Type Of Computer Network

a. Local Area Network (LAN)

A Local Area Network is a network confined to one building or
site. Often a LAN is a private network belonging to an
organisation or business. Because LANs are geographically small,
they usually use cables or low-power radio (wireless) for the
connections.
Examples: the email system within the school lab in SMK KL

b. Metropolitan Area Network

A MAN is a collection of LANs with the same geographical area,
for instance a city. MAN is a network of computers located at
different sites within a large physical area, such as a city.
Companies that have several branches within the Kuala Lumpur
city such as banks, might find a MAN useful to them.
Example : the email system within KL city

c. Wide Area Network (WAN)

A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large area.
A WAN is often created by joining several LANs together, such as
when a business that has offices in different countries links the
office LANs together.

Examples : the email system between KL and London

Because WANs are often geographically spread over large areas

and links between computers are over long distances, they
often use quite exotic connections technologies: optical fibre
(glass) cables, satellite radio links, microwave radio links, etc.
Network Topology

i. Bus Topology
In this type of network, a long, central cable, the
‘bus’ is used to connect all of the computers
together. Each computer has a short cable linking
it to the ‘bus’. Bus topology :

• Is cheap to install (just one long cable)

• Can be quite slow since all computers share the same cable when communicating
• Will stop working if there is a break in the central bus cable.

ii. Ring Network

In this type of network each computer is connected
to a loop of cable, the ‘ring’. (If you took a bus
network and connected the ends of the bus cable
together, you would have a ring network). A ring
network :

• Can cope with a break in the ring cable since all

computers are still joined together (it is now a
bus network)

iii. Star Network

In this type of network every computer is connected to a central device. The device
passes messages between computers. At the centre of a star network you might use a
hub (cheap, but slower) or a switch (more expensive, but faster). A star network :

• Is quite expensive to install (you have to buy lots

of cable and the central device)
• Is very fast since each computer has its own cable
which it doesn’t need to share
• Can cope with a broken cable (only one computer
will be affected)
• Will stop working if the central device breaks
• Is the most common network topology
Communication devices

A. Network Interface Card (NIC)

Any computer that is to be connected to a network, needs to
have a network interface card (NIC).
Most modern computers have these devices built into the
motherboard, but in some computers you have to add an
extra expansion card (small circuitboard)
Some computers, such as laptops, have two NICs: one for
wired connections, and one for wireless connections (which
uses radio signals instead of wires)

In a laptop, the wireless radio antenna is usually built in to

the side of the screen, so you don't need to have a long bit of
plastic sticking out the side of your computer!

B. Hub
A hub is a device that
connects a number of computers together to make a LAN. The
typical use of a hub is at the centre of a star network (or as part
of a hybrid network) - the hub has cables plugged into it from
each computer.
A hub is a ‘dumb’ device: if it receives a message, it sends it to
every computer on the network. This means that hub-based
networks are not very secure - everyone can listen in to
communications.

Hubs are pretty much obsolete now (you can't buy them
any more), having been superseded by cheap switches.

C. Switch
A switch, like a hub, is a device that connects a number of
computers together to make a LAN.

The typical use of a switch is at the centre of a star network (or

as part of a hybrid network) - the switch has cables plugged into
it from each computer.

A switch is a more ‘intelligent’ device than a hub: if it receives a

message, it checks who it is addressed to, and only sends it to that specific computer. Because
of this, networks that use switches are more secure than those that use hubs, but also a little
more expensive.

D. Router
A router is a network device that connects together
two or more networks. A common use of a router is to
join a home or business network (LAN) to the Internet
(WAN). The router will typically have the Internet cable
 plugged into it, as well as a cable, or cables to computers on the LAN.
Alternatively, the LAN connection might be wireless (WiFi), making the device a wireless router.
(A wireless router is actually a router and wireless switch combined)
Routers are the devices that join
together the various different
networks that together make up the
Internet.

These routers are much more complex

than the one you might have in your
home

E. Bridge
A bridge is a network device that typically links
together two different parts of a LAN. Whereas a
router is usually used to link a LAN to a WAN (such as
the Internet), a bridge links independent parts of a LAN
so that they act as a single LAN.

F. Firewall
A firewall is a device, or a piece of software that is
placed between your computer and the rest of the
network (where the hackers are!)

If you wish to protect your whole LAN from hackers

out on the Internet, you would place a firewall
between the LAN and the Internet connection.

A firewall blocks unauthorised connections being

made to your computer or LAN. Normal data is
allowed through the firewall (e.g. e-mails or web
pages) but all other data is blocked.

In addition to physical devices, firewalls can also be software. In fact most computer operating
systems have a software firewall built in (e.g. Windows, Linux and Mac OS)
G. Modem
Before the days of broadband Internet
connections, most computers connected to
the Internet via telephone lines (dial-up
connections).

The problem with using telephone lines is

that they are designed to carry voices,
which are analogue signals. They are not designed for digital data. The solution was to use a
special device to join the digital computer to the analogue telephone line. This device is known
as a modem.

The reason telephone lines were used is that almost every building in the world is already joined
to every other via the telephone system. Using the telephone system for connecting computers
meant that people didn’t have to install new wires to their houses and offices just for computer
use. In the last few years however, this is exactly what people have done. Special cables have
been installed just for Internet access. These special cables are designed to carry digital data, so

no modem is required.
The word modem is an abbreviation of MOdulator DEModulator.

