Issue 1.4 11/96
This issue of KDP is sponsored by:
CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR THE WEB-NURSEDby Professor Michael Kleper <mkleper@printerport.com> |
Digital publishing tasks and responsibilities have infiltrated, expanded, and morphed the job descriptions of workers in many fields, most notably those aligned with graphic communication, and to a lesser extent, those of its customers. Big changes have befallen both the professionals in the graphic communication industry and those (customers) who decide to make, rather than to buy, its products and services. The acquisition of new skills can be a painful and expensive process, both in terms of mastering new content, and in making the newly acquired technology productive and profitable.
Making the commitment to digital production is far less of a trauma than dealing with the on-going process of trying to keep-up with the onslaught of technological change. This is apparent in several obvious ways:
o Software usually takes on a life of its own. The upgrade cycles of most applications run, on average, from six to 12 months. This means that users must take the time to upgrade their systems and learn new software capabilities on a routine basis.
o Hardware has a fixed productive life span. Computers and peripherals are subject to technological obsolescence. Normally they will lose their productive edge long before their circuits fail and render them useless. Replacing, setting-up and maintaining one or more complex computer systems is a time-consuming and technically challenging job.
o New system capabilities, new technologies, new forms of media, new methods of distribution, and other innovations compete for mindshare. How does one assess what is most important? How does one know which innovations will survive in the marketplace? How can one determine how new technologies can work with those which are in place?
Following the completion of one's formal education, learning continues as a lifelong process, taking a number of forms. A balanced professional self-development plan should consist of various levels of the following components:
o Short-term training programs, workshops, seminars, and conferences. Focused training events are sponsored by established educational institutions, training companies, training divisions of industry vendors and suppliers, trade organizations and associations, user groups, and consultant- or personality-driven events.
o Workshops and short courses offered by community groups, adult education programs, extension services, and other public service organizations.
o Long-term training programs consisting of a series of formal courses leading to certification in a targeted skill or performance area. These are usually offered by colleges and universities, training companies, or the certifying bodies of industry organizations.
o On-the-job training provided by vendors who install new technology, or by colleagues who receive training off-site and bring the expertise back to share. Companies also contract with training providers to have customized training take place on-site. On-site training has the advantages of upgrading the skills of an entire in-house group at one time, in the environment where they work, on the equipment with which they are most familiar, and without employee travel expenses.
o Tradeshows and expositions which display the latest technology and usually include short demonstrations. Shows often have an educational program component consisting of industry leaders who present topics of highly-focused interest.
o Print-based publications and materials consisting of books, magazines, newsletters, technical bulletins, technical reports and journals, and vendor literature and advertising.
o Digital publications produced on disk or CD-ROM, sent via email, or available on the World Wide Web.
o Membership in computer users groups, trade and industry associations, organizations, and clubs.
o Videotape training courses, some of which include workbooks and computer disks for work-along learning.
o CD-ROM-based multimedia training discs which offer the learner the advantage of viewing the training information at their own pace.
o Print, video, digital, and hybrid training materials consisting of multimedia presentations, workbook exercises and projects, and vendor-graded tests and assignments.
o Correspondence courses and distance learning programs from private and public institutions and for-profit businesses. These opportunities transcend the problems of time and space by making the learning fit the schedule and location of the learner.
o Vendor-supplied publications in the form of either software application tutorials, reference and training manuals, or hardware installation and user guides.
o Professional interest groups supported on commercial on-line services such as CompuServe's DTP Forum.
o Paid consultants to provide narrowly-defined instruction in one or more areas of technical interest.
o Mentoring from co-workers, colleagues, supervisor's and others in the immediate environment.
o Skill assessment services which determine the level of technical expertise of an employee and prescribe remedial courses or individual instruction.
THE SIX-COLORED LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNELby Scott J. Kleper <scott@printerport.com> |
To quote Matthew Broderick from _The_Freshman_, "There's a kind of freedom in being completely screwed, because you know things can't possibly get any worse." This is certainly true for Apple, who seemed to hit rock bottom about three months ago, with news of impending losses, defecting sites, upset customers, no PowerBooks, and more. For me, the worst blow was hearing that Steve Capps, developer of the original Mac Finder, Apple Fellow, and chief designer of the Newton, was hired by Microsoft!
The clouds of bad news covering Cupertino began to disperse about a month ago. A series of very smart moves made by CEO Gilbert Amelio several months ago that finally came to light, coupled with good news in the press, began the fun part of any downfall -- the comeback.
Apple began this comeback by addressing developer concerns. Apple's new administration is making sure that developers have access to the information they need, which includes making Apple's bug database available online for registered developers. The new developer web site makes the latest technologies and API's available for download to anybody who wants to give them a try. Apple is taking steps to ensure that developers have access to what they need. As a shareware author, I was contacted by an Apple evangelist not too long ago and invited to a free coding seminar. I was very impressed that they would extend this invitation to a 19 year-old shareware author. I'll be attending the conference next week.
