Initial design ideas were provided by the PostScript based window server NeWS by Sun Microsystems. The picture above illustrates the rapid evolution of the workstation software environment over the last several years, initiated in late '80s by the window server technologies. As a consequence of this vigorous multi-vendor activities, a "generic'94" workstation offers now a complex, heterogeneous programming model, composed of several powerful but often poorly integrated modules.
MOVIE server is built on top of this heterogeneous collection as an open interpreter of extensible PostScript, easily linkable to a variety of software paradigms, and the software integration process is reduced to designing and implementing the server protocol called MovieScript. MOVIE servers compute by interpreting MovieScript and communicate by "MovieScript Passing".
The ultimate goal of MOVIE is the operating environment for televirtuality, or high performance distributed virtual reality. This major software engineering task is still in progress. Selected system components and currently explored application areas are described on pages listed below.
- Rapid Prototyping Tools for GUI and Imaging
- Interpretative Support for Parallel Languages: HPFI
- Integration and Synchronization of Multimedia Modules: HPCGS
- Intermediate Form for HPCC Language Compilers and Interpeters: HPANDF
- Towards Operating Environment for Televirtuality
- Ref.1
- Ref.2
- Ref.3