Interactive multimedia composition on the World Wide Web: A solution for musicians using Java.

摘要

This thesis attempts to gauge the strengths and limitations of the Java programming language in terms of its use in the production of multimedia compositions: in particular, the ways in which Java supports the creation of interactive, non-deterministic musical works. An original solution to the problem of multimedia design is presented: a hierarchically defined, basic, yet flexible scripting language that is interpreted using Java. This scripting language allows the user to incorporate his/her own media into a coherent and interactive form using a small set of simple keywords and basic operators. It also allows new functionality to be added by advanced users with a basic knowledge of Java. By investigating how such a scripting language may be implemented, the extent to which Java may be applied towards multimedia applications in general is revealed.