Managing Media Types

A Media Type for all Occasions (MIME Types)

Originally the web and the browsers for accessing it could not accommodate images of any kind. Netscape introduced image capabilities to their browser in version 3.x and ever since, new image formats and other media types have been making their appearance on the web in increasing varieties. Additionally, server side technologies, such as Image Magick, have made it possible to process images and other media types directly on the web.

Today, websites host streaming media, such as sound and video transfers, Flash and Shockwave interactive animations, VRML, and an increasing variety of image compression formats. As a vector graphic format, Flash has taken the web by storm. And there are perhaps more interactive games created in Shockwave on the web than there are in all other formats combined.

Windows Media Player, Real Player, WinAmp, QuickTime, and others provide video capabilities in ways that bandwidth and browser technologies previously could not accommodate. Still the Macromedia Flash plugin, now with native support in many browsers, is growing in use. Some of the uses for these media types boarder on the ridiculous, and certainly many uses create usability horror stories.

A Flash in the pan?

But there are tremendous advantages for using Flash, Shockwave, and there are some very potent reasons for the inclusion of video and sound. Witness the various Television and Radio stations that broadcast their programming live in real time on the web. Interactive training tools, and distance learning technologies are just a sample. Multi-user online gaming is one of the fastest growing areas of the web. But these technologies evolve at a very rapid pace, and what was state of the art last year is an unsupported antiquity today.

Why would you include multi-media presentations on your website? What are the best technologies for your purpose? What version of the players should you support? How interactive should your presentations be? And importantly, how do you maximize the technology and exotic aspects for interest while retaining usability?

If you determine to use Flash, or Shockwave, or a version of QuickTime, for example, how do you implement the technology so that your investment is maximized and is made available across multiple platforms? Are there instances when it would be better to avoid the mixed media model?

This area of the site contains articles, notes, and links to other resources that will help you answer these and many other questions.

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