So, simply put, a modem is required because computers are digital devices and the
telephone system is analogue. The modem converts from digital to analogue and from
analogue to digital.
 ICT AND MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS AND GOVERNANCE
Usage / Application

Multimedia finds its application in various areas including, but not limited to, advertisements, art,
education, entertainment, engineering, medicine, mathematics, business, scientific research and
spatial temporal applications. Several examples are as follows:

Creative industries

Creative industries use multimedia for a variety of purposes ranging from fine arts, to
entertainment, to commercial art, to journalism, to media and software services provided for any of
the industries listed below. An individual multimedia designer may cover the spectrum throughout
their career.

Commercial uses

Much of the electronic old and new media used by commercial artists is multimedia. Exciting
presentations are used to grab and keep attention in advertising. Business to business, and
interoffice communications are often developed by creative services firms for advanced multimedia
presentations beyond simple slide shows to sell ideas or liven-up training.

Entertainment:

Multimedia is heavily used in the entertainment industry, especially to develop special effects in
movies and animations (VFX, 3D animation, etc.). Multimedia games are a popular pastime and are
software programs available either as CD-ROMs or online. Some video games also use multimedia
features. Multimedia applications that allow users to actively participate instead of just sitting by as
passive recipients of information are called Interactive Multimedia.

Education:

In Education, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training courses and reference books
like encyclopedia. A user goes through a series of presentations, text about a particular topic, and
associated illustrations in various information formats.

The idea of media convergence is also becoming a major factor in education, particularly higher
education. Defined as separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and
productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with each other,
synergistically creating new efficiencies, media convergence is rapidly changing the curriculum in
universities all over the world.

Multimedia teaching is more intuitive than old ways; teachers can simulate situations in real life. In
many circumstances teachers do not have to be there, students will learn by themselves in the class.
More importantly, teachers will have more approaches to stimulating students’ passion of learning.

Journalism: News reporting is not limited to traditional media outlets. Freelance journalists can
make use of different new media to produce multimedia pieces for their news stories. It engages
global audiences and tells stories with technology, which develops new communication techniques
for both media producers and consumers.
Multimedia reporters who are mobile (usually driving around a community with cameras, audio and
video recorders, and wifi-equipped laptop computers) are often referred to as Mojos, from mobile
journalist.

Engineering: Software engineers may use multimedia in Computer Simulations for anything from
entertainment to training such as military or industrial training. Multimedia for software interfaces
are often done as collaboration between creative professionals and software engineers.

Industry: In the Industrial sector, multimedia is used as a way to help present information to
shareholders, superiors and coworkers. Multimedia is also helpful for providing employee training,
advertising and selling products all over the world via virtually unlimited web-based technology.

Mathematical and scientific research: In mathematical and scientific research, multimedia is mainly
used for modeling and simulation. For example, a scientist can look at a molecular model of a
particular substance and manipulate it to arrive at a new substance.

Medicine: In Medicine, doctors can get trained by looking at a virtual surgery or they can simulate
how the human body is affected by diseases spread by viruses and bacteria and then develop
techniques to prevent it.

Document imaging: Document imaging is a technique that takes hard copy of an image/document
and converts it into a digital format (for example, scanners).

Disabilities: Ability Media allows those with disabilities to gain qualifications in the multimedia field
so they can pursue careers that give them access to a wide array of powerful communication forms.

H. The Application and impact of ICT and MULTIMEDIA as an enabler in agriculture,

manufacturing, e-government, Internet banking and e-commerce that contribute towards the
socioeconomic
development

Agriculture is define as occupation concerned with cultivating land, raising crops, and feeding,
breeding, raising livestock and farming. By using the ICT and Multimedia application such as
Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) to select the most suitable crop to plant, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS) to predict the weather and observe what happening to surrounding,
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to select the suitable land for the crop to plant, Decision
Support System (DSS) to help decision makers compile useful information from a combination of
raw data, documents, and personal knowledge, or business models to identify and solve
problems and make decisions, and network tool such as mobile phone, radio and wireless
network to promote your product or contact with the buyer. In this case, the positive impact of
ICT and Multimedia is help agriculture increase the productivity of crop, improving marketing
access, opens up new business opportunities around the world, reducing the product cost and
improve the quality of product.
Manufacturing is the process of converting raw materials, components, or parts into finished
goods that meet a customer's expectations or specifications. Manufacturing commonly employs
a man machine setup with division of labor in a large scale production. So with the application of
ICT and Multimedia , such as Computer-aided design (CAD) to assist in the creation,
modification, analysis, or optimization of a design by using computer system and Computer-
aided manufacture (CAM) to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing
of work pieces or to assist in all operations of a manufacturing plant, including planning,
management, transportation and storage by using computer. In this case it come some positive
impact of ICT and Multimedia is to reduce the product development cost, shorten a product’s
time to market and stay ahead of the competition such as using CAM in automobile. Meanwhile
it give a negative impact too, that is reducing the job opportunity for citizen and just providing
the job opportunity for professional technician to operate the computer system.