Apple Developer World: <http://devworld.apple.com>
With the developer base in tact, Apple has been making plans for a comeback into the hardware market. The current lack of PowerBooks on the price lists will change soon as the much-anticipated PowerBook 1400 begins to hit store shelves. A variety of new Newtons targeted at students should also be an intriguing option. Various rumors circulating the web tell of new low-cost desktop Macs coming in '97 along with screaming 500 MHz and faster Macs later in the year. New Performas beat out comparable WinTel machines in price (finally!).
The hardware advances won't leave the software behind. Some of the software advances coming out in late '96 or early '97 include a new Open Transport with integrated PPP access, Apple's HotSauce view for the new Meta Content Format, the nifty new LaserWriter 8.4.1 driver, and more. In January, we'll see the first of the periodic system updates that we were promised at MacWorld Boston. According to rumors, it includes OpenDoc, CyberDog, and some other nice little features. This is all great news for the Mac community. OpenDoc offers a lot of unique opportunities for custom applications. Anybody who hasn't used it due to lack of support will find that OpenDoc is a very clever and powerful tool. By mid-year, we should see much more of Copland and considering all of the great stuff coming out in only the next few months, it should be a remarkable year! We should also see some cool stuff coming out of the alliance with Sun. Expect to see both OpenDoc and QuickTime integrated into Java. Expect Java integration into the MacOS by late '96 or early '97. And be sure to check out Cocoa, a new visual programming environment for kids. The best way to find out about these updates as they become available is to check the MacInTouch web site every day.
MacInTouch: <http://www.macintouch.com>
Of course, people looking for their first computer probably won't care about OpenDoc or HotSauce. With that in mind, Apple will be launching a new ad campaign to promote Mac software, hopefully contradicting the commonly-held opinion that there's no software for the Mac. The program has already begun and Apple has a new web site with a database of great Mac software.
<http://www.macsoftware.apple.com>
It looks like a good year lies ahead for Apple. The new administration seems to be addressing problems on all levels and even the media is reacting positively. The bad times aren't totally behind us, but if Apple's recent return to profitability (about six months earlier than expected) is an indicator, the worst is over.
Feature Review: Multimedia Music Clips |
The use of multimedia music clips presents two major production problems. First, music clips are difficult to name and identify. There is too much variation in the elements that constitute a musical composition to make it possible to compose a name that would accurately describe a given piece. Unlike digital clipart, stock photos, video clips, or even text files, where the file name would provide a good clue as to its content, each musical piece, by its nature, is unique.
Second, even after one or more appropriate music clips have been found, in almost every case they must be edited to fit a precise length. Both of these processes; locating appropriate files, and editing them, are time-consuming and labor-intensive, and in the latter case, require a skilled sound editor.
These problems are endemic to the music industry, and they have been met with a singular, effective solution in the form of TuneBuilder, "the only automatic music editor in the world." TuneBuilder is the invention of Darryl Goede, CEO of AirWorks Media,* and is protected by software technology patents pending in 29 countries.
TuneBuilder. The TuneBuilder technology provides an automatic music editor that instantly edits musical tracks to any length, either longer or shorter. The process is elegantly simple and does not require special skills in music, editing, or computer technology. In addition to its ease-of-use, which can reduce traditional editing work by as much as 99%, it works with prerecorded music collections from many of the leading digital music publishers in the industry, providing a wide range, and large variety, of musical compositions.
At the heart of the TuneBuilder technology is AutoBlade, a proprietary process that is embedded in every TuneBuilder-enabled music collection. AutoBlade benefits from the talent and experience of AirWorks music editors who analyze each musical track, in each collection, and divide it into blocks, which have a beginning and ending edit point, or marker. These blocks can be assembled or re-arranged to produce a multitude of variations of the original music track. These variations are generated from a mathematical algorithm which determines how TuneBuilder will generate each new version. During the tune building process the user has several opportunities to input new settings which will influence the characteristics of the algorithm.
TuneBuilder is multi-platform (Macintosh and PC), and performs similarly on each computer system that it supports. The tune building process begins with the Library Window (FIG. 1) which is used to search the available tracks on TuneBuilder-enabled CD-ROMs. Tracks can be searched by any combination of style, tempo, beats-per-minute, track length, or keyword. Each of these criteria is very helpful in narrowing a search to an increasingly limited set of possible hits.
The TuneBuilder application is specific to the music publisher whose work is being edited. In these examples the Arpeggio** collection was used. Among the styles available in this collection are:
Ballad Christmas Contemporary Corporate Country Rock Country Traditional Easy Listening Folk Funk Rap Gospel Jazz Novelty Pop Rock - Hard Rock - Modern Rock - Soft Rock N' Roll Stings TechnoPop Underscore World Sound
With these tempos:
Very Slow Slow Medium Slow Medium Medium Fast Fast Very Fast Varied
Each track has a description, which consists of both technical specifications and a listing of up to ten lines of user-adaptable notes, such as:
Disc 11 Track 36 Stereo 44K Length 00:31 BPM 159 The sunny sounds of the Caribbean with a Jamaican reggae feel. Features guitar, organ, and a big drum sound. The electric bass slides around while creating a very strong bottom on the tune.
