AB roll editing = The transfer of portions of two video sources into one master videotape.
For example, one source may be a VCR and the other
source a video camera. (See also Video)
AB style switches = analog switchers that are designed to be used in applications
whenever multiple computer sources must be connected
to a single display device such as a monitor, projector,
or LCD panel. For example, multiple VGA or SVGA
PCs may be connected to a single data projector
or PCs and Macs may be connected to a single data
projector. Extron carries an extensive line of AB style
switches at http://www.extron.com/prodline.htm.
See also Projection.
ABKY = The Atkinson,
Banker, Kaplan, and Young (1994)
textbook entitled Management Accounting which is
noteworthy in this glossary as being the first accounting
text accompanied by an Internet bulletin board.
Prentice-Hall was the first publishing company,
to our knowledge, to offer an interactive two-way
network dialog between adopters of selected textbooks
and the authors of those books, including a bulletin
board of latest readings related to the text, abstracts
of related literature, and classroom aids. The ABKY
network was the first of the Prentice-Hall offerings
to adopters and is available on listserver@watarts.uwaterloo.ca.
(See also Internet
and Networks)
Accelerated/Advanced Graphics Port = A bus specification by that gives 3D graphics cards faster access to main
memory than the usual PCI bus. AGP allows
scattered data in system memory to be read in bursts.
AGP reduces the overall cost by using existing system
memory.
Accelerator board = A hardware electronic board (containing a microprocessor)
that can be added to some computers in order to
speed up the processing in slow computers. The speed
gains are confined to internal calculating and sorting
such that no apparent gains are obtained for file
management and other busing activities. (See also
CPU, Board, and
Bus)
Account boot disk = A disk used to load
DOS into the computer when it is turned on.
Acrobat = (See PDF)
Active video = A video AV standard and open-video architecture that Microsoft Corporation
hopes will become the popular standard to replace
the Video for Windows (.avi file extension) and
Quicktime (.mov file extension) video architecture.
Active video attempts to overcome common complaints
with its Video for Windows (e.g., limited throughput,
poor A/V synchronization, and hardware/software
incompatibilities. Also, Active Video will have
software MPEG decoding and will cross platforms
with Windows, Windows 2000, and Power Macintosh.
It will also have an Active Movie filter to play
on the Internet via Microsoft's Explorer browser.
Whereas Video for Windows was losing out to Apple's
Quicktime in popularity, Microsoft's Active Video
makes it a closer race between Apple and Microsoft
for dominance in the setting of video standards.
(See also Video and
MPEG)
ActiveX = utilities from Microsoft
Corporation that combine older Object Linking and
Embedding (OLE) and Component Object Model (COM)
utilities. AcitiveX is usually coded in Visual
Basic and is quite confusing since it is an outgrowth
of a complex set of OLE and COM technologies.
Various ActiveX applications can be downloaded from
http://www.download.com/PC/Activex/0,271,0-0,00.html.
One of the most widespread applications is
to give interactive controls (e.g., ask questions,
provide answers, perform computations, push buttons,
etc.) to users of Internet Explorer on the web.
Therein lies a huge risk as well when computers
also have Windows
Scripting Host (WSH) utilities using
ActiveX. WSH files have
a file extension whs and are similar to PIF files
in older 16-bit applications. Prior to WSH
applications, users could browse the web and use
email without any worries about virus infections
as long as security warnings were heeded about file
downloads that run in Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
That is no longer the case if WSH utilities are
installed. To avoid such risks, users can
either rely upon Netscape products for email and
web browsing since Netscape products use Java rather
than ActiveX software. If users prefer Microsoft
Internet Explorer for web browsing and Microsoft
Outlook for email, then they may want to consider
adding security barriers to WSH risks. In
Internet Explorer you can click on menu choices
(View, Internet Options,
Security, Custom, Settings) and choose the option
to disable "ActiveX Controls Not Marked as
Safe." Repeat the same procedure
for Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express.
