Course Overview

We'll discuss the course syllabus, the course outline, this weblog, and what "multimedia" means in the context of the IT curriculum.

Introductions

I'm going to do my best to get to know you all by name before the end of the quarter. That'll be a lot easier if I have some context for you. Use the comment feature on this entry to introduce yourself and tell me (and the rest of the class) something about yourself.

If you have a web page of your own already, include the URL. (If you don't have a web page already, don't panic! That's often a good thing, because it means you won't have to unlearn any bad coding habits...)

Not sure what to write? At a minimum, tell us where you're from, what you're interested in studying, where you're living this year (home? dorm? which one?). Adding a little about your interests would be nice, too. Are you an avid sports fan? A video-game-aholic? A gourmet chef?

Readings for Course Overview

• World of Ends ("What the Internet Is and How to Stop Mistaking It for Something Else.) - by Doc Searls and David Weinberger

Discussion Question: Internet Metaphors

Do you think of the Internet as a place? As a thing? Why? How far does the metaphor you use reach--at what point, if any, does it start to break down?

Homework: Mac OS X Basics

If you're already familiar with Mac OS X, you're off the hook so far as this homework is concerned. If you're not (and that's most of you, I suspect), you'll need to spend some time in the lab before Wednesday's class so that you can familiarize yourself with the OS X environment.

You'll be able to do all of your project assignments on the computer of your choice, but your practical exams will be given in the IMM Lab, on Macintosh computers running OS X 10.2 (aka "Jaguar")--that means that it's important for you to develop a level of comfort with that operating environment.

There are tutorials on OS X available from the Atomic Learning Library. For those who prefer a book to an online tutorial, there are two books that I'm aware of geared towards Windows users: Mac OS X for Windows Users: A Switchers' Guide by David Coursey, and Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, by David Pogue.

I will not be covering Mac OS functionality in class, so you'll need to get up to speed on the OS environment on your own time. If the IMM Lab isn't open, there are also Macs available in the main learning lab (off the atrium), and in the tutoring lab--where you'll also find our multimedia tutors, Eric Willis and Nate Rode, who can help you with course-related topics (including this one).

multimedia pioneers slides

Here's a QuickTime movie version of the multimedia history powerpoint presentation.

If you don't have a QuickTime player, you can download one here.