From: James_Hastings-Trew@telepro.UUCP (James Hastings-Trew)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Easy To Use Multimedia
Distribution: world
Date: 23 Aug 92 14:44:08 CST
Organization: TelePro Technologies

In a message dated Sun 23 Aug 92 14:03, Barrett@iastate.edu (marc N Barrett
wrote:

 BNB>    You still have to have a good knowledge of ARexx to make use of
 BNB> it.  I am
 BNB> talking about usability for complete novices, which is something
 BNB> that Amiga multimedia does not provide.  

Multimedia is, by its very definition, not "easy." Multimedia literally
means "many mediums" by which is usually implied some mix of visual, aural,
or lingustic communications. None of these can be made "easy" for an idiot.
Any form of communication involves reason and though. All three modes of
communication require some degree of skill to utilize them. You cannot
create visual communications if you are not an artist. You cannot create
aural communications if you are not a musician, and you cannot create
linguistic communications unless you are a writer. A multimedia artist is
therefore a person capable of dealing with all three areas of
communication.

The computer is able to augment simiple human skill. A computer can draw a
straight line or a circle for the person who has the ideas but not the
manipulative skill to do so. But the computer cannot put lines, circles, or
other graphic elements on the screen unless there is an element of human
will to drive it. The computer can play music with more accuracy and timing
than a human being. But it cannot create the composition. A computer can
store and manipulate words a thousand times better than pencil and paper,
but it cannot decide what to say with those words.

Therefore, any type of media, be it visual, aural, or linguistic, or any
combination of these skills, cannot be made "idiot simple" for the basic
reason that idiots usually have very little to say.

You of course are an exception.

>High resolution motion video isn't real possible currently.  Not
>easily, anyways.  Sure, you could take GVP's 24-bit card and use that,
>and use PIP stuff to put amiga graphics into the display as a small
>motion video window and still play with the 24-bit graphics, but it's
>not going to be easy.

 BNB>    High-resolution motion video isn't really possible on Amigas
 BNB> currently.  
 BNB> It's old hat on IBM and Mac systems.

This is utterly false. It is possibleon current Amigas. It is not old hat
on IBM and Mac systems.

 BNB>  There we go again with video.  A flickering, low-resolution screen
 BNB>  with fonts as big as cities.  Terrible for text-oriented hypermedia.

Where does this "flickering low resolution screen" come from? Most
presentations in the business world are done on videotape. Board rooms have
tvs and VCRs, not multimedia workstations and megapixel displays. If you
don't want a "flickering low resolution screen" then get an A3000 and a
multisync monitor. I don't understand why you complain about "problems"
that have already been solved.

 BNB>    Well, no.  I am talking about interactive sessions, with a
 BNB> computer and a
 BNB> user one-on-one.  This is what the bulk of multimedia is all about,
 BNB> really.
 BNB> And this requires a mix of colorful graphics, good-quality sound,
 BNB> and a high-
 BNB> resolution non-interlaced display with the ability to display text
 BNB> in small
 BNB> type. 

This is as bizarre a definition of multimedia that I have seen in a long
time. I take it that your paragon of multimedia is Hypercard? I am bemused.

 BNB>     You cannot be coputer novice, either.  The fact is, the
 BNB> requirement of
 BNB> having to know anything about ARexx locks the Amiga out of 99% of
 BNB> potential buyers.  

A computer is not a toaster. You cannot stuff bread in the front and expect
toast to come out the other side without human intervention. If computers
were only capable of that, then I would not want one. The computer is an
amplifier for the human mind. Nothing more. Garbage In, Garbage Out. If you
refuse to learn how your automobile works, you will be stranded in the
middle of the road eventually. If you refuse to learn how your MicroWave
oven works, you will end up eating frozen Turkey with gravy-cicles. If you
refuse to learn even the basics of computer use, then you'll end up playing
games.

 BNB>    No I am not.  In situations like these, I always think of how
 BNB> easy-to-
 BNB> use of friendly something would have to be for my mom to be able to
 BNB> use it.

My mom has no use for a computer. I would not even try. Most people who are
"afraid" of computer technology really don't have a use for it anyway.
People who refuse to think don't deserve any better than a Mac. People who
are willing to think will reap the rewards of that effort.

-- Via DLG Pro v0.992

Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy