HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
Plan
Ahead
(continued)
4.
Determine the type of multimedia to incorporate into your Web pages
. The type of
multimedia that you select is based on the purpose of the content. If you want to
provide background music, an audio clip is fine; there would be no need for a video clip
in this instance. For more complex topics though, a video clip might be more effective.
As an example, if you are explaining to someone where middle C is on the piano, a video
clip is more appropriate. If you want to give someone the experience of hearing a speech
that does not explain things in a “how to” approach, then an audio clip is acceptable.
5.
Create or find the multimedia content and insert it into the Web site
. Once the analysis
and design are complete, the Web developer creates or finds the appropriate multimedia
content for the Web site. Again, consider public domain content sources. Otherwise,
developing multimedia content on your own might be a fun experience. Good Web
development standard practices should be followed in the steps that you take to insert
the multimedia.
6.
Test all Web pages within the Web site
. An important part of Web development is
testing to assure that you are following the standards recommended in the early
chapters of this topic. In this topic, you use the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
validator that allows you to test your Web page and clearly explains any errors you have.
When testing, you should check all content for accuracy. Finally, all of the Web pages
with multimedia content should be validated per the standards set throughout this topic.
When necessary, more specific details concerning the above guidelines are presented at
appropriate points in the chapter. The chapter will also identify the actions performed and
decisions made regarding these guidelines during the creation of the Web page shown in
Figure 8-1 on the previous page.
Using Multimedia
The popularity of the World Wide Web (the Web) is due in part to the ability to view
Web pages that include graphic images, audio, and video. These additions can be
wonderful for a Web site and give the users more enhanced and enjoyable browsing
experiences. Sometimes, however, the addition of multimedia can distract from the Web
site message. Always remember the purpose of the Web site. If the multimedia content
enhances that purpose, it should be included. If the multimedia content distracts from the
purpose of the Web site, then you should reconsider using it.
Multimedia
is defined as the combination of text, sound, and video to express
an idea or convey a message. In the early days of the Internet, it was somewhat
prohibitive to use multimedia on the Web. Most people connected to the Internet using a
modem and a standard telephone line, so the bandwidth (i.e., the capacity for data transfer)
was not there to accommodate the large files required for audio, video, and even some
graphic images. The Web of yesterday was mostly text-based with a few background
colors and small graphic images. Today, most people have broadband Internet connections
with a much greater capacity for data transfer. Multimedia Web pages that include large
graphics, audio, and video are common.
Multimedia is used widely on Web pages. Many companies utilize videos to show
potential customers new products or how to use their existing products. You may be able
to review a medical procedure online before having the procedure done yourself. You can
view clips of movies or hear segments of audio recordings from Web pages that provide
content in those formats.
Podcasts
, a series of audio or video clips that are released
in a sequence, are becoming more prevalent in both academic and corporate settings.
Additionally, some instructors rely on multimedia content to stress important aspects of a
class. It is important to determine where multimedia content may enhance the learning
