Multimedia technology

Between 1989 and 1998 the pace of change has accelerated to the point that hardware and software need to be upgraded every two years just to stay current.

• Between 1989 and 1998 the pace of change has accelerated to the point that hardware and software need to be upgraded every two years just to stay current.

Looking at the preceding observations there are 177 years between the first two evolutionary periods, 64 years between the second and third, 55 years between the third and fourth, 29 years between the fourth and fifth, 10 years between the fifth and sixth, and two years beyond the sixth. As you can see the pace of advancement in technologies that support multimedia is has accelerated to a “breakneck speed” that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. This means that what we learn today will soon be history, and that the key to effective long-term multimedia authoring is continuous learning.

• Looking at the preceding observations there are 177 years between the first two evolutionary periods, 64 years between the second and third, 55 years between the third and fourth, 29 years between the fourth and fifth, 10 years between the fifth and sixth, and two years beyond the sixth. As you can see the pace of advancement in technologies that support multimedia is has accelerated to a “breakneck speed” that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. This means that what we learn today will soon be history, and that the key to effective long-term multimedia authoring is continuous learning.

Digital convergence

The most important trend in PCs before multimedia was multi-tasking, the ability to run more than one program at a time and you can see why PCs and multimedia are made for each other. The enabling force behind multimedia is digital technology.

• The most important trend in PCs before multimedia was multi-tasking, the ability to run more than one program at a time and you can see why PCs and multimedia are made for each other. The enabling force behind multimedia is digital technology.
• Multimedia today represents the convergence of digital control and digital media - the PC as the digital control system and the digital media being today's most advanced forms of audio and video storage and transmission.