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| Speaker: | |
| Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland | |
| Date: | 29th September 1998 |
| Time: | 11:30am |
| Place: | Seminar room 357, Building E6A, Macquarie University |
Abstract:
A new perspective on the definition of multimedia communication is proposed here: one which considers the classification of the text with respect to semiotic categories. Communication in both the visual and aural modalities is classified in a taxonomy based on the nature of the message, rather than on the nature of the technology used to communicate it.
Unlike other multimedia taxonomies (e.g. Arens et al, Heller and Martin), no initial practical assumptions are made as to the media types that will be classified. The categorisation is done entirely from a semiotic theoretical point of view initially, before the thirty cells in the resulting three-dimensional framework are related to existing media types (some of which have no defining term in the current common language of multimedia studies). This approach encourages a broad view of multimedia communication, fostering the exploration of a wide variety of media types in the development of a multimedia product. The framework is also extended to include network structures, and makes clear the difference between multimedia and hypermedia communication. This seminar provides the basic semiotic definitions on which this classification is based, before discussing the three dimensions that form the framework. Examples of the resulting media definitions are given, and a novel definition of multimedia (which is independent of technology) is proposed. Together with a classification of communication devices, a model for relating the nature of the text to the most appropriate technology is suggested.Enquiries: sals@mri.mq.edu.au
| Last modified: August, 1998 |