In the past few years the WWW has seen a lot of progress. However, not until recently did people start viewing this powerful tool as more than a mere large database. In particular, many `real life' applications began to emerge, many of which are discussed in this book. One of the more recent application is the addition by Kodak1 of Photo CD capability on the Web.
In general, the Photo CD system offers a powerful tool for viewing, storing and working with images that is fast becoming a computer industry standard. Launched in 1992, the original Photo CD format enables photographers to take standard 35 mm film pictures and have them scanned onto Photo CDs by a photo-finisher or service bureau. They can then view their pictures on television using a Photo CD player. (Kodak, Glass Plates)
More recently, with the big advances in personal computers, the Photo CD system is able to bridge from consumer and professional photography to the desktop computer. It combines the quality, convenience and low cost of conventional picture-taking with the benefits of digital technology -- the ability to display, enhance, store and transmit images electronically. Perhaps more importantly, the same discs can now be read by practically any computer equipped with a CD-ROM drive. (Kodak, Photo CD Menu)
For computer users, Photo CDs offer many advantages that make them practical for desktop computer users to work with images.
In this chapter we will review this amazing technology by Kodak, and how it is incorporated into the World Wide Web in a simple manner, a fact that brings the Web a step further in becoming a desktop interactive tool, rather than just a database browser.
Dan Haim
haim@vt.edu
Last modified: Sun Dec 15 17:16:38 EST 1996