You may also want to consider disabling WSH, although
you thereby lose the applications relying on WSH
utilities. For virus updates and news, two
good web sites are Network Associates at http://www.nai.com/vinfo/ and Mcafee at http://www.mcafee.com/ . (Also see Visual
Basic and CORBA )
For more information on the use of ActiveX in distributed
network computing, see Database,
ADO, and RDS.
ADAM = Animated Dissection
of Anatomy for Medicine project that
resulted in high quality computer-aided learning
modules for schools of medicine. The "inside
story" of A.D.A.M. is briefly reviewed in PC
World, November 1994, p. 96. See A.D.A.M. Software,
Inc. at http://www.adam.com/ for more details.
ADC = Analog to Digital
Converter that converts analog sound to binary
code form (digital information). (See also DAC, Modem and
Video)
ADO = (See Database.)
ADPCM = Adaptive Pulse
Code Modulation of audio waveform
sampling that records the difference between samples
is recorded rather than the actual values. This
increases fidelity with lower resolution than conventional
PCM. (See also Audio and
PCM)
AERO =
"Before Going to
Buy High-Tech Devices, Learn the New Terms,"
by Walter S. Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal,
November 16, 2006; Page B1 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/personal_technology.html
Aero: This is the graphical user interface that's a key part
of Microsoft's new Windows Vista operating system,
due out around Jan. 30. If you want to get the full
benefit of Vista, make sure any Windows PC you buy
this season is capable of running Aero. Many are
not.
Agent = Agents are search tools
that automatically seek out relevant online information
based on your specifications. Agents are also called
intelligent agents, personal agents, knowbots or
droids.
AIF = One format of Macintosh
audio (sound) files. (See also Audio)
AIX = An IBM version of
the Unix operating system. It will run on PCs with
386 or higher chips and on workstations and mainframes.
(See also Unix)
ALN
= (See Asynchronous
Learning Networks)
Alpha processor = The ultimate top-of-the line processor for PCs that uses DEC's 21064 chip.
The "Alpha-based" systems such as the
DECpc from Digital Equipment Corporation claims
it is the fastest system available for Windows 2000.
ALT = Software ALTernatives
to authoring systems that have full CMS utilities.
In other words, professors who do not need full
CMS features may opt for alternative authoring packages
such as hypertext or hypermedia packages that do
not have full CMS features. Various ALT options
are compared in Chapter 3. (See also CMS)
America Online = The commercial AOL network (800-827-6364) that "remains the hottest,
easiest-to-use and most interesting of the services"
according to Mossberg
(1994a). AOL offers Time Magazine, the Chigago
Tribune, and other news and television network options.
New services to educators online include an American
Federation of Teachers online doctoral program from
the Electronic University Network and the Forum
on Technology in Education and Training (FORUM-TET).
With the May 11, 1994 announcement of a merger of
AOL and Redgate Communications, AOL will take an
early lead over competitors in multimedia and GUI
graphics networking. (See also GUI, Networks,
CompuServe,
Internet,
eWorld,
Interchange,
and Prodigy)
Amiga = A video computing
hardware/software desktop workstation formerly manufactured
and marketed by Commodore International based on
Motorola microprocessors. Amiga workstations became
a widely popular option in conjunction with NewTek's
Video Toaster software for home and office videotape
productions. Amiga developed its own operating system
called Amiga DOS. A major drawback is that as a
computer it does not communicate (i.e., its files
are not readable) on more popular Apple, PC, and
Unix operating systems. For example, it can neither
read MS-DOS files into its operating system nor
write out MS-DOS files. It is far less of a competitor
for digital computers and networking than for analog
video computers such as Mac Video (see Birkmaier
(1993) and Torres 1993).
The new Amiga workstations became aggressive low-priced
competitors to Silicon Graphics and Sun workstations
for 3D animation rendering for broadcast quality
video. The future of the Amiga is clouded by the
1994 declaration of bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation
of the former Commodore International Corporation.