The Library Window is used primarily for locating tracks from a production music library that are appropriate for a given project. While the textual information provides an immediate indication of the characteristics of each track, the only certain way to identify potentially useful clips is to listen to them, by using the Play button. The play process is controlled by the CD Remote window (FIG. 2) which contains the controls common to a CD player.
Tracks which are candidates for a production are highlighted and advanced to the next step by using the Project button. This opens the ProjectBuilder Window (FIG. 3) which provides management of all of the musical elements that will comprise the Project. A Project, which is composed of the elements used to edit tunes, and the tunes themselves, can be saved as an individual file.
Items in the project list can be removed, annotated, played, exported (for use in their full unedited form in a variety of file formats), retrieved (copied from the CD-ROM to the user hard disk), or moved to the TuneBuilder Window. In the normal course of events a selected track would be opened in the TuneBuilder Window.
The most prominent element in the TuneBuilder Window (FIG. 4) is the waveforms display of the left and right channels of the current selection. The waveform is presented as a 44.1 Khz PCM (Pulse Code Modulation).
The upper left part of the window displays the length of the original track, and to its right the length of the new version, which is produced after the user inputs a value in the Specified field. The "G" button is used to generate a new version of the specified length, and the number appearing in the New field is the actual length of the new version. The new version can be played by clicking on the musical note button to the right of the Version Assembler Bar, which is located beneath the waveform display. The new version can be saved in one of several common file formats (FIG. 5) by using the "E" export button.
The user can generate several tune versions, each at a given time interval, or at different intervals. Several options are provided for altering the TuneBuilder algorithm to produce different versions, and the user can also build tunes by assembling and editing blocks manually.
Contact: *Airworks/Tunebuilder, Suite 700, One Thornton Court, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 2E7, 403 424-9922, 800-525-5962, Internet: tunebldr@supernet.ab.ca, airworks@supernet.ab.ca, 75124.3323@compuserve.com http://snazzy.com/airworks, fax: 403 424-9993, FaxBack: 403 425-4608.
**Arpeggio Music, Diversified Brokerage Atlanta, 2995 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite A-726, Atlanta, GA 30062, 770 579-5101, Internet: arpeggiomusic.com, fax: 770 579-6092.
Screen Shot: <http://www.printerport.com/issues/art/v1n4snd.gif>
I recently had a problem with a folder of six fonts that had been
placed on a server for use by a group of students. I had used the
fonts on my system without any problem, but when the students copied
them off the server they were unable to install them..although they
appeared (on the desktop) to be perfectly fine. When the first
student had a problem we assumed that it was a computer problem,
since the fonts looked alright, and fonts rarely "go bad." But when
the problem appeared on several computers it seemed likely that the
fonts were to blame. Using a handy program called Font Box 2.0 I was
able to confirm that the fonts were indeed corrupt. Font Box
examined all of the fonts in the System and identified the suspect
six as unusable.
Font Box provides several other useful functions. It examines all
online volumes and locates all available fonts. It performs
consistency checks on each font to ensure that it is usable. When it
finds a corrupt font it attempts to repair it.
In the process of examining every font, Font Box eliminates all
duplicate fonts, thereby saving disk space and avoiding font ID
conflicts. It also helps to eliminate the common problem of having
TrueType and PostScript Type 1 versions of the same font installed.
Inconsistent use of these two font formats can result in varying
appearance of the fonts both on the screen and on the printer
output.
Additional housekeeping chores performed by Font Box include:
matching Type 1 bitmap fonts with their printer partners; removing
bitmapped sizes over 12 point in systems using ATM; renumbering Font
IDs so that there are no conflicts; creating new suitcases with
properly organized font families; organizing suitcases according to
user preference; archiving old fonts or moving them to the trash;
and generating a series of reports inventory the fonts and document
all problems.
Contact: Radical Software BV, Oude Delft 219, P.O.Box 3275, 2601 DG
Delft, The Netherlands, +31 (0)15 2121547,
http://http://www.radical.nl fax: +31 (0)15 2157220.
Screen Shot: <http://www.printerport.com/kdp/issues/art/v1n4fbx.gif>
We've recently seen four of their latest releases up close, and each
one is a prime example of the professional quality that permeates
their entire family of CD-ROMs.
Studio Geometry ($149, code BS01) is part of the Background Series,
and contains 100 28MB images. The textures are three-dimensional and
are related to construction surfaces which have been photographed by
The Studio Dog, a London-based design team. The images are
appropriate for a wide variety of uses, and suggest a strong yet
ordered pattern of hard industrial surfaces.
Business Today ($299, code V35) is a collection of 336 images,
which, like all images in the PhotoDisc collection, have been drum
scanned and color corrected. The images are provided in two
resolutions: 10MB, JPEG compressed TIFF, 5" x 7.5" at 150 line
screen for printing; and 600K, TIFF, 5" x 7.5" for comps. The images
deal with contemporary business situations, and include objects,
such as books and office equipment, and people acting or interacting
in positions common to typical business environments, both in and
out of the office.
InfoMedia ($149, code OS15) consists of 120 28MB images covering the
Information Age and the Age of Technology. Examples of some of the
images are a SCSI cable, old radio, 35mm motion picture camera,
computer, modem, megaphone, typewriter, fax machine, street signs,
floppy disk, and many more. Each image includes a clipping path
which simplifies the inclusion of images in publications and
photomontages.