E-Government is a government services through information and communication technologies

(ICT) to provide better public services to citizens and businesses. It can be further categorized as
Government-to-Citizen (G2C) or Government-To Business (G2B).The e-government services
include information or transactions accessible via websites, processing of applications via kiosks,
agency hotlines or call centers, online voting or council meetings, government payments with
commercial banks, application status updates via landline or mobile phones and the like. For
some example mySMS via mobile phone, www.gov.com.my, www.myeg.com.my and so on. The
positive impact of the ICT and multimedia to egovernment is enables all citizens, enterprises
and organizations to carry out their business with government more easily, more quickly and
at lower cost. Beside that, it also eliminates time and distance as barriers to manage your
personal thing. Meanwhile the negative impact of ICT and multimedia to egovernment is
reducing the job opportunity and replace by using ICT and multimedia.

Internet banking is a system allowing individuals to perform banking activities at home, via the
internet. Some online banks are traditional banks which also offer online banking, while others
are online only and have no physical presence. Online banking has now become something
which million of people do on a daily or weekly because online banking through traditional
banks enable customers to perform all routine transactions, such as account transfers, balance
inquiries, bill payments, credit card application, view direct debit, view historical statement of
banking for previous six month and so on. The application of ICT and multimedia in internet
banking such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) used to protect the online transactions between their
customers and so on . The benefit of ICT and Multimedia toward internet banking is eliminates
time and distance as barriers to banking, new and exciting ways of marketing directly to
customers, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of online operations. Meanwhile the
negative impact(threat) of ICT and Multimedia is the attacks on online banking used today are
based on deceiving the user to steal login data with some computer software program such as
Cross-site scripting and keylogger or Trojan horses. For and example of internet banking in
Malaysia is www.maybank2u.com.my , www.citibank.com.my , www.hsbc.com.my and so on.

E-commerce is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the
Internet and other computer networks and it also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate
the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. The application of ICT and
Multimedia in ecommerce is online banking, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to protect the online
transactions between their customers, e-mail and fax. With the above application of ICT and
Multimedia it come a lot of benefit such as effectiveness of online operations and delivery, open
global markets, new and exciting ways of marketing directly to the customers, offer new data
products and services via the Web, helped nations to accelerate their economic growth and to
 provide more opportunities for the businesses to grow. At the same time, the opposite impact
of the ICT and Multimedia is concern over privacy of customer, appear scamming case and so on.

I. ICT and multimedia as an industry that contributes towards business opportunity and job
creation

Definition of Business Opportunity

• Ongoing opportunity to generate income as an independent representative of a network
marketing company.
• A business opportunity involves sale or lease of any product, service, equipment, etc. that
will enable the purchaser-licensee to begin a business. The licensor or seller of a business
opportunity usually declares that it will secure or assist the buyer in finding a suitable
location or provide the product to the purchaser-licensee. This is different from the sale of
an independent business, in which there is no continued relationship required by the seller.
Definition of Job Creation
• the process of providing new jobs, especially for people who are unemployed.

Example of Business Opportunity in ICT and Multimedia.

• Business in Cyber cafe/ Game Centre
• IT company (Hardware) & Network
o For an example : Texas Instruments
• Business as Software Company
• Sales Agent / Reseller
• Internet service Provider (broadband, HSDPA, etc)
• Business that offer ICT and Multimedia course at University / College / and also in
some schools
• Animation business
o For example : Upin & Ipin by Les' Copaque Production
o
Example of Job Creation in ICT and Multimedia.
o Programmer
o Animator
o Sound Engineer
o Salesman
o Software agent
o Hardware agent (supplier of hardware like Kingston, Apple, HP)
o Game programmer
o Web Designer
o Animation Director
o ICT/Computer Lecturer, Teacher, Dean, Senior Lecturer, Professor etc.
o Subject Matter Expert/Content Expert
o Network engineer/Computer technician
o Information System officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat)
o System Analyst/Software Manager/Chief Information Officer (CIO)/Chief Knowledge
Officer (CKO)
J. The purpose of acts that govern the usage of ICT and multimedia in Malaysia: Communication
and Multimedia Act 1998, Computer Crimes Act 1997, Telemedicine Act 1997 and Digital
Signature Act 1997

o Cyber Laws
Cyber Laws were formed to promote a high level of consumer confidence and to
protect the information security and network reliability and integrity. Cyber laws
consist of Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 Copyright (Amendment-statement
added to improve document, constitution) Act 1997 Computer Crime Act 1997,
Telemedicine Act 1997, Digital Signature Act 1997

o Communication and Multimedia Act 1998

o The purposes of Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 are to promote national
policy objectives for the communications and multimedia industry. It is also to establish
a licensing and regulatory framework in support of national policy objectives for the
communications and multimedia industry. Besides that, the Act is purposed to establish
the powers and functions for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia
Commission (MCMC). This Act is to establish powers and procedures for the
administration (organization) of this Act.

o Computer Crimes Act 1997

Main concerns are offences due to the misuse of computers and complement the
existing criminal legislation. It deals with unauthorized access to computer material,
unauthorized access with intent to commit other offenses and unauthorized
modification of computer contents. In other words, it offences to illegal transmissions
of data or messages over computers and hacking and cracking of computer systems and
networks.

