What is Mutlimedia?

All of us know that there are a wide variety of definitions available for the word ‘multimedia’ on the Internet, in books and other media. Multimedia is the integration of more than one type of medium to convey a message. This includes the usage of photo’s, text, audio, video etc.

Listed below are a few definitions for ‘multimedia’ that I found on the Internet:

• Generic description of the generation and transfer of voice/data/video traffic between users. (netted automation)

• A combination of multiple media types, including text, graphics, animation, audio and video. (actewagl)

• The use of several media, such as movies, slides, music, and lighting in combination normally for the purpose of education or entertainment. (publicspeakingcourse)

• Writing and film making encompassing more than one medium at a time which, script-wise, usually refers to CD-ROM games or Internet-based programming. (screenwriting)

• Computer-controlled presentations combining three or more of the following elements: text, graphics, animation, full-motion images, still video images, and sound. (serc.iisc)

• The combination of audio, video, animation, and graphics. Multimedia software presents information in all these contexts. Multimedia computers are required to run these types of programs. (mywalpole)

• Systems that support the interactive use of text, audio, still images, video, and graphics. Each of these elements must be converted in some way from analog form to digital form before they can be used in a computer application. (wou)

• Multimedia is the integration of multiple forms of media. This includes text, graphics, audio, video, etc. For example, a presentation involving audio and video clips would be considered a "multimedia presentation. (ms state)

• This originally indicated a capability to work with and integrate various types of things including audio, still graphics, and especially video. Now it is more of a marketing term and has little real meaning. (vcsolutions)

• the use of a computer to display integrated text, graphics, animation and sound. As computers become more sophisticated and less expensive, the potential for use in multimedia presentations such as movies and interactive education increases. (computer service)

• transmission that combine media of communication (text and graphics and sound etc.) (word net)

• Multimedia (Lat. Multum + Medium) is media that utilizes a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun (a medium with multiple content forms) or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. (wikipedia)
  

It is thus clear that ‘multimedia’ can be seen as:

• It is computer-controlled
  Multimedia is controlled through a digital process on the computer.

• It is the integration of more than one medium.
  As mentioned above in almost every definition, multimedia is the usage of mediums such as text, photo’s, video and audio.

• It wants to inform.
  It wants to communicate with the user, whether to entertain, educate or advertise.

• It is interactive.
  The user should be able to interact with the multimedia presentation. It has to be user friendly as well.
  
  

Multimedia is more than what I have just mentioned above though. It can take on a lot of different forms, and can be used in a wide range of ways. It all depends on the function it is used for.