Metaphorically Speaking ($149, code OS09) is a collection of 120
28MB images that deal with metaphors or visual puns. Some of the
obvious images are a bowl of cherries, a lemon, an eraser, a basket
of eggs, a golden egg, a life preserver, an eight ball, a propeller
cap, burnt toast, a noose, and a broken record. Each of the images
includes a clipping path.
Contact: PhotoDisc, Inc., 2013 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98121, 800
528-3472, <http://www.photodisc.com>.
Screen Shot: <http://www.printerport.com/kdp/issues/art/v1n4phd.gif>
DK Multimedia has organized a small part of its enormous collection
of professional images into four CD-ROM titles. The attractive
images, which it has used in its CD-ROM, book, and video
publications, are the basis of the Eyewitness Photo Gallery series.
The Cats, Birds, Wild Animals, and Children volumes draw from DK's
expansive and coveted photo library of over two million images,
which is growing at the rate of over 10,000 images per month. Each
volume consists of 100 images.
Each of the images can be viewed and selected using an attractive
and functional image browser, and can be saved in a variety of
popular file formats. In addition the images can be used to create
"desktop wallpaper," or personalized stationery.
The images are for personal use only, and are compatible with all
popular Macintosh and Windows graphics applications. Each image is
stored in eight formats, with a maximum size of 12 Mb uncompressed.
$9.95 each, or $29.95 for the 4-volume set.
Contact: DK Multimedia, 95 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, 212
213-4800, http://www.dk.com, fax: 212 213-5240.
Screen Shot: <http://www.printerport.com/kdp/issues/art/v1n4dkm.gif>
Surfboard supports an unlimited number of URL lists, and new URLs
can be added by a simple button click, or by dragging and dropping a
hot link onto Surfboard.
Special "fast dial" buttons let the user "program" frequently used
URLs for instant access without opening the Surfboard display screen
to find a URL. Multiple URLs can be programed to any button, and the
buttons can be renamed to suit particular needs. The associated
button names and programming are saved with each URL list. In
addition, Surfboard retains a list of the most frequently visited
URLs and maintains them in one button for instant access.
Abbott Systems maintains a special private Web site for Surfboard
owners, which is accessible by clicking on the Surfboard logo. The
site is dedicated to customer service, and provides new lists of
interesting URLs. In addition, the user can import existing Netscape
Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer bookmark files. $39
Contact: Abbott Systems Inc., 914-747-3116, info@abbottsys.com,
<http://www.abbottsys.com>.
Digital audio, done well, can be a seductive and entertaining
technology. When done poorly it is annoying at best, and torturous
at worst. One would think that streaming audio over the Internet
would present all kinds of potential problems, and although the
potential is there, the reality is that RealAudio Player Plus,
masterfully deals with the inconsistent flow of data, yielding radio
quality sound, and presenting an easy-to-use interface.
First-time users log onto the RealAudio TimeCast Web site where they
fill in a questionnaire indicating programming preferences. These
preferences are used to feed audio to the player when prompted. In
addition, any RealAudio-enhanced Web site will stream audio to the
player when the user activates the link.
It is really quite useful to be able to activate selected news
reports at whim, or to be entertained by a radio station that is
thousands of miles away. Both live and prerecorded programs are
available from thousands of Web sites. $29.99
Contact: Progressive Networks, 1111 3rd Ave. Ste 2900, Seattle, WA
98101, 206 674-2262 <http://www.realaudio.com>.
The National Multimedia Association of America, which bills itself
as "the largest non-profit multimedia professional association in
the United States," has launched a new software rating service. The
objective of the service is to provide the means for users to rate
software thereby providing valuable first-hand feedback to
developers, and a guide to other users seeking software solutions.
The site is located at <http://www.ratings.org>.
Any individual who has experience with a specific software
application (shareware, freeware, or commercial) can rate the
application via the Internet. Each overall rating is based on a
possible score of 100 points. The individual rates the software on
ten questions ranging from ease of installation, to quality of
features. After rating a specific software package, he or she also
has the opportunity to give comments that are good, bad or helpful.
This information is instantly updated in the databases, and made
available to both the general public and the software developer.
Contact: National Multimedia Association of America, 4920 Niagara
Road, 3rd Floor, College Park, Maryland 20740, 800 819-1335, 301
474-4107, <http://www.ratings.org>, fax: 301 513-9466.
The enormous storage capacity of contemporary systems, coupled with
the inconsistent or poor housekeeping or organizational skills of
most computer users, makes the need for a good search tool an
essential computer utility. Retrieve It! 2.5 is that tool, providing
a dependable and totally competent application for finding files on
hard drives, CD-ROM, Zip cartridges and other removable media, and
servers, on the basis of either the file name or file contents. A
wide variety of search criteria is supported, resulting in a high
certainty that the target files will be found. After only a few days
of using the program it has become a routine and necessary
application. A user soon develops the confidence that no file will
ever elude him or her again.
