eZedia World e-Newsletter

eZedia World - vol. 5
eZedia's Monthly e-Newsletter
August 8, 2001

In this issue:

1.	B.C.'s Ministry of Education chooses eZediaMX!
2.	eZedia to post new eZediaMX Installer on the web
3.	Did you know about the GoTo Object?
4.	What's New At eZedia

1. eZediaMX receives Provincial Recommendation from Ministry of Education, British Columbia
In July of this year eZedia received notice from British Columbia's Ministry of Education that eZediaMX has been granted Minister's Order and now has the formal status of Provincially Recommended. The Ministry has determined that eZediaMX has met the criteria for inclusion in the 11 - 12 grade collection.

Describing the product as "an intuitive multimedia software package that allows the creation of either linear video-type presentations or interactive web style, using either Mac or Windows platforms," the Ministry states that it is suitable for earlier grades (8 - 10). Other comments made include the fact that eZediaMX allows drag-and-drop assembly of multimedia components without complexity of scripts, accommodates a wide variety of file formats, and features skill-building tutorials and support resources which are usable in created presentations.

2. eZedia to post new eZediaMX Installers on the web
eZedia will be posting an update to the eZediaMX installer on the web next week to assist with memory issues experienced by some Mac OS users. Those affected were receiving a "player not found" error message when attempting to run an eZediaMX file in the eZedia Player. The update will be significant for users as it also will install the newest version of QuickTime–(v. 5.0.2).

The FAQ section of the eZedia web site has recently been updated in order to address installer issues users have faced during the last month. Most questions have to do with competing versions of QuickTime attempting to install on the same system. In these instances the QuickTime installer or QTJava.zip will fail to install. In order to fix this you will need to go into the Program Files folder (Windows) or the Applications folder (Mac) and open the QuickTime Folder. In it you will find an application called QuickTimeUpdater. Ensure you are connected to the Internet and then double-click on this application icon. Click the "Custom" button on the lower left and scroll down the list until you see "QuickTime for Java." Select the checkbox next to this option and choose "Update Now." It will then install the newest version of QTJava.zip.

As well, we've recently received questions about installing eZediaMX on Apple– computers that come equipped with Mac OS X. We've received reports that the eZediaMX installer appears to stop halfway through the installation process. We believe that this is because of the existence of both Mac OS 9.1 and OS X operating systems on these computers. If you wait a few minutes the installation will be completed.

3. Did you know about the GoTo Object?
This month in eZedia World we highlight the GoTo Object. We speak to Karen Chudobiak, Multimedia Developer at eZedia about how using the GoTo Object contributes to producing interactive presentations that wow!

eZedia World: So Karen, what is the GoTo Object?
Karen Chudobiak: The GoTo Object is the sixth Object on the eZediaMX Tool Bar and is represented by a set of converging arrows. As part of the eZediaMX Interactive Tools, the GoTo Object is an integral part of adding interactivity and navigation to your eZediaMX project. GoTo Objects can be used to advance to other frames in your existing document, to another eZediaMX document, to other kinds of files (Acrobat Reader files, Word documents, Excel files, etc.) or to the Internet.

eW: So rather than simply moving through a project via consecutive frames, you can use the GoTo Object to create non-linear navigation which allows a user to make choices about how they want the material to be presented or viewed.
KC: Yes exactly! It allows for a much more personal multimedia experience for those who receive your projects.

eW: How else can we use a GoTo Object?
KC: It's all about creating a visual "show me" experience... like the saying goes, a picture's worth a thousand words so instead of just making reference to data in a presentation, you can show them. Rather than creating a slide simply showing statistics from a spreadsheet, you could add a GoTo button and move directly into an Excel document and view it. You could even make changes to the spreadsheet and then go back to your eZediaMX document. Another good example is to create a GoTo button that goes out to the Internet so that you can be on line while you are presenting, which creates a whole new element of content.

eW: Is it difficult to create GoTo objects?
KC: No, it's surprisingly simple. All you have to do is click on the GoTo Object in the Tool Bar to open up the dialog box. The dialog box contains options for how the GoTo is going be activated, where it should "go to" and even what the button is going to be named. If you need any reference, our manual has a section on the GoTo Object and as always our resources are a great way to see how projects are built. Just go to eZedia Showcase, download a project and open it in eZediaMX to see how it was built. We are also always adding new showcases, so check back often.

eW: Thanks Karen for keeping us in the loop on the eZediaMX features.

4. What's New At eZedia
From new resources, events and updates to the latest eZedia news there is always something happening at eZedia. Here are this month's newest updates!

Yearbook Interface Object Well
Voted "Most likely to be more popular than a traditional yearbook." Take your schools yearbook to the next level of media design. Download the NEW Yearbook Interface Object Well!

Teacher Portfolio Well
Now teachers can organize and showcase their career and visions for the classroom. Use this interface well to build your Teacher Portfolio.

Fine Arts Showcase
From da Vinci to Dali master the art of creating an interactive art history lesson and quiz.
Check out the Fine Arts Showcase

Events
eZedia is on the road again. We'll be at the Technology + Learning Conference at the World Congress Center - Atlanta, Georgia November 8 - 10, 2001.
Read more

eZedia is presenting a 3-day workshop at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba from August 21 to August 23, 2001. Members of the eZedia team will be providing introductory and advanced sessions.
More information

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Try our site search today

Look for the next issue of eZedia World on September 4, 2001.

eZedia World welcomes subscriber feedback, story ideas as well as editorial contributions to our monthly newsletter. Please e-mail us your ideas at ezediaworld@ezedia.com.

© 2000-2001 eZedia Inc. All rights reserved. eZedia, the eZedia logo, and eZediaMX are registered trademarks or trademarks of eZedia Inc.