o Telemedicine Act 1997

Telemedicine defines as the practice of medicine using audio, visual and data
communications. This Act was first enforced in Mac 1997 with purposes that ensures
that only qualified medical practitioners can practice telemedicine and that their
patient’s rights and interests are protected. Therefore, it is to provide the future
development and delivery of healthcare in Malaysia.

o Digital Signature Act 1997

o Digital Signature is identity verification standard that uses encryption techniques to
protect against e-mail forgery (copy). Digital Signature Act 1997 purposed to secures
electronic communications especially on Internet. The encrypted code consists of the
user’s name and a hash (mess) of all the parts of the message. By attaching the digital
signature, one can ensure that nobody can eavesdrop (overhear), intercept (seize on its
way) or temper (adding something else) with transmitted data. Hence, Digital Signature
Act 1997 is about to provides for regulation of public key infrastructure and also make
digital signature legally valid and enforceable as traditional signature.

Note that the encrypted code is refers to a part of the URL where the code is pointing is
encrypted; it can be used to hide sensitive part of target URL of your code to prevent
users from manipulate. For example, change the values of parameters. This can be
relevance.
K. The ethical and social issues in cyberspace of ict and multimedia

o Ethical defined as a guideline is needed to stop the current technology from being
exploited. Example : replicating original CDs and sell it as pirated software .Computer
ethics is a system of moral standards or values used as a guideline for computer users.

o Privacy defined as the state of being private; retirement or seclusion. The state of being
free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs: the right to privacy.
Refer to data and information privacy and the right of individuals and companies to
restrict the collection and use of information to others. There are 3 computer
technologies to threaten our privacy: Cookie; Electronic Profile and spyware.

o Obscenity defined as a statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of
the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is
especially inauspicious. Obscenity is also applied to an object that incorporates such a
statement or displays such an act. In a legal context, the term obscenity is most often
used to describe expressions (words, images, actions) of an explicitly sexual nature.
Example: Pornography

o Defamation defined as false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another

person. Defamation is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly
stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group,
government, or nation a negative image.

o Internet security defined as a branch of computer security specifically related to the

Internet, often involving browser security and to establish rules and measures to use
against attacks over the Internet. Example: Firewall.

o Information security means protecting information and information systems from

unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection,
recording or destruction. Example: Prevent hacker hacking important data from
confidential and spare it.

o Internet Crime defined as any crime or illegal online activity committed on the Internet,
through the Internet or using the Internet. Identity theft, Internet scams and cyber stalking
are the primary types of Internet crime. Computer crime refers to any crime that involves
a computer and a network. Issues surrounding this type of crime have become high-profile,
particularly those surrounding cracking, copyright, infringement, child pornography, and
child grooming.
THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN ORGANISATION > HARMONY, VARIETY, BALANCE, PROPORTION,
DOMINANCE, MOVEMENT AND ECONOMY. ~

Harmony is a quality of compatibility and agreement in a composition that contains Consistency

and Sameness.
Types of Harmony
• Visual Harmony- Artwork that is unified by color, shape, composition or some other visual
design principle.
• Conceptual Harmony – artwork that has a common theme or concept throughout it.
• Ways to achieve Visual Harmony- Grid, Repetition, Color harmony , Keeping aspects of the
work constant.

Variety is a quality of diversion, disunity (perpecahan), or tension in a composition.

• Contrast
• Opposition
• Differences
• Emphasis on Variety -When artists emphasize variety, they are exaggerating differences
rather than similarities

Balance
• The equalization of weight , attention, and the various art elements in an image or design.
• Stability

Actual and Pictorial Balance

• Actual Balance means that a work of three dimensional (3D) art is literally
balanced. (It can stand or hang upright on its own.)
• Pictorial Balance refers to the distribution of the apparent or visual weight of the elements
in two-dimensional (2D) works.

Symmetrical Balance
• Symmetry – a similarity of form or arrangement on either side of a central axis line.
• Bilateral symmetry (pure or formal symmetry) – everything in a composition on either side
of an actual or imaginary axis is the exactly same.
• Approximate symmetry (informal symmetry) – the whole of the work has a feeling of
symmetry although it is not exactly the same.

Asymmetrical Balance
• When the right and left sides of a composition bear visibly different shapes, colors, textures,
or other elements. And yet they are arranged or “weighted” in such a way that the work
feels balanced.

Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal Balance

• Horizontal balance – elements on either side of a vertical axis in the composition seem to be
about equal.
• Vertical balance- the elements at the top and bottom of the composition are in balance.
• Diagonal balance – the elements on either side of a diagonal line dividing the composition
are visually equal.
Proportion refers to the ‘rightness’ of the size of the parts in a total work.
• Figurative sculpture involves the head, hands, and feet in proportion to the rest of the body.
• In a way composition, the relationship between the parts to each other and the whole.
Means of creating pleasing proportions
• The Canon of Proportions
• The Golden Rectangle and Curve
• The Root Five Rectangle
• Canon of proportions – A set of rules about the body parts and their dimensions relative to
one another that became the standard for creating the ideal figure.
• Golden mean or the Golden Selection- the smaller part of a work relates to a larger part of
the work as the larger part relates to the whole.
• Golden Rectangle – a rectangle based on the proportion of the golden mean.