Each search results with a list of files which meet the search
criteria. The user is presented with detailed information about each
file, including its creation and modification dates, file size,
location, etc. The Peek function can be used to open the file to
examine its contents, and the Reveal function can be used to open
the folder where the file resides. In addition the listed files can
dragged and dropped from the Retrieve It! window to another
location.
Retrieve It! also searches resources on the Internet, taking the
search criteria and automatically opening the user's Web browser.
The process is rated at twice the speed of using the Web browser
alone, and certainly simplifies the process. The user soon becomes
accustomed to using Retrieve It! for any search operation. This is
one utility that will quickly justify its cost. $65
Contact: MVP Solutions, POB 533, Mountain View, CA 94042-0533, 415
562-3457, <http://www.mvpsolutions.com>, Internet:
info@mvpsolutions.com.
Screen Shot: <http://www.printerport.com/kdp/issues/art/v1n4rti.gif>
Each call is recorded with the caller's name, telephone number, and
time. YoYo stores this information even when the computer is off,
and blinks, with a prominent flashing LED, to signal the user that
one or more calls have been received. The stored information is
displayed when the computer is next powered up.
YoYo can handle call management even when the user is out of the
environment. YoYo can be programmed to forward complete caller
information to a wireless pager, and can also be used to send
alphanumeric page messages to pagers that have the capability to
receive them.
YoYo identifies the call after the first ring, and can automatically
access and display associated information stored in a contact
management program. In addition, data from any source, stored as a
tab-delimited text file, can be imported into the YoYo phone book,
which consists of several fields of contact information. Information
in the YoYo phone book can also be exported to any database
application.
The software provides a very effective and easily configured call
blocking capability that can shield the user from interruptions from
certain individuals, from specified area codes and dialing prefixes,
and from receiving calls during specified times, such as the lunch
hour. The blocking feature eliminates the need to check the identity
of the caller before deciding not to answer. With the blocking
feature activated, the phone does not ring when a party calls who
has been identified for blocking, and therefore the computer user is
not distracted. The calling party hears the phone ring normally, and
an answering machine or voice mail service will continue to work
normally. The incoming call is logged with the time, date, telephone
number and name of the caller. Although YoYo will only prevent the
phone to which it is attached from ringing in this situation,
additional YoYos can be programmed from the computer and attached to
extension phones, or to phones on other lines. The YoYo device does
not interfere with other telephony equipment, such as fax modems.
The YoYo Logbook lists each call, and records its duration for
accurate recordkeeping and client billing. Any selected number in
the log can be dialed with a single click. Although the name may be
gimmicky, the product is definitely serious business. $149.99
Contact: Big Island Communications, 10161 Bubb Road, Cupertino, CA
95014, 408 342-8300, 800 329-3348, Internet: info@big-island.com,
<http://www.big-island.com>, FTP: <ftp://ftp.big-island.com>,
Fax-back: 800 329-3348.
Claris has enhanced its Claris Organizer, personal information
manager, with several new features that make it easier to use, and
ultimately make the user more productive and efficient.
For those who live online, Claris Organizer 2.0 contains instant
links to both email and the Web, making it possible to launch either
a Web browser or Internet mail program from within it. The URL or
email address is then pasted automatically into the Web browser or
email message directly from the Organizer contact card.
The components of Organizer 2.0 are tightly integrated. One of the
best examples of that integration is The Gripper, which helps to
create and link items by using drag-and-drop linking. For example, a
contact can be dragged onto the task field to create an attached
task to "call" the contact; or a task can be dragged onto the
calendar to create an attached appointment to work on the task.
Information can be accessed very flexibly using Instant Find,
Instant Filters, and Memorizable Views. Instant Find is a unique
search engine that will search any field, file, category, or program
component, for any search term. Instant Filters provides a flexible
way to view subsets of contacts, tasks and notes using easy pop-up
menus. Various views of information, such as "URLs related to fonts"
can be saved in a Memorizable View.
The overall look of Claris Organizer 2.0 can be customized using one
of 15 Decors, which are backgrounds that affect how the program
components appear. The Decors range from the business-like "Linen"
to the romantic "Rose Garden."
The program can work in concert with popular day planners by
printing out schedules, to-do lists, address books and notes in
formats compatible with Franklin, Day-Timer, and Day Runner. $69
Contact: Claris, 5201 Patrick Henry Drive, Box 58168, Santa Clara,
CA 95052-8168, 408 987-7000, 800-3-CLARIS, 408 727-8227,
<http://www.claris.com>.
Contact: Travis Anton, CEO, BoxTop Software, Inc., One Research
Boulevard, Suite 201, Starkville, MS 39760, 800-257-6954,
travis@boxtopsoft.com, <http://www.boxtopsoft.com>
Four Palms has a wide ranging library of royalty-free (one-time buy
out price) digital video clips. Each video clip has been edited,
compressed and digitized, and is ready for inclusion in a multimedia
production. The average price of each clip is about one dollar. The
library includes volumes covering aviation, bridges, highways,
marine, rail, occupations, professions, recreation, relationships,
sports, U.S. scenes, and European scenes. A complete catalog of
image thumbnails is available on their Web site. Single volume
prices are $99.99 for Windows and $149.99 for Macintosh. Discounts
are available for four-title and 12-title sets.
