Multimedia Authoring
Spin is unlike any multimedia authoring tool you have ever used. Spin is not limited to a single media library, or even to a single authoring paradigm.- Do you like behavior-based authoring (as in mTropolis), but sometimes you still want to use a time-based score (as in Director)? With Spin, you get both. You can even add new authoring paradigms, if your application requires it.
- Do you want to be able to take advantage of some hot new media library or animation format that just came out? Tired of waiting for the tool vendor to support it? With Spin, new media types can be added anytime, by anyone. Even you.
Spin is open, standards-based, and extensible.
Scripting
Are you tired of having to learn a new, incompatible, and proprietary scripting language with every new authoring tool you buy? Have you gone ahead and learned that new scripting language, just to find out that the function you need to script in it can't be done, because the scripting language doesn't support it? Do you want a scripting language with a full set of datatypes? With every library function you need? But still easy to learn?Spin uses Java as its scripting language. Java as a scripting language? How can that be possible? Isn't Java a programming language?
Spin uses advanced technology to make Java easier to use than most scripting languages, while retaining the full power of the language.
Power and ease-of-use.
Many people have added scripts in Spin without even being aware that they were programming in Java. They just thought that they were using the most powerful and full-featured scripting language in the universe. Scripts can be generated automatically using menus, so you can be writing scripts and not even know it.
Give it a try! You'll be amazed how easy it is. A common reaction when people see it is "Why hasn't anyone done this before?". And if you already know a language like C, C++, or Perl, then you can do all those things you always wanted to do, but couldn't in a normal scripting language.
Because Spin is based on a compiled language, it is fast — already faster than existing authoring tools and getting faster all the time. At the same time, projects produced with Spin are small and compact, because they do not need to include a large interpreter. And because Spin is based on components, you only need to include those components you actually use in a project.
Two Tools in One
Because Spin has both advanced visual authoring facilities and powerful programming features, it can be used by artists who have no idea how to program, experienced programmers who want to save time and energy, or anyone in between.Spin especially helps on large projects being done by both artistic and programmer types. The artistic types can storyboard what they want, while the programmers fill in the hard parts. This process can happen iteratively, with Spin serving as the communications medium.
Go Modeless!
Practically all authoring tools have a run mode that is separate from edit mode. To try out something new, you make the changes in edit mode, then you have to run through the project in run mode.Spin blows away this barrier. In Spin, you can make changes to your project while it is running. You can make as many changes as you like, until you get exactly what you want. You can even change scripts while the project is running, and Spin recompiles them on the fly. You can probably imagine how much this will feature alone will increase your productivity and creativity.
Modeless editing is made possible by the amazing ability of Spin to know, automatically, which changes are permanent changes to your project, and which changes are just run-time interactions. No other authoring tool can do this.
Not just a Multimedia Tool
Spin goes way beyond existing multimedia authoring tools.Multimedia authors are increasingly finding that they are doing projects for the Internet. Existing authoring tools only allow you to deliver content over the Internet, not run interactive applications over the Internet. Spin expands your horizons.
Target Vertical Applications
Spin itself is extensible so you can target vertical applications. So rather than using a general-purpose tool that does a lot of different things but doesn't do any of them very well, with Spin you can create a special-purpose tool that does exactly what you want, the way you want it. You can target Spin to vertical applications like computer-based training or online ecommerce.Other Advantages
Spin gives to multimedia authoring all its other advantages. These advantages are discussed in other web pages on this site.- Spin makes it possible to create sophisticated interactive content without programming.
- Spin is based on components.
- Spin itself, and projects produced with Spin, can run on practically any platform. You do not need to purchase multiple copies of Spin to author for multiple platforms.
- Spin has extensive debugging facilities.
- Spin projects are modular, so multiple people can work on the same project at the same time.
- Spin can handle large, complex projects.
