Re: Macromedia Web Player for linux

[Scott Raney <raney@metacard.com>]

On Wed, 25 Aug 1999, Charles Short wrote:

> Has anyone heard of any software that can do the same thing or nearly
> the same things as Macromedia Web Player for Authorware

If you're looking for something compatible with that (that is,
something that you could use to play Authorware files directly on
Linux), AFAIK there isn't anything like it available now nor is
anything like this likely to become available in the near future
considering that Macromedia no longer even supports Authorware on the
Mac.

Your options are pretty limited, and all would require varying degrees
of redesign and reimplementation, but include:

1) Flash, a plug-in for that is available for Linux, but only supports
limited interactivity.

2) various programs that export to Java, which in my experience has a
lot of compatibility problems and is very unreliable on Linux, at
least if Netscape's implementation is any guide.

3) various programs that export only DHTML and JavaScript, browser
compatibility and difficult implementation both being issues.  Most
are quite expensive too (WBT, ToolBook, and Docent will probably all
run you $20K+ by the time you include run-time fees).

4) use an open source scripting language like Perl/Python/Tcl, a big
learning curve and low productivity inherent in a non-graphical
development environment being the issues.

5) use a commercial authoring tool like IconAuthor
(http://www.aimtech.com/, but note that it has been discontinued) or
our product MetaCard (http://www.metacard.com).  The latter is
card-scripting based and so would require some work to learn, but is
at least graphical and so is much easier to use than Perl/Python/Tcl.
  Regards,
    Scott

> Thanks
> chuck
> 

********************************************************
Scott Raney  raney@metacard.com  http://www.metacard.com
MetaCard: You know, there's an easier way to do that...