Contact: Four Palms, 11260 Roger Bacon Dr., Suite 502, Reston, VA
22090-5203, 703 834-0200, http://www.fourpalms.com, Internet:
info@fourpalms.com, fax: 703 834-0219.
Among the areas covered in the 68 page book are a complete
production checklist and in-depth information about digital media,
fonts, text, graphic elements, colors, miscellaneous file
construction items, and other materials. Produced in an
easy-to-read, user-friendly format, the book includes a number of
insightful tips on digital prepress production.
The booklets are available for $9.95 per copy for a minimum order
of 25 copies (volume discounts are available), while a CD-ROM
version can be purchased for $59.95. There will be a shipping and
handling charge for both versions.
Scitex Graphic Arts Users Association
750 Old Hickory Blvd., Suite 264
Brentwood, TN 37027
615 221-2208, 800 858-0489
<http://www.sgaua.com/>
ARA BBS 615 221-2230
fax: 615 221-2228.
Creating Businesses on the Net
Elderbrock, David; Nitin Borwankar
An overview of the business models being applied to the Internet.
The book provides guidance into building a Web presence, using the
latest architecture and strategy. Case studies are presented that
detail the process of online publishing, purchasing, distributing,
delivering, and more. The book is supported both by a companion Web
site <http://www.idgbooks.com/idgbooksonline/> and a PC CD-ROM. The
CD-ROM contains utilities, applications, and demo software.
0-7645-7001-3 334 pp $39.99
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 610
San Mateo, CA 94402
Building Your Own WebSite: Everything You Need to Reach Your
Audience on the Web
Peck, Susan B; Stephen Arrants
A complete hands-on guide to setting up a Web site on Windows NT and
95 using O'Reilly's WebSite software, which is included on the
accompanying CD-ROM. The CD-ROM also includes the HotDog Standard
HTML Editor and Spyglass Mosaic Web Browser.
1-56592-232-8 500 pp $59
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
103 Morris St., Suite A
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Creating Killer Web Sites
Siegel, David
A stunningly attractive, and well-designed book, with rich content
and captivating illustrations and examples. The book introduces the
concept of third-generation Web site design, characterized by a
particular site structure which is heavily influenced by design
factors. "Third-generation sites pull visitors through using
metaphor and well-known models of consumer psychology." The book is
supported by its own Web site <http://www.killersites.com> which
contains helpful tips and the actual HTML code which is listed in
the book.
1-56830-289-4 270 pp $45
Hayden Books
4300 West 62nd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Designing Business: Multiple Media, Multiple Disciplines
Mok, Clement
A serious study of the influence of computer technology and the
Internet on the business of design. The accompanying cross-platform
CD-ROM contains interactive prototypes and projects developed by the
author's design firm.
1-56830-282-7 247 $60
Adobe Press, Prentice Hall
113 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Digital Media: Publishing Technologies for the 21st Century
Romano, Frank J.
A comprehensive and thought-provoking treatment of all of the new
technologies applied to the electronic distribution of information.
The author applies his unique insight, analysis and wit to present a
clear picture of the landscape of new media methods: what they are,
how they are being applied, and how they affect traditional forms of
communication.
9-941845-18-4 186 pp $27.95
Micro Publishing Press
2340 Plaza Del Amo, Suite 100
Torrance, CA 90501
Electronic Design and Publishing Business Practices, 2nd Edition
Sebastian, Liane
A unique book which presents first-hand information about the
policies and procedures surrounding all of the business-related
aspects of electronic design and publishing. The text clarifies many
of the trade practices related to role definition, job quotes and
estimates, speculative work, stock images, composition, proofs,
prepress processes, printing, alterations and corrections, materials
storage, payment, materials ownership, copyright, and much more.
Numerous quotations from trade professionals are presented to add
credibility and real-life examples.
1-880559-22-6 199 pp $19.95
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd St.
New York, NY 10010
Essential OpenDoc
Feiler, Jesse; Anthony Meadow
An in-depth treatment of OpenDoc technology, applications, and
software component publishing. The book traces the development of
the computer age and places OpenDoc within that context as a natural
evolutionary product. It compares the way software has been known to
function against the new OpenDoc model, highlighting several of the
advantages of the new software technology.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
Jacob Way
Reading, MA 01867
HTML By Example
Stauffer, Todd
A user-friendly guide to HTML using numerous examples and
illustrations, and providing all code examples on the accompanying
CD-ROM. The exercises are easy to follow and lead the reader from
elementary functions to advanced programming using Java and
JavaScript. Each chapter is supported by review questions and
exercises, making this a good "teach yourself" book.
0-7897-0812-4 548 pp $34.99
Que Corporation
11711 North College Ave.
Carmel, IN 46032
HTML Publishing Bible: Windows 95 Edition
Simpson, Alan
A single volume Web publishing reference guide covering all of the
skills needed to become a Web publisher. Step-by-step tutorials lead
the reader through increasingly more complex exercises leading to
the application of sophisticated Web technologies. The accompanying
CD-ROM includes applications, utilities, examples and Web art.
