Interactive and Annotated Movies

Abstract

Free will is such a basic tenet of everyday belief that we assign it to the depths of our subconsciousness. Freedom of choice is assumed to be a basic human right. People expect choice — maximum choice, comprehensive choice. Computer technologists are compulsively answering the demand; and each answer raises further expectations. We have interactive TV, choice of TV programs from a multi-windowed screen display, and personal computers that can double as TVs and video recorders. Meanwhile on our computer screens more and more windows are appearing, with an increasing number of dialog boxes. Computer-controlled movies are developing such a range of options that, even at this stage, we must remember that more is not always best. Confusion, haste, inertia, and mental repetitive strain injury are only some of the human factors that will necessitate real research to optimise choice.

A previous version of part of this chapter was published in the proceedings of Ed-Media'95 [Jayasinha et aI., 1995].