MULTIMEDIA

          Multimedia is the ability to communicate in more than one way. For example the computer you are using to view this material is capable of flashing text and beeping when there is a problem. If your computer is equipped with multimedia capabilities then it can handle sound, video, and graphics in a better manner.

            Originally the term multimedia was used by institutions who run distance learning courses in which they deliver content via a combination of text, TV, telephone, audio cassette and the radio. The advent of high resolution screens and sound and video playback facilities for computers has resulted in the increased use of multimedia applications for education.

            A typical multimedia application is characterized by the following features:

The different media it possesses and makes use of the use of digital technology The interaction it demands of the user The integration of sound, images, text and data into seamless applications

VRML

          VRML is an acronym for Virtual Reality Modeling Language. Very early on in its history, when VRML was just an idea without an implementation, the M stood for “Markup”, paralleling HTML which is Hyper Text Markup Language.

            A VRML file resides on a Web site just like an HTML file. Currently, a VRML file is a plain text file or a compressed text file, and its name generally ends in “.wrl”, “.wrl.gz”, or “.wrz”. The contents of a VRML file including the files that it may load through the Inline nodes are called a “world”. This does not mean that the builder of a VRML world needs to model the whole planet. Many VRML worlds are single objects. VRML is a scene description language, which describes 3D environments over the Internet. When you access a URL containing a VRML world, a file is downloaded into your Web browser.

            VRML is a file format that defines the layout and content of a 3D world with links to more information. VRML worlds are spacious and inherently interactive with objects that react to the user and to each other. VRML is scalable across platforms ranging from PCs to high-end workstations, and soon, the Mac. VRML is also band width efficient. Intricate, interactive 3D worlds can be described in worlds that are similar in size to HTML pages. Most of the time when VRML files are large it is because of motion capture data, animation, sound, or video, all of which will be reduced as “streaming media” becomes a reality. Straight VRML files are actually very small, especially if special optimization steps are taken. The Web Authoring Tools are the most widely used HTML editors and site management tools.

STREAMING

            Streaming is the term given to a continuous supply of data. Streaming Media is audio and video data that is supplied continuously to the end user from the web site that they are viewing. Streaming media files over the internet has the internet has the distinct advantage that users can start viewing them almost instantly without having to download the full file. In contrast, with more traditional files the whole file needs to be downloaded before anything can be viewed. The player software on the user’s computer decodes the compressed stream as it arrives through the user’s modem or network. So you can be viewing one part of the file while the rest is still being downloaded. Leading players include Real Player, Windows Media Player and Quick Time.

GRAPHIC WEB EDITORS

GIF Animator

            GIF Animator can be used to create an animation by linking images together, similar to creating a “flip book”. Just insert each separate image into the animator, and then set the frame rate to determine the speed. Once you have inserted all the images, you can save the file as either a gif image, an .avi movie, or even a flash movie. Then the animator will generate the html code necessary to display your creation on your web page.

Adobe Photoshop

            Adobe® Photoshop® 7.0 software, the professional image-editing standard, helps you work more efficiently, explore new creative options, and produce the highest quality images for print, the Web, and anywhere else. Create exceptional imagery with easier access to file data: streamlined Web design: faster, professional-quality photo retouching: and more.

 Macromedia Flash

            Macromedia Flash MX is the “must have” tool used by over one million professionals to deliver the best user experiences on the web, increasing both revenue and customer satisfaction while lowering costs. The approachable environment includes powerful video, multimedia, and application development features, which allow designers and developers to crate rich user interfaces, online advertising, e-learning courses and enterprise application front ends.