0-7645-3009-7 774 pp $39.99
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 610
San Mateo, CA 94402
Inside Macintosh: OpenDoc Cookbook
Apple Computer, Inc.
A comprehensive guide to building OpenDoc software components,
called part editors, for the Macintosh operating system. A complete
coding example is provided to serve as an example of good code
construction. The book is considered as a companion to the OpenDoc
Programmer's guide. That book includes a CD-ROM which contains the
source-code files for the example SamplePart illustrated in this
book.
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
Jacob Way
Reading, MA 01867
Inside Macintosh: OpenDoc Programmer's Guide
Apple Computer, Inc.
Apple's official programming guide to OpenDoc, the cross-platform
software component technology that represents a possible replacement
for conventional large-scale software applications. The book
contains three parts: Part 1 explains the fundamental architecture
of OpenDoc, including parts and part editors; Part 2 covers OpenDoc
programming, including embedding, drawing, menus, windows, storage,
data transfer, scripting, and extended OpenDoc; and Part 3 deals
with interface design.
The accompanying CD-ROM contains the entire text in both QuickView
and Acrobat formats, as well as sample code and programming
"recipes."
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
Jacob Way
Reading, MA 01867
Inside the Windows 95 Registry
Petrusha, Ron
The first book to provide a complete explanation of the Windows 95
registry, a centralized database for Windows system and application
configuration information. The book is supported both by an
accompanying disk containing registry tools and utilities, and by a
Web page
(http://www.ora.com/pub/examples/windows/win95.update/registry.html).
1-56592-170-4 594 pp $32.95
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
103 Morris St., Suite A
Sebastopol, CA 95472
JavaScript Essentials: Creating Interactive Web Applications
Manger, Jason J.
A practical hands-on guide for creating sophisticated interactive
JavaScript Web applications. The accompanying PC disk contains
ready-to-run JavaScript programs and source code.
0-07-882234-3 552 pp $32.95
Osborne McGraw-Hill
2600 Tenth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
Maclopedia
Rose, Carla; et al
Possibly the largest single volume ever written about the Macintosh
(or perhaps about any computer). It is a fully indexed encyclopedia
with the full-text provided on an accompanying CD-ROM. Information
is presented mainly as factual entries, but also as instructional
procedures, tips, advice, and solutions.
1-56830-281-9 1338 pp $60
Hayden Books
4300 West 62nd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Teach Yourself Computers & the Internet Visually
maranGraphics Inc.
An illustrated storybook that defines and describes its hundreds of
clearly rendered pictures. The limited text is used to support the
visual step-by-step journey through computer and network technology.
0-7645-6002-6 287 pp $29.99
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 610
San Mateo, CA 94402
Using CGI
Dwight, Jeffry; Michael Erwin
The definitive guide to using CGIs. The book starts with CGI
fundamentals and moves to how to develop CGI applications, examples
of CGI programming, CGI search engines, making HTML documents
interactive, tips and techniques, testing and debugging, and expert
code. The accompanying CD-ROM contains source code for the book
examples; CGI utilities, applications, and tools.
0-7897-0740-3 828 pp $59.99
Que Corporation
11711 North College Ave.
Carmel, IN 46032
Using FileMaker Pro 3 for the Mac
Moyer, Chris
A book dedicated to providing the tips and techniques appropriate
for getting the most out of FileMaker Pro 3. It covers the design
and creation of powerful databases incorporating automated
data-entry procedures and error-checking. Chapters cover interface
design, relational concepts, scripting, networking, serving
databases via the Web, and more.
0-7897-0662-8 575 pp $34.99
Que Corporation
11711 North College Ave.
Carmel, IN 46032
Using HTML, Second Edition
Brown, Mark; John Jung, Tom Savola
An advanced guide to all HTML codes, their proper structure and use.
Information is provided on enhancing Web pages with special
features, such as imagemaps, forms, 3-D VRML, tables, live chat,
Java, and JavaScript. Numerous examples and screen shots are
provided. The accompanying CD-ROM contains Microsoft Internet
Explorer, the HotDog HTML editor, MapThis! imagemap designer, ASAP
WebShow and ASAP WordPower, the Java Development kit, and more than
100 other Web tools and programs.
0-7897-0758-6 921 pp $49.99
Que Corporation
11711 North College Ave.
Carmel, IN 46032
Web Page Wizardry: Wiring Your Site for Sound and Action
Oliver, Dick; et al
A book dedicated to the tools and techniques needed to add
excitement to Web pages through the use of animated GIFs, 3D virtual
reality, typographic effects, stunning graphics, Shockwave files,
Java applets, and more. The cross-platform CD-ROM contains several
sound and graphic applications, Web utilities, plug-ins, and demo
software.
1-57521-092-4 411 pp $39.99
Sams
201 West 103rd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46290
Web Publishing with Netscape for Busy People
Crumlish, Christian; Malcolm Humes
A no-nonsense, graphically-enforced guide to using Netscape
Navigator Gold for Macintosh, Windows, or Unix. The book combines
focused lessons with online templates to offer a collection of
chapters that can each be read easily in one sitting. Many
time-saving tips and techniques are liberally sprinkled throughout
the book along with several quick reference sections.
