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Broadly, the conversion of content from
its original format into a format capable of being displayed on the world
wide web. On a small scale, such a process is a fairly trivial matter; it is
comparatively easy for web designers and producers to convert text documents
into html or scanned images into jpeg and gif files that can be displayed in
web browsers. But owners of large collections of content, especially media
companies, have found that the process of transforming their archived
materials into a form that can be easily accessed by internet users is a
long and expensive one with dubious returns and many pitfalls relating to
copyright laws. Visitor expectations of sites such as that run by the bbc
are high, but it is unlikely that the full range of text, audio and video
material held in the vaults of large organisations will ever see the light
of day on the web.
The term is also used to describe the gradual
evolution of conventional media into web-like entities composed of easily
digested chunks with interactive components. Digital television is the best
current example. |