Dominance
• Some feature of a work normally will capture the viewer’s attention.
• Emphasis, Isolation
• Focal point, Centre of interest.
• Hierarchical Scaling
How to create a focal point
• Accentuate certain shapes
• Intensify color or contrast
• Use directional line
• Strategically place objects and images
• Isolate an object or subject.

Movement
• Movement – paths that the eye follows in viewing a composition.
• Rhythm or Regular Repetition – orderly progressions.
• Rhythm is found in music, nature, architecture, and art.
• Rhythm can move a viewer visually.
• Repetitive pattern can be used to lead the eye over the landscape of the work.

Economy
• The principle of economy suggests that a good composition is the most simple solution to
the design problem.
• Minimal Design.
• Simplicity in Art.
• Keeping it simple is the Key to good design.
Text (fonts and faces, computer and text and hypertext and hypermedia)
• Text is a vital element of multimedia menus, navigation systems, and content. Text
represents a written language. Legibility (readability) of text can be affected by size,
background, foreground color, style, and leading.
• Font is a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface or
complete set of type of one size and face. A typeface is set of characters of the same
design. These characters include letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols. Font
styles include Boldface, Italic, Underlining and Outlining.
• Computer and texts is about font wars between Postscript and Truetype and character sets.
Postscript is a page description language (PDL) for desktop publishing areas which
supported by image setters (high resolution printers) and printing documents on laser
printers . Besides that, it’s also an object-oriented language, meaning that it treats images,
including fonts, as collections of geometrical objects. Outline of each character of Postscript
fonts is defined PostScript fonts are called outline fonts because the outline of each
character is defined and sizes can be changed with Postscript Commands which called
scalable fonts.
• TrueType is a system of scalable outline fonts, and can draw characters at low resolution; it
has become the most common format for fonts on both the Mac OS and Microsoft Windows
operating systems.
• Hypertext is defined as the organized cross-linking of words, images, and other Web
elements. Hypertext allows textual information to be linked in non-sequential way. (Not like
books can be read from beginning to end) Hypertext contain links that lead readers jump to
other parts of document or related documents, it is also enable readers to jump between
documents over the Internet on the Web. Million ofWindows and Macintosh users routinely
use hypertext when consulting online Help files recently.
• Hypermedia is a system that could combine text, number, graphics animation, sound
effects, music and other hyperlinked documents. The World Wide Web supports graphical
hyperlinks and links to sound and video files. Hypermedia is structured with links
(connections between conceptual elements), nodes (accessible topics), anchors (reference
from one to another document or file on the web) and navigating via buttons. Anyhow the
hypermedia can be disorienting and leave readers wondering what they’ve missed and don’t
always have the links that readers want. Besides, reading on screen is more tiring, extended
period of screen-gazing cause eyestrain, headache, and backache.
 MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPMENT

1. Idea Analysis
• Before beginning a multimedia project, it is necessary to determine its scope and content.
o Balance is the key principle in idea analysis.
o The aim is to generate a plan of action that will become the road map for
production.
• It is necessary to continually weigh the purpose or goal against the feasibility and the cost of
production and delivery.
• This can be done dynamically by adding elements to or subtracting elements from a project.
• Additive process involves starting with minimal capabilities and gradually adding elements.
• Subtractive process involves discarding unnecessary elements from a fully developed
project.
• Idea analysis involves finding answers to questions like:
a. Who is the intended audience? What are their needs?
b. What multimedia elements will best deliver the message?
c. What hardware, software, and storage capacity would be required?
d. How much time, effort, and money would be needed?
e. How will the final product be distributed?
• Project management software includes:
• Microsoft Project.
• Designer's Edge.
• Screenplay System's Screenwriter and StoryView.
• Outlining programs.
• Spreadsheets.
• CPM - Project management software typically provides Critical Path Method (CPM)
scheduling functions to calculate the total duration of a project based upon each identified
task, showing prerequisites.
• PERT - Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) charts provide graphic representations
of task relationships.
• Gantt charts - depict all the tasks along a timeline.
• Estimating :
• Cost estimation is done by analyzing the tasks involved in a project and the people
who build it.
• The hidden costs of administration and management are also included in the cost
estimates.
• A contingency rate of 10 to 15 percent of the total cost should be added to the
estimated costs.
• Time, money, and people are the three elements that can vary in project estimates.
• The time at which payments are to be made is determined and are usually made in
three stages.
• The billing rate should be equal to the total cost plus a reasonable profit margin.
• Typical billing rates for multimedia projects range from $60 to $150 an hour.
• Lower rates do not necessarily imply poor quality of work; they could rather mean
lower overheads.
• The demand-supply mechanisms determine the prices.
• Contractors and consultants can be hired, but they should be billed at a lower rate.
• Ensure that contractors perform the majority of their work off-site and use their
own equipment to avoid classifying them as employees.
• The categories of expenses incurred for producing multimedia are:
 ▪ Project development costs.
▪ Production costs.
▪ Testing costs.
▪ Distribution costs.
• These include:
▪ Salaries.
▪ Client meetings.
▪ Acquisition of content.
▪ Communication.
▪ Travel.
▪ Research.
▪ Proposal and contract prep.
▪ Overheads.
• Production costs can further be classified as:
▪ Management costs.
▪ Content acquisition costs.
▪ Content creation costs.
▪ Graphics production costs.
▪ Audio production costs.
▪ Video production costs.
▪ Authoring costs.
• Testing Cost
▪ Salaries.
▪ Facility rental.
▪ Printing costs.
▪ Food and incentives.
▪ Coop fees (payment for participation).
▪ Editing.
▪ Beta program.
• Distribution cost
▪ Salaries
▪ Documentation
▪ Packaging
▪ Manufacturing
▪ Marketing
▪ Advertising
▪ Shipping
• Schedulling
• Milestones are decided at this stage.
• The time required for each deliverable, that is the work products delivered to the
client, is estimated and allocated.
• Scheduling is difficult for multimedia projects because multimedia creation is
basically artistic trial and error.
• Scheduling is also difficult because computer hardware and software technology are
in constant flux.
• At this stage, clients need to approve or sign off on the work created.
• Any revisions of previously approved material would require a change order.
• A change order stipulates that the additional cost of revising previously approved
material should be borne by the client.
• When negotiating with a client, limit the number of revisions allowed.
2. Task Planning
• Designing the instructional framework.
• Holding creative idea sessions.
• Determining the delivery platform and authoring platform.
• Assembling the team.
• Building a prototype, producing audio and video, testing the functionality, and delivering the
final product.

