Page 158 - DCAP104_EXPOSURE_TO_COMPUTER_DISCPLINES

Unit 7: Graphics and Multimedia

Most graphics programs have the ability to import and export one or more graphics file Notes
formats.

The use of a swatch is a palette of active colours that are selected and rearranged by the
preference of the user. A swatch may be used in a program or be part of the universal palette
on an operating system, it is used to change the colour of a project, that may be text, image
or video editing.
Several graphics programs support animation, or digital video. Vector graphics animation can be
described as a series of mathematical transformations that are applied in sequence to one or more
shapes in a scene. Raster graphics animation works in a similar fashion to film-based animation,
where a series of still images produces the illusion of continuous movement.

7.5 Multimedia Basics

This term is often used in reference with creativity using the PC. In simple words Multimedia
means multi (many) and media (communication/transfer medium). Hence it means many
mediums working together or independently. It can be considered to be a combination of
several mediums:
1. Text
2. Graphics
3. Animation

4. Video And Sound
They all are used to present information to the user via the computer.
The main feature of any multimedia application is its human interactivity. This means that it
is user friendly and basically caters to the commands the user dictates. For instance, users can
be interactive with a particular program by clicking on various icons and links, the program
subsequently reveals detailed information on that particular subject. The above theme can
be considered to be a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
A Multimedia System can be defined as below:
A communications network, computer platforms or a software tool is a multimedia system
if it supports the interaction with atleast one of the types of the above-mentioned mediums.
The components of a multimedia package are:
7.5.1 Text

It is one of the most popularly used mediums of appearance, In 99% of the occasions text
provides the core structure to the package.
A major drawback of using text is that it is not user friendly as compared to the other
medium. Also it normally has a lack luster performance when judged with its counterparts.
It is for instance harder to read from a screen as it tires the eyes more than reading it in its
print version. But now with the availability of TEXT to SPEECH software this drawback is
speedily disappearing.

We can also provide Hypertext. Hypertext in a way provides a choice to the user in reading
or not reading the information in detail, attached to a particular word of text.

7.5.1.1 What is Text?
Text is the graphic representation of speech. Unlike speech, however, text is silent, easily stored,
and easily manipulated. Text in multimedia presentations makes it possible to convey large

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 151