Multimedia, Web Authoring and More

1. Multimedia, Web Authoring and More

2. Overview • Advanced applications • Multimedia • Web authoring • Graphics programs • Virtual reality • Artificial intelligence • Project managers

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

4. 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

5. Multimedia • Links and buttons - presentation usually a series of linked pages • Buttons - for navigating from one page to another

6. Storyboards • Used in project preplanning • Record logic, flow and structure • Specify content, style, design and links

7. Multimedia Authoring Programs • Macromedia Director • Authorware • Toolbook

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

9. 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

10. HTML Code

11. Common Web Page Editors • Microsoft FrontPage • Adobe PageMill • Corel WebSite Builder

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Illustration Programs • Modify vector images • Images are collections of various objects, such as lines, rectangles and ovals

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. Virtual Reality • The simulation of alternate physical realities and experiences • Special interactive sensory equipment (such as headgear and gloves) • Specially written software

20. 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

21. Virtual Reality • Applications • Numerous and will grow exponentially over time • Viewing molecular structure • Flight simulators • Surgical training • Spaceship repair • Nuclear disaster cleanup

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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems • Some areas of use • Medicine • Geology • Chemistry • Military science • Photography

26. Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems • Some examples • Oil Spill Advisor • Bird Species Identification • Midwives Assistant • Grain Marketing Advisor • Senex

27. Robotics • Robots • Computer controlled machines mimicking human motor activity • Reprogrammable for numerous tasks • Often used for dangerous, repetitive tasks

28. 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

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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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