CompuServe Thread

Amigavision?

5 messages in this thread
#118395From: Katherine CochraneAug 31, 1990 12:35 AM
Mark, Thanks for the comments. I'm looking forward to trying AmigaVision, but you are slightly inaccurate about it being the only authoring system for Amiga hypermedia — have you seen INOVAtronics' CanDo? I use that, and I'm very impressed with it. It is older than AmigaVision, too. I plan to do a side-by-side review of both products when I get AmigaVision for my column. Interesting that your wife is doing language courseware. I'm also doing that kind of thing, but right now I'm using the Macintosh since I don't know many schools with Amigas. More later, Kathy
#118632From: Mark D. ManesSep 1, 1990 9:36 PM
I have CanDo, and I would probably debate its usability for multimedia not hypermedia. I consider both buzzwords to be quite different. CanDo is neat for creating applications but it is not well suited (in my opinion) for multimedia presentations. What is it lacking? It *needs* a database module, and ability to handle various wipes / scrolls etc. It should have direct support for laser disk as well. I have CanDo and like it, but it is not AmigaVision 🙂 -mark=
#118639From: Katherine CochraneSep 1, 1990 10:11 PM
Mark, I see your point, but I think you are limiting the concept of hypermedia too much. I consider any online publishing method that incorporates hypertext, sound, animation, etc. to be hypermedia. This includes educational programs, specialized databases, etc. as well as presentations. My language CAI programs are what I consider hypermedia, but they are not presentations. I have not tried AmigaVision yet, but I've seen it, and I think I'd have a hard time doing with it what I do with CanDo. Yet what I do is hypermedia, not just hypertext. Kathy
#118971From: John DublerSep 3, 1990 11:39 PM
Katherine, Without a built-in ability to build "links" dynamically, I don't believe CanDo is really a "hyper" product. It can build static applications with much greater ease than before, but because a CanDo programmer has to program links from scratch, it becomes more difficult to focus on content. CanDo needs more "hyper" functionality to really be powerful, if that is where they want their market to go. Perhaps you've been able to work around this? *** jd
#118988From: Katherine CochraneSep 4, 1990 12:52 AM
John, I don't know of any microcomputer based hypermedia product that allows one to build links dynamically. Even Concordia on the Symbolics is all "hardwired" during the authoring phase. Do you know of some that I'm not aware of? I'd be glad to hear about them. Another feature of "true" hypertext/hypermedia that is missing from most micro implementations is the ability to annotate the work in a personal or shared file. Oh, for Xanadu to be released!! <grin> Kathy