3. Prototype Development
• Also known as a proof-of-concept or feasibility study.
• Involves testing of the initial implementation of ideas, building mock-up interfaces, and
exercising the hardware platform.
• Trial calculations are possible after prototyping.
• A written report and an analysis of budgets allow the client some flexibility and also provide
a reality check for developers.

Designing and Producing :

• Strategies for creating interactive multimedia.
o Designing and building multimedia projects go hand-in-hand.
o Balance proposed changes against their cost.
o Feedback loops and good communication between the design and production effort
are critical to the success of a project.
o A user can either describe the project in minute details, or can build a less-detailed
storyboard and spend more effort in actually rendering the project.
o The method chosen depends upon the scope of a project, the size and style of the
team, and whether the same people will do design and development.
o If the design team is separate from the development team, it is best to produce a
detailed design first.

• Designing a multimedia project.

o Designing a multimedia project requires knowledge and skill with computers, talent
in graphics, arts, video, and music, and the ability to conceptualize logical pathways.
o Designing involves thinking, choosing, making, and doing.
o Designing the structure.
▪ The manner in which project material is organized has just as great an
impact on the viewer as the content itself.
▪ Mapping the structure of a project should be done early in the planning
phase.
▪ Navigation maps are also known as site maps.
▪ They help organize the content and messages.
▪ Navigation maps provide a hierarchical table of contents and a chart of the
logical flow of the interactive interface.
▪ Navigation maps are essentially non-linear.
▪ There are four fundamental organizing structures:
• Linear - Users navigate sequentially, from one frame of
information to another.
• Hierarchical - Users navigate along the branches of a tree structure
that is shaped by the natural logic of the content. It is also called
linear with branching.
 • Non-linear - Users navigate freely through the content, unbound by
predetermined routes.
• Composite - Users may navigate non-linearly, but are occasionally
constrained to linear presentations.
▪ The navigation system should be designed in such a manner that viewers are
given free choice.
▪ The architectural drawings for a multimedia project are storyboards and
navigation maps.
▪ Storyboards are linked to navigation maps during the design process, and
help to visualize the information architecture.
▪ A user can design their product using two types of structures:
• Depth structure - Represents the complete navigation map and
describes all the links between all the components of the project.
• Surface structure - Represents the structures actually realized by a
user while navigating the depth structure.
▪ Hotspots:
• Add interactivity to a multimedia project.
• The three categories of hotspots are text, graphic, and icon.
• The simplest hot spots on the Web are the text anchors that link a
document to other documents.
▪ Hyperlinks - A hotspot that connects a viewer to another part of the same
document, a different document, or another Web site is called a hyperlink.
▪ Image maps - Larger images that are sectioned into hot areas with
associated links are called image maps.
▪ Icons - Icons are fundamental graphic objects symbolic of an activity or
concept.
▪ Buttons - A graphic image that is a hotspot is called a button.
▪ Plug-ins such as Flash, Shockwave, or JavaScripts enable users to create plain
or animated buttons.
▪ Small JPEG or GIF images that are themselves anchor links can also serve as
buttons on the Web.
▪ Highlighting a button is the most common method of distinguishing it.
▪ It is essential to follow accepted conventions for button design and
grouping, visual and audio feedback, and navigation structure.
▪ Avoid hidden commands and unusual keystroke/mouse click combinations.

o Designing the user interface.

