Subject: Comments to the definition of multimedia

From: [email-masked] (Koreaki Fujimura)
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 93 11:51:03 JST

To: Barry J Shepherd
From: Koreaki Fujimura (Japan)
CC: Interested parties
SUBJECT:  Comments to your Definition of "multimedia"
STATUS: Personal Contribution

Though my major is image processing, I'm also working for SC18 WG1's 
MHMF(Multimedia and hypermedia model and framework) Project in Japan 
as a liaison from SC24.

I have some comments or questions to the definition of "multimedia" in your 
mail "Message-Id: <[email-masked]>":

> Multimedia:  An adjective that can be applied to the creation, storage, 
> revision, compression, transmission, or presentation of information 
> with the following characteristics:
>     -  it is digitally encoded
>     -  its presentation involves at least two "types" of information 
>        (text, graphics, raster image, animated graphics, moving image, audio)
>     -  its presentation is computer controlled
>     -  its presentation involves a dependence on time, either between two or
>        more pieces of content (e.g., before, after, during) or within a 
>        time dependent piece of content (audio, video, animated graphics)
> 
> All of these characteristic must be present to justify the use of the 
> term "multimedia"

1) In the NP of the MHMF project, it was said

    A fundamental aspect of the work will be to develop an agreed 
    definition of multimedia and hypermedia. For the purposes of 
    this New Work Item Proposal, the following definitions apply:

        Multimedia - "a structure mixing various types of content - 
        like text, graphics, digitized speech, audio recording, 
        picture, animation, film clips ..."

If you explain what is wrong in the NP definition and how we can go well
with your definition in the MHMF project,  the purpose of your contribution
will become clear and other contributions will be expected.

2) The sentence
	All of these characteristic must be present to justify the use 
        of the term "multimedia"
seems to too exclusive for the MHMF project for the reasons below:

  a) Some of information need not be digitally encoded. Computer controlled 
     mixing of analog information is an important area and it should 
     not be excluded from the MH model (maybe excluded  from the MH 
     framework of JTC1 activities).

  b) Computer controlled presentation is not always necessary.
     Computer controlled creation of information which is presented manually
     e.g. on VTR player should be included in the MH model.

  c) A structure mixing various types of *static* or *non-temporal* content
     is a start point of "multimedia" and it should be included at least
     in the MH model and it needs further discussiion whether
     the *static multimedia processing* is not a future concern of JTC1's
     activity or not.