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Authorware
Macromedia
Authorware is a multimedia authoring tool
that was originally developed for building
computer-based training applications. As such, it
has special tools for creating instructional
sequences, quizzes, etc.
To create interactive presentations, Authorware
provides the user with a flow-chart like interface
where you create interactions by adding icons for
different functionality. These icons have
parameters (or options) that the designer can set
and change.
Authorware can import and play Director movies
(making it possible to create animations in
Director and then play them back in Authorware
which is not really an animation tool.)
Authorware can also be used to create files that
are played over the web using Shockwave. "Shocked"
Authorware files are compressed, and allow
streaming and embedding of URLs.
Another advantage of Authorware over Director is
that it is object-oriented; it's reasonably easy to
copy sections from one Authorware presentation to
another and have them work without changes. This is
something that can be hard to do in Director.
Macromedia
decided not to update Authorware for the
Macintosh; they released Authorware 5 for Windows
only. Personally, I'm of mixed feeling on this.
Though I used Authorware briefly I never got the
hang of it, or worked out why I'd want to use it.
And it always seemed to be too expensive (though
Macormedia's pricing of Director has virged on the
outrageous.) Still, it's another application not
available for Macintosh users...
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<macweek.zdnet.com
news update "Authorware
5 off the Mac">
Macromedia's
recent abandonement of the Authorware Mac
market was hardly a surprise (I must admit, I've
never been a big fan of the product) but it seems
that Macromedia must have got some complaints from
users. Only a few weeks after announcing Authorware
5 would not be available for the Mac they have
announced a Mac Player which will be available in
the first quarter 1999 (which suggests the decision
was made only after the initial
announcement.)
Interestingly,
only today we were on the phone to Macromedia
because we needed QuickTime 3.0 support for an
Authorware product and the only way to get that is
by upgrading to Authorware 5 (or playing a Director
movie from within Authorware 4; not a great
solution.) Today, when we called Macromedia about
this they didn't even mention this announcement,
and we decided to switch development to Director --
maybe we'll have to go back and revisit that
decision.
The
Mac Player will be available in two versions: as an
Authorware Web Player for delivering learning
applications via the Web, and as a stand-alone
runtime player for delivery on LANs and CD-ROMs.
The Mac Player will include support for:
- Flash
animations and Quicktime 3.0.
- Web-authoring
and delivery through Knowledge Stream and
Voxware support for high-quality low-bandwidth
voice-overs.
The
Authorware 5 Attain Mac Player will be freely
available to all Authorware 5 Attain customers. It
will ship during the first quarter of 1999.
<www.macromedia.com
web page "Mac
Player info">
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Books
The Official Guide to Authorware 4 :
The Comprehensive Reference from the
Multimedia Labs of Macromedia (Macromedia
Press Series)
For the beginner to intermediate user,
takes the beginner through projects while
including tips for the advanced user.
<Information
at
www.amazon.com>
Authorware
4 Authorized
This book and companion CD include the
complete curriculum from the Training
Centers' hands-on Authorware course.
Better for the complete beginner than for
those who are already using
Authorware.
<Information
at
www.amazon.com>
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last
updated: 11/25/98
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