0-07-882144-4 304 pp $22.95
Osborne McGraw-Hill
2600 Tenth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
Webmaster Expert Solutions
Morgan, Mike; Jeff Wandling, Rich Casselberry
A thick volume chock-full of useful advanced techniques covering the
following general topics: Writing Great HTML; Spicing Up the Site
with SSI and CGI; Advanced CGI Applications using Forms; Advanced
CGI Applications using Web Chat; Advanced CGI Applications using
Site Indexes and Databases; Advanced CGI Applications using Dynamic
Pages; Advanced CGI Applications using Commercial Applications;
Advanced Applications using Web-based Bulletin Boards; Advanced
Applications using Multimedia; and Setting Up the Server and
Selecting the Team. The accompanying CD-ROM contains Web servers,
Web browsers, Netscape plug-ins, Sun's Official Java Development
Kit, CGI scripts, the Excite search engine, a working model of
Macromedia Director, a real shopping site, and source code and
project files from the book.
0-7897-0801-9 1179 pp $59.99
Que Corporation
11711 North College Ave.
Carmel, IN 46032
Webmaster Strategies
Sullivan-Trainor, Michael
The first in-depth analysis and study of the role of the Webmaster
in creating, building, maintaining, implementing and managing a Web
site. The author surveyed Webmasters in eight key industries, and
details the skills that they have mastered to become leaders in
their fields.
1-56884-820-X 392 pp $29.99
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 610
San Mateo, CA 94402
World Wide Web Color Pages Simplified
maranGraphics Inc.
A full-color directory of over 2500 Web sites categorized into more
than 100 topics. The listings include colorful illustrations, screen
graphics and the site URL.
0-7645-6005-0 368 pp $29.99
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 610
San Mateo, CA 94402
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Typography Reviews
The availability of, and need for, large numbers of fonts has
created several kinds of font management problems. The problems stem
not only from the sheer volume of fonts that comprise personal
typeface libraries, but from the little known fact that
corrupt fonts can cause all sorts of seemingly unrelated system
problems which result in system and application crashes.
Image Collection Reviews
PhotoDisc has one of the largest, most varied, and fastest growing
collections of images available today. Their Web site is a model for
the way in which image collections should be presented...graphically
attractive, well-organized, and accessible and inviting. Each image
in the collection can be viewed and ordered online.
Internet/Web Reviews
One of the hazards of Web surfing is the acquisition of an unwieldy
number of URLs. Managing them remains one of the nagging problems
for those who spend a significant amount of their life online. A
novel solution is Surfboard 1.0 for the Macintosh, a utility
designed to look and work like a tv-remote control.
Utility Reviews
The increased size of hard drives (few vendors make a drive smaller
than one gigabyte), and the increased tendency on the part of users
to retain multiple versions of files, or files of only marginal
value, has resulted in user systems with typical file counts in the
tens of thousands.
Productivity Enhancement Reviews
YoYo is a small, sleek, disc-shaped device that provides a complete
complement of telephone management tools for subscribers to Caller
ID service. It lets the user assign unique audible signals or custom
spoken introductions to familiar phone numbers, or groups of
numbers, so that the user can be alerted to incoming calls, even
when he or she is not seated at the computer (but is within
earshot). In addition, the spoken announcement does not divert the
user's attention from whatever task he or she might be doing when
the call is received.
Multimedia/Graphics Reviews
PhotoGIF and ProJPEG are two plug-ins that greatly extend the power
of Adobe Photoshop as a web graphics tool. PhotoGIF allows you to
create GIF89a graphics with transparency right in Photoshop. The
plug-in allows you to customize the color pallette and save your
settings for future use. PhotoGIF is a very handy way of creating
GIFs and animated GIFs for the web. ProJPEG gives you far more
control over saving files as JPEG than Photoshop's built-in JPEG
support. ProJPEG's most clever feature is the quality vs.
compression slider, which allows you to preview how a graphic will
look under different levels of compression and (this is cool) even
estimates the file size. PhotoGIF is $45, ProJPEG is $35.
Book Reviews
Computer Ready Electronic Files 2
The Scitex Graphic Arts Users Association
The Scitex Graphic Arts Users Association (SGAUA) has published the
Computer Ready Electronic Files 2 guidelines book, which they are
now making available to non-SGAUA members. The book is an essential
guide to preparing standardized digital files for submission to a
trade shop or service bureau.
A Word From Our Sponsors
**********
Are you a Macintosh fanatic? Want to put that claim to the test? Try
MacFolklore II, the original Mac trivia game. MacFolklore has a bank
of almost 200 questions about the Macintosh and Apple. There are
questions about famous Apple ads, product codenames, company
politics, and more. MacFolklore II is a $5 shareware program from
KlepHacks Shareware and is available immediately from:
<http://www.printerport.com/klephacks/folklore.html>
Copyright and Distribution Information
The Kleper Report on Digital Publishing is (c)opyright 1996, Graphic
Dimensions, Pittsford, NY. You may distribute this document,
unmodified and in its entirety, provided that you do not charge for
it. You may distribute portions of this document, unmodified,
provided that you also include this copyright notice.