At this juncture it is uncertain whether another
manufacturer will take over all Amiga technologies
and patents. NewTek Inc. (800-847-6111) now sells
workstations for its Video Toaster software formerly
used in Amiga computers. The Amiga and NewTek workstations
compete with Apple AV and SGI competitors, but these
options should not be confused with the more extensive
concepts of network video servers. (See also Video server,
CD32,
Apple
AV, SGI,
and Mac)
Hello Bob, I stumbled
across your listing of computer and techincal terms
and was very pleased to have found it! It looks
very complete. I wanted to mention an error I found.
In the text on the Amiga, you mention it could not
read or write MS-Dos disks. This is not correct.
The Amiga OS supported multiple disk types, excluding
Macintosh due to the fact that those disks were
not constant velocity format. MS-Dos 720k - 1.44k
were supported provided the person had a HD drive
for the 1.44 capability.
Thanks for the great
work again!
Aaron R>
Aaron & Terri [antfarm@wans.net ]
You can read the following
at http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/21418.html
A combination
of fierce loyalty and anti-Microsoft sentiment that
would make Linux and Mac users blush has Amiga users
clinging to their aging computers. The prospect
of new hardware is almost too much for the dedicated
outcasts to handle. They stick with the platform
because it's stable, fast, and has an elegant OS
that could multitask in only 512KB of memory fifteen
years ago, back when Microsoft still thought DOS
was the way to go.
No new hardware
has been made for the Amiga since Commodore went
under in 1993, with the exception of some third-party
peripherals.
"And
[now] there's tremendous hatred for Microsoft,"
said Harv Laser, founder of the AmigaZone, the oldest
Amiga fan site online, with roots dating back to
the mid-1980s. "A lot of people, myself included,
don't want to give Bill Gates one penny."
So when
a mysterious German computer company materialized
last week announcing new computers based on the
long-abandoned Amiga technology, there was much
jubilation, along with some skepticism, on Amiga
enthusiast sites.
Amiga DOS = (See Amiga)
AMPS = (See Wireless
Glossary of Terms)
Analog = (See Video)
Anchor = Synonymous with hyperlinks,
anchor refers to non-linear links among documents.
Or more simply put, it's the word or phrase that
can be selected to connect to another page resource.
Anchor color = The color on a browser
screen that represents the anchor tag (navigation
item) colors. The reason so many are blue is that
blue is often the default color in browser software.
This color can be changed to any combination of
red, green and blue. The ability to change these
colors at the reader level complicates choice of
color at the authoring level.
ANet = The International
Accounting Network, Southern Cross
University, New South Wales, Australia and Bond
University, Queensland, Australia. The email address
is ANet@scu.edu.au. A description of services is
contained in the CETA Newsletter, June, 1994. Mailing
lists are also available on ANet, including CDI-ACC-AUDIT
in the United Kingdom and AC-CHANGE from Maricopa
College in Arizona. (See also International
Internet Association, PIC-AECM,
and RAW)
Animation = Time-phased moving graphic
images that give the impression of motion such as
in motion picture cartoons or videographic movements
of objects about the screen. Several frames show
a progression of movement, and thereby simulate
movement. The best-buy in animation software is
Autodesk 3D Studio according to PC Computing, December
1994, p. 204. (See also 3-D, flc/fli,
Morphing,
and Video)
Annotations = Personal notes you can
attach to the documents you have saved in your Web
browser. The notes are available to you whenever
the document is viewed.
ANSI = The American
National Standards Institute
sets basic standards like ASCII characters and acts
as the United States' delegate to the ISO. Standards
can be ordered from ANSI by writing to the ANSI
Sales Department, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018.
(See also ASCII, ISO 9000,
and Rich-text
format)
Anti-Blur =
"Before Going to Buy High-Tech Devices, Learn the New Terms,"
by Walter S. Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal,
November 16, 2006; Page B1 --- http://online.wsj.com/article/personal_technology.html
Anti-Blur: Also known as antishake or image stabilization, this is a crucial feature
of digital cameras today. Because few cameras have
optical viewfinders, users tend to hold them at
arm's length to frame the shot on the LCD screen.
