Re: Why SMIL technology will prevail over competing methods?

Flash Brasil wrote:
> 
> First, I think SMIL is a script language ....


I would not call SMIL a script language as that suggests 
it provides procedural constructs.

A main objective in designing SMIL was to create a declarative 
solution for specifying multimedia presentations.

Declarative means that the functionality is described, but not the 
detailed implementation of how to accomplish that functionality, 
i.e. the result (what) rather than an algorithm (how) causing that 
result is coded.

As a consequence, a declarative approach improves the robustness of 
a presentation in terms of predictability and stability. (For instance, 
in a procedure one may code side effects.)

A declarative approach provides more basis for interoperability 
with other formats and systems. For example, there exist conversion 
techniques based on the use of style sheets to transform from 
one DTD to another.

When it comes to the synchronization and timely presentation of the 
media objects involved, it is harder to realize this efficiently from 
a procedural description than from a declarative one, because the 
synchronization semantics are hidden inside the logic of the script. 
Realizing forward planning requires interpretation of the code (rather 
than bluntly executing it).


Kind regards,
Warner ten Kate.

--
Philips Research Labs. WY21 ++ New Media Systems & Applications
Prof. Holstlaan 4 ++ 5656 AA  Eindhoven ++ The Netherlands
Phone: +31 4027 44830
Fax:   +31 4027 44648    tenkate@natlab.research.philips.com