The first sound cards have been available since 386s and became a standard feature of many computers with the introduction of the 486 processor.
Multimedia is the addition of sound, music, video and graphics to a program.
The application of multimedia is broad. The growing world of Distributed Learning greatly relies on multimedia. Video conferencing is also gaining widespread acceptance as an alternative to costly travel. Multimedia allows access to real-time video and audio meetings or conference presentations. Distribution and packaging of such programs have also been augmented through evolving technology such as the CD Writer.