Introduction
At present, most of the multi-media software that runs on PCs is being
distributed over Compact Disk medium. Conseuently, to access this multimedia
software, all PCs must have CD-ROM drives and each use requires buying one
copy of the CD-ROM software. In this project, we are investigating the
development of a multimedia server that can store all the CD-ROM software
and have PCs access this server over a high speed network such as the NYNET.
A proof of concept has been demonstrated by porting the multi-media software
developed by Syracuse Language Systems (SLS), distributed in CDs, for
teaching languages, to a server and accessed it from multiple PCs over the
network. For access of remote files we have used PC-NFS which is PC version
of SUN Network File System (NFS) which provides transperant access to the
files on UNIX file system. Further, we have demonstrated that our approach
can also be applied to any other multi-media software that is distributed
in CDs.
Description of the project
PC-NFS: PC version of NFS
PC-NFS software distributed by Sun, Microsystems enables personal
computers running MS-DOS to share information and resources with
workstations, minicomputers and mainframes that run different
operating systems including UNIX and VMS. This sharing is provided
transperantly just as the sharing of files among a cluster of
workstations running NFS.
By using PC-NFS, the remote file systems are mounted on local disk
drives and remote printers are mounted on three parallel printing
devices that DOS recognises, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3. Once the remote
file systems or printers are mounted they can be accessed as though
they are seperate local drives or local printers running under DOS and
all the DOS commands work as usual.
Syracuse Language Systems (SLS) software
Syracuse Language Systems is a software development company dedicated
to multi-media language education. This company was formed by a
research group of Syracuse University and they produce fun and
effective language learning products. They distribute their software
in CD-ROMs which runs in MS-Windows environment. We have used their
"Playing with Language" series to demonstrate Education on Demand.
Triple Play of "Playing with Language" series helps the users
learn a foreign language. It is basically a visual aid, it displays
the objects and when an object is clicked the audio feature allows us
to know what the object is and how the word is pronounced. It also
conversational features which helps users to learn to understand and
speak the parts in realistic dialogs and conversations.
Running the software from the network
As we have already mentioned, when many users wants to share a CD-ROM
multi-media software, they need to have CD-ROM drives and each should
have a CD. But porting the software to a server and accessing over the
network reduces the cost as well as access time.
We have copied all the files of the software from the CD-ROMs to a
disk on the server. We, then installed PC-NFS on all the PCs that need
to access the software and mounted the directory containing the files
on to a local drive. Now, the PCs can access the software using this
logical drive. This method of sharing a multi-media software by
multiple PCs is not restricted to SLS software but can be used by any
other software. The following figure shows the data flow between SLS
software and the server.
Conclusion
This project is one of several HPCC projects being developed at NPAC that
we refer to as InfoVision (Information Video
Imagery Simulation On demand).
Current activity in telecommunications, cable and entertainment industry will
establish the key infrastructure which will eventually link
essentially all homes and institutions to large high performance
inforamtion servers as the following figure shows.
In this project we have demonstrated how the information sharing
reduces the overall cost by having software installed on servers and
having clients (PCs) access them over the network.