Multimedia Assessment 1. What technologies were used prior to the advent multimedia systems? Before multimedia systems people used to entertain themselves by: * Public Executions: Public executions were quite possibly the most attended events in history. Almost every country publicly killed convicts at some point, and everyone from little children to royalty showed up to watch. * Circus: A circus, described as "one of the most brazen of entertainment forms", was a very popular form of entertainment. People enjoyed going to see weird and wonderful things and performances. * Theatre/Plays: People would go see plays or live theatre to entertain themselves. It was a very popular form of entertainment for both the rich and poor classes. * Fireworks: Fireworks are a part of many public entertainments and have retained an enduring popularity since they became a "crowning feature of elaborate celebrations" in the 17th century. * Sports: Sporting competitions have always provided entertainment for crowds. The Olympics were a popular form of sport entertainment all over the world and still are. * Play board/card games: Many people and families would pass the time by playing games such as chess, checkers, snakes and ladders, poker, black jack etc. * Music: A lot of people would learn to play a musical instrument or go to musical concerts to watch other people’s performances. * Reading: Reading has been a source of entertainment for a very long time, especially when other forms, such as performance entertainments, were (or are) either unavailable or too costly. 2. How are multimedia elements applied? In what way are they used? * Animation: Animated components are common within both Web and desktop multimedia applications. Animations can also include interactive effects, allowing users to engage with the animation action using their mouse and keyboard. The most common tool for creating animations on the Web is Adobe Flash, which also facilitates desktop applications. Using Flash, developers can author FLV files, exporting them as SWF movies for deployment to users. Flash also uses Action Script code to achieve animated and interactive effects. * Text: Text is the first and most effective way to communicate. Text is very important element to multimedia applications. In multimedia, text is used as headlines, subtitles, and slogan. Text is also used to give directions and communicate information, text-based menus and buttons help guide users through the multimedia application, and electronic books, magazines, and reference materials still rely on text to inform and educate. * Audio/sound: Audio files and streams play a major role in some multimedia systems. Audio files appear as part of application content and also to aid interaction. When they appear within Web applications and sites, audio files sometimes need to be deployed using plug-in media players. Audio formats include MP3, WMA, Wave, MIDI and RealAudio. When developers include audio within a website, they will generally use a compressed format to minimize on download times. Web services can also stream audio, so that users can begin playback before the entire file is downloaded. * Images: Digital image files appear in many multimedia applications. Digital photographs can display application content or can alternatively form part of a user interface. Interactive elements, such as buttons, often use custom images created by the designers and developers involved in an application. Digital image files use a variety of formats and file extensions. Among the most common are JPEGs and PNGs. Both of these often appear on websites, as the formats allow developers to minimize on file size while maximizing on picture quality. Graphic design software programs such as Photoshop and Paint. * Video: Digital video appears in many multimedia applications, particularly on the Web. As with audio, websites can stream digital video to increase