This increases the likelihood of shaking the camera.
An anti-blur feature can correct that. The best
anti-blur technology is optical. Digital versions
are less effective.
API = Application Program Interface by
which an application program accesses operating
system.An API can also provide an interface between
a high level language and lower level utilities
and services which were written without consideration
for the calling conventions supported by compiled
languages. Netscape Corporation and Microsoft both
provide APIs called NSAPI and ISAPI that essentially
extend their web servers, and it provides developers
a way to put application code actually within the
web server. This means that you dont have to start
up a separate process each time one of these applications
is called. And, since that application is always
running, it can maintain connections to the database.
Apple AV = A line of computers
that was popular for low-cost analog video computing
due to built video capture hardware on the motherboard,
a DAV connector, and a scan converter for analog
video output to television sets and videotape recorders.
The Power Macs have replaced the Apple AVs. (See
also Video server,
Dry
camera, SGI,
Mac,
PowerPC,
Mozart,
Copeland,
Gershwin,
and Amiga)
Apple Corporation = (See Mac.)
Apple QuickTime = (See QuickTime)
Archie = Derived from the word
archive, Archie is a Net-based service that allows
you to locate files that can be downloaded via FTP.
ARPANet = The Advanced
Research Projects AgencyNetwork
formed in 1969 to connect the Department of Defense
(DOD) with institutions conducting major defense
contract research. The network linked super computers
in major research universities with the DOD. This
is credited with being the first academic computer
network and is considered the "mother"
of the Internet. In the 1980s, ARPANet split into
two networks called ARPANet and MILNet (for unclassified
military research). An interconnection with the
DOD Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) led
to a set of networks called DARPA Internet that
later became referred to as just the Internet. (See
also Internet)
Arrays = (See Jukeboxes)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) = Is a branch (usually called AI/Expert Systems) of computer
science, mathematics, psychology, and systems engineering
that attempts to make computer "decision making"
more like human decision making and to aid or replace
human decision makers with machines. Expert systems
attempt to utilize the skills, knowledge, and decision
evaluation processes of human experts. For example,
computers now aid physicians in diagnosing diseases
and computer-guided laser rockets virtually replace
human guidance decisions. AI failed to live up to
its early expectations when it was believed that
AI computers would never fail to win at chess and
language translators would soon be put out of work
by computers. However, applications of AI have been
taking place and computers can now play very good
chess to a point where they occasionally beat even
the grand masters.
ASCII = American Standard
Code for Information Interchange
computer character set (text and symbols) that enables
transfer of text and data between different computing
systems. This international standard provides only
very plain text without options for font modifications.
For example, files from word processors such as
Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, and Word Star often
cannot be imported to hypertext or hypermedia software
without conversion to ASCII code (most word processors
will change files to ASCII "text" files).
The downside is that nearly all formatting and font
variations are lost in ASCII conversions such that
imported ASCII text may have to be re-formatted
line by line and altered for font preferences. Very
few software alternatives have "filters"
that import word processor files directly without
having to convert to ASCII codes, although many
are now adding rich-text format (RTF) utilities.
In hypertext authoring, choice of a hypertext software
option should include a question concerning whether
"filters" are available for avoidance
of ASCII text conversions. (See alsoANSI, Internet
Messaging, and Rich-text
format)
Ask Jeeves = (See Search engine.)
ASP = has at least two meanings.
Application Service
Provider that provides individuals
or enterprises access over the Internet to applications
and related services. This service is s sometimes
referred to as "apps-on-tap." Early
applications include:
- Remote access serving for the
users of an enterprise
- An off-premises local area
network to which mobile users can be connected,
with a common file server
- Specialized applications that
would be expensive to install and maintain within
your own company or on your own computer
Hewlett-Packard, SAP,
and Qwest
have formed one of the first major alliances for
providing ASP services.
Active Server Pages.
