Platforms for multimedia: the impact on consumer electronics

It is pointed out that the developer of multimedia applications faces a growing variety of data formats, authoring tools, and unique playback environments. It is suggested that this proliferation of formats and authoring systems, if unchecked, will confuse the consumer, who will respond by not buying multimedia products and services, and exert a chilling influence on the development of this industry. Particular attention is given to a software technology that is being created to take advantage of the significant advances in microelectronics and object-oriented (OO) software technologies and aims to create the first truly cross-platform environment for multimedia applications. The technology is designed so that multimedia applications will execute on a variety of personal computer and consumer electronic products in a fashion analogous to the manner in which digital audio data recorded on compact audio discs will create music on CD player devices of a diverse range of designs, price ranges, and manufacturers. The new multimedia applications go well beyond audio program material and present the user with information in all its forms: audio, video, still images, graphics, speech, and text.<>