rhm5684@isc.rit.edu (R.H. Mowery ) (05/03/91)
Well Folks, I would first like to thank all those who have replied
to my posting on seeking help in the mult-media platforms. I received
about ten direct e-mail replies and then the postings that appeared here
on the group. What I have found is that out of the 10 replies about 1/2
recommended PC environement and the other 1/2 said go with Macintosh or
Amaiga. I would just like to state a few items I thought were
interesting and maybe will help others.
Anyone wanting to contact the IBM multi-media group in regard to
information on the M-motion card and other products of that line can
first try their local dealer, if that doesn't work (in my case the
local dealer reps had no idea what I was talking about) try contacting
the multi-media headquarters directly at:
IBM Multi-media Group
P.O. Box 2150
Atlanta, GA 30301-2150
(404) - 238 - 3000
I spoke with a cool guy by the name of Mike Mccain
in his letter and package I recieved he said for any further response
(more detailed) contact Peter Dorsey at (617) 638-2570
As for a really good software package I was told to check out a package
from University of Delware called Podium. Their number is (302)
451-8162 and the contact person was Sherry Mench. They sent me
information too and the package seems great from the literature I have
read.
I think at this point this technology is indeed very young on all
platforms, just as several people mentioned. One really cannot hope to
have the initial investment be the ultimate foundation as things shall
progresses as they always do and new and better toys will arrive and
impress us all. But atleast, one must be flexible and I guess the advice
I have to give this company I am interning/co-oping for is to grab
anyone of the three (IBM, MAC, or AMIGA) platforms. Either will do the
job. Since they already have the PS/2 power as well as a few clones, I
suppose the M-motion board will be considered. The 750 Media card is a
little too expensive (around $6000.00) and also they supposedly make one
sign a contract stating neither they nor intel(their partner on this
project) will be held liable for any need to recompile or rewrite code
when future changes are made. The M-motion is more stable at this
point and cheaper.
The last thing to consider is that since this is young not many people
in the world can really see the need and endless possibilities for this
type of information exchange/presentation/teaching aid/.....etc.....
Also one must consider that the business and home markets are primarily
PC and Mac oriented which leaves the Amiaga short in justifying it as a
platform for application design. In no way am I putting down the
Amiaga, it is indeed a wonderful and spectacular machine (commodore hit
the market it with it a little too late - I feel). But the point here
is that for in house use (as we plan) it seems the platforms of the 3
mentioned above we satisfy and from the response I received of people
using the M-motion card it seems worth the chance and experience for me
and this company. As for outside application development well I guess
MAc and PC are the tickets -- yet now the question is what package to
develop on. I have indeed checked out the plus system from Spinnaker
Software on evaluation and I have found that it is indeed an excellent
and portable system. Stacks developed on the PC will also run on the
Mac and vice-versa. The only thing one has to be careful of is that
when importing graphics the MAc can handle 256 colors and the PC only
16. So in order to make it portable 16 colors must be used. I am sure
as I explore this package I will find other dislikes, but I have a
strong feeeling the likes shall out weigh the dislikes. They also have
a Slot toolkit as they call it which allows one to develop routines in C
for linking to other deveices, external programs such as EXCEL, WORD,
Etc. Kinda of a nice idea. Seems that this could be a great foundation
for development of some nice media applications.
With that I will again ask for any response on the PLUS environent and
would like to see what other people have discovered with it. Afterall
that is the only way we can all be informed of what is available out
there.
Thanks.
-Robert H. Mowery III
RHM5684@ritvaxc.isc.rit.edu
mowery@ritcsh.rit.edu
rhm5684@ultb.isc.rit.edu