ASP script extensions contain either Visual Basic
or Jscript code. When a browser requests an ASP
page, the Web server generates a page with HTML
code and sends it back to the browser. So ASP pages
are similar to CGI scripts, but they enable Visual
Basic programmers to work with familiar tools.
This is a page that performs customized "applications"
services. A great example is NetLedger.com
where individuals or complete business firms can
access accounting software that allows all accounting
to be maintained in NetLedger's online files.
Business transactions (such as billings and collections)
can even be managed by the applications server.
See www.netledger.com
Other examples are given
at http://www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011,2615695,00.html
For now,
however, the latest twist on the ASP trend-what
Outtask and some analysts are calling the BSP, or
business service provider, model-remains immature.
The range of business process services being offered
in conjunction with hosted applications is narrow,
mostly limited to functions such as travel, PC support
and payroll. And, while some hosting providers such
as Alexandria-based Outtask have begun building
mixed portfolios of managed application and business
process services from scratch and selling them directly
to their customers, many established ASPs are adding
the BSP tag to their résumés by forming
alliances with the BPO divisions of major consulting
and systems integration companies or with leaders
in specific areas of outsourcing, such as Automatic
Data Processing Inc. for payroll services. Many
of those relationships, however, are new. Often,
the hosted applications from one vendor and the
business services from another are not truly integrated.
So the user is often left negotiating and dealing
with more than one provider.
Aspect ratio = The ratio of the horizontal to vertical size of the screen. Some monitors
display rectangular pixels which can make the picture
or image appear stretched. Software that allows
images to be resized and changed with respect to
aspect ratios greatly facilitates authoring. Otherwise,
images have to be transported to other software
for such changes and then transported back in a
cumbersome process that makes authors grateful when
aspect ratios and image sizes can be modified without
such difficulties. Macromedia Director is one of
the very few hypermedia authoring systems that has
a utility for changing the scale and aspect ratios
of imported bitmap pictures as well as rotating
and inverting such pictures.
Assessment = The evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of technology on attitudes
and performance. Tidd (1995)
discusses various assessment scales such as the
Computer Attitude Scale, the Computer Anxiety Rating
Scale, and the Computer Self-Efficacy Scale. Assessment
is very difficult because no matter how good the
findings are in an empirical study, the relevance
of those findings quickly falls away due to constantly
emerging technologies that are significantly better
than older technologies used in the study.
Asynchronous = A method of communication
that places data in discrete blocks that are surrounded
by framing bits. These bits show the beginning and
ending of a block of data.
Asynchronous connection = The type of connection
a modem makes over a phone line, this connection
is not synchronized by a mutual timing signal or
clock.
Asynchronous Learning Networks = ALN networks of education and training modules or courses
where students learn in self-paced online pedagogy
in contrast to synchronized presentations in traditional
classrooms or electronic classrooms. Synchronous
education in a scheduled sequence of classes will
face serious new competition of asynchronous education
distributed on networks where students learn and
communicate most any day and most any time of day
and study at their own paces. An example is the
new online Western Governors University at http://www.westgov.org/smart/vu/vu.html. Ideally, faculty
or other expert help is available online to both
help students and evaluate student work and ideas.
In addition, asynchronous courses may schedule synchronous
virtual online meetings of subsets of students or
entire classes of students. Networked courses may
thus be synchronous and asynchronous, although the
technical learning components are largely asynchronous.
Bob Jensen has a paper on ALN at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/255wp.htm
that reviews, among other things, the experiments
conducted on millions of dollars in Sloan Foundation
grants for ALN development. See also Hypermedia
and Hypertext.
AT = (See PC)
ATG = (See Video
server)
ATM = Automatic Teller
Machines for banks and Asynchronous
Transfer Mode switching in networks.
The high speed ATM networks allow transmission of
video, audio, and data over local and world-wide
networks. (See also Broadband,
Networks,
and Sonet)
AU = The file extension
for UNIX audio (sound) files. (See also Audio)
AU sounds = This is an audio format
developed for Sun workstations and often used to
distribute sound clips via the Web.
