Introduction

The various applications discussed in this book are exciting achievements that have become possible only because of recent advances in technology. Film, television, video, and computer technologies are converging rapidly. We see competing thrusts from interactive TV, VideoTex, both orthodox and unorthodox [Maurer and Sebestyen, 1982], video-on-demand, and CD-ROM technology, driven by an increased demand for more user interaction. As we shall find again and again throughout this book, the Internet and the World Wide Web are driving the convergence even closer.