Aviva Directory » Computers & Internet » Software » Multimedia

The focus of this category, or its subcategories, is on the software used in multimedia, that being audio, video, and both animated and still graphics.

Strictly speaking, text is a form of multimedia as well but, for the sake of categorization here, we will reserve this category for audio, video, and graphics, as we deal with text in several other categories. Other forms of multimedia, such as graphics games, may be found in other categories, such as the computer games section, because it is a more specific category for such content.

Keep in mind also, that this category is about the software used to produce, manipulate, or participate in multimedia, rather than on the multimedia itself, which may be found in our Arts & Literature category or elsewhere in the directory.

Multimedia is the presentation of information using sound, pictures, animation, and video. Multimedia programs are computer applications that use a variety of media, such as video, sound, still images, animated graphics, special effects, as well as those used to create some or all of the media elements.

Multimedia software generally requires more memory and processing power than is required of textual information. Some multimedia software could be classified as system software, while others are authoring or editing tools used to create or manipulate images, audio, or video.

Early home computers were used mostly to deal with text and numbers., but today's computers have to be able to handle photographs, audio recordings, and video. While early webpages consisted almost solely of text, most webpages today include some form of multimedia, and many are heavily dependent on multimedia. Streaming video services, like Netflix and Hulu, are responsible for a large portion of Internet traffic today.

In fact, we are so heavily dependent on multimedia today that it is difficult to categorize it. Multimedia software tools are involved in the creation of websites, educational software, games, and pretty much every category of software. The lines may be blurred, but appropriate topics for this category, and its subcategories, include software applications used in creating, editing, or presenting graphics, audio, or video. Some applications may fit into more than one category.

Categories

Audio & Video

Graphics

 

 

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