Note: Identities have been altered to protect the dull-witted.
In our last communication to the Review, we related the parable of Professor Jumber Okruashvili, a multimedia developer in higher education. As readers may have concluded from that tale, and our subsequent list of guidelines, digital authors will find the road to a multimedia publication somewhat vexing. Our topic in this issue is the troublesome task of convincing a press to publish a multimedia project. While Professor O. is fully occupied in his development efforts, he has graciously consented to share his correspondence with the press where his project has been under review. Professor Okruashvili has included his comments on each missive.
December 14, 1993
Dear Professor Okruashvili:
Thank you for your submission of your electronic project, "Dredging Digital Walden: Are There Signs of Intelligent Life?" Both Bernard Clark and I were enthralled by your short demonstration at last year's American Phrenological Association. As you may know, Bernard has recently left the press to join a major software company in California. As acting editor, I intend to get things moving on your project as soon as I can locate suitable reviewers. . . .
Yours truly, Mary Smith
[J.O.: I gave demos of my project to everyone at the annual APA conference; even to the doorman and people selling hot dogs. I received many enthusiastic responses, but I followed up with Mr. Clark and Ms. Smith because they seemed to "talk the talk," as they say, regarding the digital revolution.]
April 3, 1994
Dear Professor Okruashvili:
Your work calls for reviewers to use "multimedia-equipped" computers. While our standard reviewers are accustomed to using their computers for word processing, they seem to lack the requisite hardware and know-how to accomplish the task at hand. I am pleased to say, though, that we located two distinguished academics who are prepared to learn the necessary point-and-click skills your software requires. Further, we have been assured that they have access to more modern computers on their respective campuses. Unfortunately, mail delays, teaching schedules, leaves and the like have further delayed the review.
All the best, Mary Smith
[J.O.: I was a bit concerned that they could not find any reviewers who knew how to use or even possessed a multimedia PC. I remember thinking to myself, "This is going to be like training my dog, Fritz, to cook his own sausages!" I was thankful that Ms. Smith, at least, shared my view of the future.]
August 17, 1994
Dear Professor Okruashvili:
As you may know, Mary Smith has left the press to join a major California software company. Until a suitable replacement can be found, I have taken the responsibility of overseeing your project. . . . To be blunt, neither reviewer has been able to access your submission. And, given the current rebuilding phase of the press, I do not see us reaching a suitable agreement by your specified deadline. I will see that your materials are returned to you.
Yours sincerely, Michael Adams
[J.O.: I was quite depressed. Even though I had been turned down before, this arrangement had shown early promise. Even Fritz was a bit sad. That night, I cooked him some sausages and we both felt a little better.]
January 10, 1995
Dear Professor Okruashvili:
I am very pleased that we were able to meet face to face at the recent phrenological association meetings. Having never seen multimedia before, I must admit that I was quite taken by your presentation. As the new acting editor of the press, I intend to see that your project is moved to the front burner. I have been fully briefed by Mike Adams, and with your permission, as soon as your materials are returned from the original reviewers, I will reassign the evaluation task to more capable parties.
In regard to your aim to reach a wide audience with your work, I personally share your views. In a world where the price of educational materials must compete with Pearl Jam tickets, publishers need a product that can draw in diverse markets, especially younger readers. From what I've seen of your project, you have convinced me that multimedia must figure prominently in the press's future. I must confess, however, that the director of our press is unfamiliar with the new technology and has insisted that we maintain traditional press standards.
As you know, our press has a long and distinguished record for publishing only the best works in your field. To assure that we maintain our very highest standards in this new digital medium, our director insists that all the text fields in your project be submitted for review under our usual review procedures. I understand, as you described, that the multimedia interface is the "glue" that binds all the information together, but we must maintain our standards as we enter this new and exciting domain. All our projects-multimedia and print-must satisfy the same punctilious standards for publication. To this end, we plan to ship the text "dumps" to our reviewers. If you wish to amend your proposal to explain how the pieces fit together, please do so at your earliest convenience.
I'm sure we will have reviews in hand within the next 30 days.
Yours sincerely, Will Marsh
[J.O.: "What?!" I said to myself. "How can they even think of reviewing a multimedia project without the sound and the pictures and the movies and the buttons and the clicking? Don't they understand at all?" When I met this man, Mr. William Marsh, at the conference I thought, "This guy looks at me the way I look at Fritz when he's up barking all night." He's trying to be so very hip and cool with that Pearl Jam marketing mumbo-jumbo. I could tell at the conference that he's not especially "hip" to computers, not to mention multimedia. Obviously, the boss took him to the woodshed and told him to hold back on any serious multimedia effort.]
July 12, 1995
Dear Professor Okruashvili:
We are sorry it has taken somewhat longer than expected to generate these reviews. We had to send 6000 pages of text output to accompany your CD-ROM. We fear that one of the reviewers suffered a lower back injury attempting to lift the box of materials upon delivery. While he assured us that his recovery did not deter his review, he was nonetheless unable to get the CD-ROM to work on his machine because he did not have Microsoft Windows.
On the whole, the reviewers were generally approving of your attempt to bring new life to your subject. Reviewer A was very impressed with the easy, intuitive design. This reviewer also had praise for your judicious use of audio and video materials. Reviewer B had some reservations that I would like to articulate in order to prompt your response.
First, reviewer B expressed some concern regarding the printed materials. He found no coherence in the documents: no structure, no organization, no thematic integration. We must address this problem in the next iteration of your work.
[J.O.: Of course there was no coherence in the documents! They were out of context. What does he think interactive multimedia is, a big bowl of kasha? No! It's lots of things. It's pictures and movies, and sounds AND words all tied together. It's like a real experience, like real life.]
Second, he did not find your use of images or video enlightening. He remarked: "If my students want to see pictures, they can find them in the library." Also, he was not very impressed with your virtual reality tour. "We have the good fortune to live near Walden Pond, so there is no need to capture digitally that which we can see with our own eyes."
[J.O.: This second reviewer missed the whole point of multimedia. It's as if I'm in the park with Fritz and I throw a stick. Fritz just sits there and looks at me. It's like he's saying, "Well, now you've done it. Now you must go get that stick." And I say, "No, Fritz! YOU get the stick and bring it back. And I'll throw it again. It'll be fun!" But Fritz doesn't get it. That's just the way some dogs are.]
Until we have stronger evidence that your project is right for us, I'm afraid we will have to withhold judgment.
With best wishes for success, Will Marsh
[J.O.: Is this a "yes" or a "no"?]
December 2, 1995
Professor Okruashvili:
Thank you for your letter of inquiry regarding our review and the postponement of our decision regarding the publication of your project, "Dredging Digital Walden: Are There Signs of Intelligent Life?" This letter addresses your concerns.
We agree that 24 months is a long time for review. An explanation is certainly in order. As you may know, Will Marsh has recently left the press to join a major software company in California. As acting editor, I would like to assure you that your project is a high priority. We, at the press, have come to realize that, in order to stay competitive in today's market, we will need to break into the electronic publishing arena soon . . .
Sincerely yours, Suzanne Hawkins
[J.O.: Aaarrgg!! How do I get off this crazy merry-go-round? Here I am again, at the very beginning. It's as if I am going in through a revolving door ending up back outside on the street. I believe that interactive multimedia is an effective and, perhaps, revolutionary way of teaching, organizing information and conducting research. Someday, I will get my project published. I know I will. It will just take a little more time. Fritz! Fetch my laptop . . . .]
David Andrew is a multimedia developer with INNOVA [email protected] or <http://www.innovastudio.com>
Jerry Goldman is a political scientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. [email protected]