Programming time in multimedia user interfaces

ABSTRACT

The new media types used in advance user interfaces and interactive systems introduce time as a significant variable. This paper addresses the architectural support and programming tools that should be provided to the programmer to manage the time dependencies. The approach considers that the basic models and programming paradigms adopted in the manipulation and management of time should be isomorphic with the spatial models used in existing graphical user interfaces. The paper describes the architectural principles of a toolkit designed to support the construction of user interfaces with temporal characteristics. The Ttoolkit is an extension of an existing graphical user interface toolkit, the Xt toolkit. Its design is presented and a sample application is described.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Evaluation/methodology

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: User interfaces

  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Video (e.g., tape, disk, DVI); Audio input/output

General Terms:
Design, Standardization

Keywords:
UI toolkits, dynamic media, multimedia user interfaces, time programming