This is Internet On The Air. I'm Joan Silvi. Did you know your computer can talk to
you? Details in a moment.
Funding Credit: Internet On The Air is a production of the University of
Michigan School of Information and Michigan radio, made possible by a grant from the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation.
In science fiction movies, computers are highly interactive -- they
talk to people, and can even understand simple commands. But that's only in the movies,
right? Actually, some web pages can talk to you or play music for you. You could even have
a video conference over the Internet.
These special interactive features are possible because of something called Real Time
Streaming. Streaming means that information is constantly delivered to you without
interruption. You don't have to wait while new information replaces the old information -
it appears instantaneously.
Since not everybody will be using the same computer, the same network, or even the same
delivery channel, a protocol for Real Time Streaming was needed to provide standards for
reliable delivery of this type of information. With the support of 38 companies, Netscape
and Progressive Networks submitted a protocol for approval last October. It would help all
users get the same information in a usable format - and it would mean faster delivery of
sound and images in real time.
It's not science fiction anymore to watch a concert live through your computer or
download a new song by your favorite artist on its release date. Or, you could simply
choose not to listen to the computer.
To learn more about Real Time Streaming and the Internet, visit us at our Web site at
www.si.umich.edu/iota. I'm Joan Silvi for Internet On The Air.
