Web Page Editors

• Microsoft FrontPage

• Adobe PageMill

• Corel WebSite Builder

Graphics ProgramsDesktop publishers mix text and graphics. Image editors modify bitmap image files. Illustrators modify vector files. Graphics suites bundle separate programs.

Desktop Publishing• Mixing text and graphics to create professional

quality publications• Unlike word processors, focus is on page design

and layout• Popular programs

– Adobe Framemaker– Adobe Pagemaker– Corel Ventura– QuarkXPresss

Image Editors• Create and modify bitmap image files

• Bitmap images are composed of thousands of colored dots or pixels

• Artists use this programs to correct or change colors, or to add special effects

• Popular programs– Adobe Photoshop– Corel Photo– Macromedia xRes

Illustration Programs

• Modify vector images

• Images are collections of various objects, such as lines, rectangles and ovals

Illustration Programs

• Used by– Artists for creating line art– Engineers to create 3-D models

• Popular programs include Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Macromedia Freehand, Micrografx Designer

Graphics Suites

• Bundling of separate but complementary graphics programs from a vendor

• Cost savings over pricing for separately purchased packages

• Popular suites– CorelDraw– Corel’s Graphics Pack– Micrografx’s ABC Graphics Suite

Virtual RealityVirtual reality creates simulated environments. VRML is a programming language to produce virtual reality applications. Virtual reality authoring programs are used to create applications.

Virtual Reality• The simulation of alternate physical realities

and experiences

• Special interactive sensory equipment (such as headgear and gloves)

• Specially written software

Virtual Reality• VRML

– Virtual reality programming language– Used to create 3-D animated scenes– Viewed with VRML capable browsers

• Virtual Reality Authoring Programs– Have migrated from high-cost versions on

workstations to affordable PC - based packages– Popular editions - Cosmo Worlds, Platinum

VRCreator and V-Realm Builder

Virtual Reality

• Applications– Numerous and will grow exponentially over

time– Viewing molecular structure– Flight simulators– Surgical training– Spaceship repair– Nuclear disaster cleanup

Artificial IntelligenceArtificial intelligence attempts to simulate human thought processes and actions. Two areas are robotics and knowledge-based (expert) systems.

Artificial Intelligence

• Computers’ traditional strength is in structured problem solving, humans, unstructured

• Attempts to mimic human thought processes and actions– Reasoning– Learning from past actions– Simulation of vision and touch

Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems

• Capture the knowledge of a human expert

• Provide advice to decision makers

• Systems use knowledge bases, which combine facts, rules and user input

• Respond to user interaction

• Fuzzy logic allows users to respond in more natural, human like ways

Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems

• Some areas of use– Medicine– Geology– Chemistry– Military science– Photography

Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems

• Some examples– Oil Spill Advisor– Bird Species Identification– Midwives Assistant– Grain Marketing Advisor– Senex

Robotics

• Robots– Computer controlled machines mimicking

human motor activity– Reprogrammable for numerous tasks– Often used for dangerous, repetitive tasks

Robotics

• Three types– Industrial - assembly line factory work, e.g.

painting, polishing, cutting, welding– Perception systems - use video cameras or

pressure sensors to inspect, sort or place parts– Mobile robots - transport supplies, equipment

and mail

Project ManagementProject management software allows you to plan projects, schedule people and control resources.

Project Management

• Project - one-time operation with multiple tasks to be completed within a certain time period

• Project Managers– Plan, schedule and control people, resources

and costs– Display beginning and ending task dates– Important tools - Gantt and PERT charts

Project Management

• Gantt charts– Use bars and lines– Have two parts

• Table listing information about tasks

• Bar chart displaying durations and start and stop dates

Project Management

• PERT charts– Program Evaluation Review Technique– Represent projects with boxes and lines– Displays timing and relationships among tasks– Shows critical path - sequence of tasks that take

the longest to complete