Audio = Voice, music, and
other sounds recorded and stored in analog or digital
form. The term RealAudio refers to a helper-app
(plug-in) that allows WWW users to hear audio files
in real time. Options for creating and playing digital
audio Java applets are reviewed in deCarmo (1996).
Options for converting written text into audio are
given in Text reading.
(See also Sound
board, AU,
AIF,
Board, Hertz, Java, MIDI, Speech recognition,
Text reading,
Video/audio
networking, and Wave file)
Audio board = (See Sound board)
Audio card = (See Sound board)
Audio Conversion to Text = (See Text reading)
Audio on the Internet = (See Internet
audio and video)
Audio streaming = (See Web streaming)
Authenticated Payment Program =
From http://international.visa.com/fb/paytech/secure/main.jsp
Visa has begun the global
rollout of the Authenticated Payment Program. The
Program, based on commercial incentives, will vastly
improve the payment service for e-merchants, consumers
and Visa Members by enhancing convenience, acceptance
and security. Consumers will know that they can
shop safely and conveniently while preventing fraud
on their card, and merchants will know they are
dealing with a legitimate cardholder anywhere in
the world. The newest authentication technology,
3-D Secure", forms the basis for global interoperability
of Authenticated Payments.
Authoring = Developing (writing of text, recording of audio, importing of video, inserting
graphics, etc.) hypertext and hypermedia learning,
entertainment, and reference materials.
The history and trends in authoring are summarized
at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/290wp/290wp.htm
Also see Cross-platform,
Delta
Project, Hypertext,
CORE,
Non-core,
Hypermedia,
Morphing,
Presentation,
Titles,
and Rendering)
Authoring software = This term refers to
software that enables the creation of multimedia
or hypertext documents and presentations.
Authorware = Macromedia's hypermedia authoring system designed primarily for training
and education asynchronous learning courses. Authorware
was originally developed for Mac computers and is
still the most sophisticated option for Mac users.
There is a PC version that faces stiffer competition
from high-end authoring systems listed at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/245soft1.htm.
The main competitor is probably Asymetrix
ToolBook in terms of full course development,
course management, CD-ROM delivery, and web delivery.
For links to Macromecia and applications on the
web, see http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/links/prelim.htm.
The following is quoted from Jeff Glasse in MacWeek,
August 25, 1997, pp.
Despite increased competition,
Macromedia Inc.'s Authorware has been the undisputed
champ for developing complex multimedia programs
that require a high degree of user tracking. Version
4.0 of the $1,999 (estimated street price) package
offers Web delivery and external file linking, making
it irresistible for certain applications.
Macromedia also sells
the Authorware 4.0 Interactive Studio, a $2,999
(estimated street price) package that includes Macromedia
Director 6.0, xRes 3.0 and Sound Edit 16 Version
2.0.
Authorware 4 retains
its heavy use of icons in interactive design. All
program elements, including graphics, logic, transitions,
audio and motion, are represented by small icons
in the program's flowline. Program developers create
a flowline in the Design window (similar to Director's
Score) and view the actual media in the Presentation
window (analogous to Director's Stage).
Interactive designers
either love this approach or find it cumbersome,
but one thing is certain: Authorware is significantly
more difficult to learn than other major development
packages. One of the reasons for this, however,
is that Authorware boasts greater depth than other
applications, making it particularly well-suited
for creating complex, branched training materials--the
program's original aim. Once you've overcome the
rather long learning curve, the flowline also offers
much easier debugging of complex logic than is possible
in Director or even in mFactory Inc.'s mTropolis.
As in previous versions,
Authorware 4 lets developers release titles for
Macs and Intel-standard PCs without modification.
The player engine is wrapped into the final project,
making it a double-clickable application on both
platforms. Macromedia does not charge a distribution
licensing fee.
Director movies can be
played within Authorware 4 with their interactivity
intact. This is especially important if you want
to develop titles that include both complex animation
sequences, at which Director excels, and highly
branched interactivity, Authorware's forte.