▪ The user interface of a project is a blend of its graphic elements and its
navigation system.
▪ The simplest solution for handling varied levels of user expertise is to
provide a modal interface.
▪ In a modal interface, the viewer can simply click a Novice/Expert button and
change the approach of the whole interface.
▪ Modal interfaces are not suitable for multimedia projects.
▪ The solution is to build a project that can contain plenty of navigational
power, which provides access to content and tasks for users at all levels.
▪ The interface should be simple and user-friendly.
▪ Graphical user interface (GUI):
• The GUIs of Macintosh and Windows are successful due to their
simplicity, consistency, and ease of use.
 • GUIs offer built-in help systems, and provide standard patterns of
activity that produce the standard expected results.
▪ Graphical approaches that work:
• Plenty of "non-information areas," or white space in the screens.
• Neatly executed contrasts.
• Gradients.
• Shadows.
• Eye-grabbers.
▪ Graphical approaches to avoid:
• Clashes of color.
• Busy screens.
• Requiring more than two button clicks to quit.
• Too many numbers and words.
• Too many substantive elements presented too quickly.
▪ Audio interface:
• A multimedia user interface can include sound elements.
• Sounds can be background music, special effects for button clicks,
voice-overs, effects synced to animation.
• Always provide a toggle switch to disable sound.

• Producing a multimedia project.

o In the development or the production phase, the project plan becomes the
systematic instruction manual for building the project.
o The production stage requires good organization and detailed management
oversight during the entire construction process.
o A good time-accounting system for everyone working on a project is required to
keep track of the time spent on individual tasks.
o It is important to check the development hardware and software and review the
organizational and administrative setup.
o Potential problems can be avoided by answering these questions:
▪ Is there sufficient disk storage space for all files?
▪ Is the expertise available for all stages of the project?
▪ Is there a system for backing up critical files?
▪ Are the financial arrangements secure?
▪ Are the communications pathways open with clients?
o Working with clients:
▪ Have a system in place for good communication between the client and the
people actually building the project.
▪ Control the client review process to avoid endless feedback loops.
▪ Develop a scheme that specifies the number and duration of client approval
cycles.
▪ Provide a mechanism for change orders when changes are requested after
sign-off.
o Data storage media and transportation:
▪ This is necessary so that a client is easily able to review the work.
▪ There needs to be a matching data transfer system and media.
▪ Access to the Internet at high bandwidth is preferred.
▪ The most cost-effective and time-saving methods of transportation are CD-R
or DVD-ROMs.
o Tracking:
 ▪ Organize a method for tracking the receipt of material to be incorporated in
a project.
▪ Develop a file-naming convention specific to your project's structure.
▪ Store the files in directories or folders with logical names.
▪ To address cross-platform issues, develop a file identification system that
uses the DOS file-naming convention of eight characters plus a three-
character extension.
o Tracking and copyrighting:
▪ Version control of your files is very important, especially in large projects.
▪ If storage space allows, archive all file iterations.
▪ Insert a copyright statement in the project that legally designates the code
as the creator's intellectual property.
▪ Copyright and ownership statements are embedded in <meta> tags at the
top of a HTML page.

4. Alpha Development
• At this stage, the investment of effort increases and becomes more focused. More people
get involved.
• Introduction to content.
o Content defines the project information and material.
o Content can have low and high production value.
o The basic building blocks of content are films, videos, photographic collections, and
textual information bases.
o Content can be either created or acquired.
o Acquiring content can be very expensive and time-consuming.
o Financial planning and allocation of sufficient time are important aspects of content
acquisition.
o Pre-existing content can be obtained from a variety of sources.
o The sources from where pre-existing contents can be acquired are:
▪ Clip art collections - for simple and flexible content.
▪ Commercial stock houses - to ensure licensed work devoid of copyright
infringements.
▪ Photo, sound library, and stock footage house - for specific or complex
content.
▪ The National Archives in Washington - for a rich source of content, both
copyrighted as well as in the public domain.
• Rights required for using content.
o The rights should be licensed to use copyrighted material before a project is
developed.
o Rights for unlimited use should be sought, as the content can be altered any time.
o A few issues to be considered when negotiating for rights include:
▪ The manner in which the content is delivered.
▪ The period for the license.
▪ Exclusive or nonexclusive license.
▪ Location of product distribution.
▪ The quantity of material to be employed.
▪ The type of rights.
▪ The credit line or end-credits for display.
▪ Whether the content owner has the authority to assign rights.
▪ Whether additional rights are required to use the content.
 ▪ The remuneration for the copyright owner.
▪ The format for receiving the content.
• Using content.
o When a work is created, certain rights are granted to its creator.
o An electronic right enables creators to publish work in a computer-based storage
and delivery medium or on the Web.
o Public domain means either the work was never copyrighted or the expired
copyright protection has not been renewed.
o Public domain material can be used freely without a license.
o Copyright protection applies to original works of authorship fixed in any tangible
medium of expression.
o The owner's permission must be obtained before a work is used.
o Various rights management technologies are emerging and competing to become an
industry standard.
o Any text or image that is copied or incorporated requires the permission of the
owner. Such incorporated work is referred to as derivative work.
o It is important to obtain a written agreement from every individual contributing to
the work.
o Developing projects includes designing interfaces, writing text, programming codes,
and producing musical scores, sound effects, and video.
o Several factors must be weighed to determine whether the individual is legally an
employee or an independent contractor.
o These factors include the place of work, the relationship between the parties, and
the provision of tools and equipment.
• Using talent.
o The required professionals can be located by:
▪ Calling a talent agency and explaining the requirements.
▪ Reviewing sample tapes and arranging auditions.
▪ Advertising for casting calls for screen or audio auditions.
▪ Organizing non-union auditions.
o American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Screen Actors Guild
(SAG) are two union contracts.
o AFTRA and SAG have similar contracts and terms for minimum pay and benefits.
o Their contracts are lengthy and detailed, sharing the same language and job
descriptions.
o A release form grants certain permissions. It specifies the terms under which the
material made during a recording session can be used.
o Make sure that all talent, even family and co-workers, sign a release form for
appearances on tape.

