Multimedia Software

Wm P Woodall

Spring 2006

Software that enables Multimedia System Software

OS Utilities Networking

Development Software Graphics Sound Text Web Developing Multimedia Authoring

Delivery Software Stand-Alone Programs Players

System Software

Written specifically to control its Platform (or Processor Family)

Often is unique to the platform

Takes advantage of features of platform

Upgrading may not be available (i.e. Win98 to XP2)

Alternatives for a platform may be limited

Painting and Drawing Tools

Bitmap vs. Vector Images Painting Software (bitmap)

PhotoShop, Photoshop Elements, iPhoto, Corel PhotoPaint Drawing Software (vector)

Adobe Illustrator, Acrobat, CorelDraw, AutoCAD Flash Fireworks

Image-editing ToolsSpecialized and powerful tools for enhancing and retouching, existing

bitmapped images PhotoShop, Elements, Corel Paintshop Pro

Plug-ins Vertigo’s HotTEXT lets you turn text into 3-D objects Alienskin / EyeCandy Kai’s Power Tools (Corel KPT Collection) Xaos Paint Alchemy Nix Software Many, many, many others!

RawShooter, Adobe RAW, Capture1

3-D Modeling

AutoDesk’s 3D Studio Max Bryce Poser Maya Strata 3D Carrara Defunct products – might still be useful…

Macromedia Extreme 3D 3d/fx Infini-D

Sound Applications Sound Editing

Sound Recorder Sound Forge SoundEdit Pro (Macromedia SoundEdit16 is defunct) GarageBand (Mac) MIDI

Sound Playback Windows Media Player QuickTime Real Player WinAmp

Video and Digital Movie ToolsFormats:

Microsoft AVIMPEG (1,2,4)Apple Quicktime

Codecs (Compressor/Decompressor):MPEG, Divx, M-JPEG, Indeo (Intel), Cinepak, others

Editors:Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle Studio, Avid, Final Cut

Linking Multimedia ObjectsDDE & OLEOffice suites

Microsoft OfficeOpen OfficeiWork

Presentation toolsPowerPointKeynote (Mac)Impress (Open Office)

Web Development Authoring Tools

Adobe (Macromedia) Dreamweaver Microsoft FrontPage Adobe’s GoLive

Languages JavaScript Visual Basic (VBScript) PHP/Perl/Python/AJAX etc. Actionscript (Flash)

Helpful Accessories Screen Grabber

PaintShop Pro Snag-it Graphics Workshop

Text Editor TextPad

Format Converter/Cataloger/Viewer Graphics Workshop IrfanView