Writing for new audiences
Authorware 4 has been substantially retooled for Web deployment and functionality.
It now supports external content controls, so a
completed project can reference external media elements
on a LAN, an intranet or the Internet. This lets
you develop a program that can be updated without
having to rebuild the entire project; simply update
the media that the program references. Of course,
you must manage these external files religiously,
and if used in the final project, path name relationships
must remain constant.
External links are managed
through the aptly named External Media Browser,
an essential new tool that lets you track external
media efficiently and relatively painlessly.
Authorware titles can
be played across the Web using Macromedia Shockwave
technology. Unlike Director 6, Authorware still
requires you to run a project through a separate
Afterburner utility (included with the program)
to "shock" it for the Web.
Version 4 adds support
for a number of file formats, including GIF, JPEG
and Adobe Photoshop. Images can be resized and cropped
within the development environment, allowing for
considerable flexibility in the process.
The program also adds
a collection of Quickstart templates to help beginners
create typical interactive projects.
Authorware is fully cross-platform,
but there are minor differences between the two
versions. Most significant is that the Mac version
doesn't support Microsoft ActiveX controls, while
the PC version does. This is less the fault of Macromedia
than of Microsoft Corp., which has been slow to
bring ActiveX technology to the Mac. Still, it's
a significant issue for cross-platform developers
who want to use the technology.
Despite the program's
otherwise unsurpassed text-handling capabilities
(including support for style sheet and RTF text
import), Authorware still does not offer anti-aliased
text--a serious omission. Director, which is less
aimed at text-based programs, has offered this feature
since Version 5.0. We hope Macromedia fixes this
rather annoying problem.
While the interface is
generally improved, Authorware still relies too
much on dialog boxes. You often have to tunnel through
several layers of them to change a single characteristic.
3-D Rendering for the
Web
Software options for
3-D rendering on the web are reviewed in the NewMedia, May 5 1998, pp. 52-64. The NewMedia
web site is at http://www.newmedia.com
Those authoring packages rated as "Awesome"
include Live Picture Reality Studio at http://www.livepicture.com
(800-724-7900) and Platinum Technology VRCreator
at http://www.platinum.com (800-442-6861).
There are many other options rated as "Thumbs
Up" or "Does the Job."
Conclusions
Macromedia continues to offer an environment with unparalleled power and depth
for complex interactive projects. While Authorware's
learning curve is significantly steeper than that
of Director, mTropolis or Pitango Multimedia Ltd.'s
ClickWorks, none of them offers the rich set of
variables and external device controllers that Authorware
boasts. Version 4's new set of Web tools makes this
high-end program an even better choice.
Although Authorware lacks
the powerful animation capabilities of Director,
Macromedia has essentially addressed the shortcomings
of both products by offering them together in the
Authorware 4 Interactive Studio and allowing Director
movies to be played within Authorware. The Studio
provides a single development package that is essentially
unsurpassed.
Macromedia Inc. of San
Francisco is at (415) 252-2000 or (800) 989-3762;
fax (415) 626-0554; www.macromedia.com.
For links to Macromecia and applications on the
web, see http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/links/prelim.htm.
(See Hypermedia,
Hypertext,
and Authoring)
Autodesk = (See Animation
and flc/fli)
A/V = Audio/Video
marriage of big screen television with movie-theater-like
audio in homes and classrooms.
AV = (See Apple
AV)
Avatar = This term refers to
an interactive representation of a human in a virtual
reality environment; the term was popularized by
Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash."
AVI = Audio Video
Interleaved digitized video files (with audio
tracks) that satisfy MPC standards for Video for
Windows playback. The Media Player (mplayer.exe)
file that is included in Windows operating systems
runs AVI files. Most PC video capture boards will
convert analog video into AVI files. The AVI standard
from Microsoft's Video for Windows is giving way
to Microsoft's newer Active Video architecture.
(See also Active video,
MCI,
MPC,
and QuickTime)