5. Beta Development
• At this stage, most of the features of a project are functional. Testing is done by a wider
arena of testers.
• Testing.
o It is important to test and review a project to ensure that:
• It is bug-free, accurate, and operationally and visually on target.
• The client's requirements have been met.
• The reputation of the developer/company is not damaged by a premature or
erroneous release.
 • Cross-platform issues are addressed by comprehensive testing on different
hardware and software platforms.
o Difficulties in testing:
• The performance of a multimedia project depends on hardware and
software configurations, and the end-user's connection speed.
• Few computer configurations are identical.
• The Macintosh environment is sensitive to certain extensions that conflict
with some software applications.
o Alpha testing.
• An alpha release is the first working draft of a project.
• An alpha release of a project is only for internal circulation.
• Alpha testing is usually done “in-house” by team members.
• Alpha releases are expected to have problems or to be incomplete.
o Beta testing.
• Beta testing is done with a wider array of testers.
• Beta testers should be representative of real users.
• These testers should be people who were not involved with the actual
production.
• Beta level bugs are typically less virulent than alpha bugs.
• Managing beta test feedback is critical.
o Final release.
• The terms such as “bronze” or “release candidate” are used to identify
products that are near completion.
• The final release version is usually called the “gold master.”
• Prerequisites for delivering a product.
o After a multimedia project is complete, modify the files so that they can be
transferred from the media to the user’s platform.
o A setup program is required to install a project on a user’s computer.
o Programs like Mindvision's Installer Vise and Aladdin's InstallerMaker help
create installers.
o It is important to provide well-written documentation about the installation
process.
o The documentation must also list potential problems, constraints, and
appropriate warning messages.
o It is useful to include a file, README.TXT or ReadMeFirst, on the distribution disc
of a project.
o The file should contain a detailed description of the installation process.
o The README.TXT document includes a description of changes or bugs reported
since the documentation was printed.
o Set up a product-related Web site with pages for registering software, reporting
bugs, providing technical support, and program upgrades.
• Using compression programs.
o Use a shareware or commercial compression utility for compressing and
decompressing files.
o WinZip, DiscDoubler, and StuffIt Deluxe are commonly used compression
utilities.
o Most compression utilities also provide an encryption or security feature, which
helps hide classified data.
• Creating file archives.
o One or more files of a project can be compressed into a single file, known as an
archive.
 o Compressed files take less time to transmit than uncompressed files.
o When an archive is decompressed, each individual file in the archive is
reconstituted.
o Archives are recognized by their file name extensions.
• Creating self-extracting archives.
o Self-extracting archives are used to deliver projects on discs in a compressed
form.
o Self-extracting files allow a user to run the executable archive.
o The compressed files are automatically decompressed and placed on the hard
disk.

6. Delivery
• In the delivery stage, the project is said to be "going gold.”
• The concerns shift towards the scalability of the project in the marketplace.
• Delivering on CD-ROM.
o Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROMs) are wafers of thin plastic and
metal measuring 4.75” (120mm) in diameter. A laser reads pits in the disc that
store data.
o A CD may contain one or more tracks.
o The primary logical unit for data storage on a CD is a sector.
o A CD-ROM can hold more than 700 MB of data.
o A majority of multimedia products are delivered on CD-ROMs.
o Software that cannot be downloaded from the Internet is packaged on CD-
ROMs.
o It is an excellent and a cost-effective method of distributing multimedia projects.
o Compact disc standards.
• ISO 9660.
• Hierarchical File System (HFS).
• CD-ROM/Extended Architecture (CD-ROM/XA).
o Various CD formats.
• Philips and Sony introduced CD technology in 1979.
• This collaboration resulted in the Red Book standard.
• The “Red Book” defines the standard for audio CDs.
o Various colors represent different types of CD-ROMs.
• The Yellow Book represents CD-ROM.
• The Green Book represents CD-I (Interactive).
• The Orange Book represents write-once, read-only (WORM) CD-ROMs.
• The White Book represents Video CD (Karaoke CD).
• Packaging.
o When packaging a product, the following points must be considered:
o The art for the cover should reflect the content and function of the enclosed
product.
o The company logo should be prominent.
o The name of the title should be featured on the front face and spine of the
package.
o Use shrink-wrap technique to avoid pilferage while shipping.
o Use environment-friendly packaging for CDs.
• Delivering on the World Wide Web.
o Involves transferring project files to a Web server.
o User-owned delivery Web server provides better security control, better
integration, and fine-tuning of server’s configuration parameters.
o A full-time Webmaster may be required.
o If a project is to be hosted by an ISP, then find out the limitations of the service
provider, and design the project within those limitations in mind.
o Register the project with a search engine.