Multimedia is commonly defined as the integration of different media like video, text, sound, data, animation, graphics, pictures and other data that will serve many purposes for human utility. The term “multimedia” was created by Bobb Goldsteinn, an American songwriter and showman. A Multimedia system consists of many components like a capture instrument, computer system and a storage device that is used to record and save any data or file. It will also allow easy access for the user and this processes any content of certain media. Another is a communication network like the internet to allow interactivity. Display devices are another component of multimedia system and examples are speakers, printers and monitors. Multimedia serves its purpose by providing people with a variety of information through a more complex way. Aside from being informative, it can be utilized as a form of entertainment. Multimedia has two categories the linear and the non-linear. Those contents that are able to progress without the control of the user just like movies and videos are considered to be linear while those that allow interaction and navigation just like virtual reality and video games are non-linear.

Multimedia comes in a different variety and one common example is the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web is the most complex example of multimedia that encompasses other forms. It is a large system that contains countless contents seen in web pages that are utilized by everyone for learning, manipulation and entertainment. Virtual reality is another example; it enables a person to be in a computer generated environment wherein he takes full control of the different things occurring around him. The person can feel an aura that is not far from reality. It is also used on certain experiments and studies, and it has contributed a lot of things. Other examples of multimedia are digital video editing, hypermedia courseware, interactive television, video-on-demand and many more.

Multimedia has a broad range of application, and it is used in different areas and fields. In education, computers are widely used for learning many concepts and related topics. It involves the utilization of varied learning materials found on the internet which involves videos, animations, summarized texts and many more. This has found to have increased the interest of the young learners. Visual and auditory types of a learner are some of those individuals who find multimedia an easy way to learn. There are games available that are very educational wherein the learner can make answers to certain questions and receive corresponding points. Those individuals who are interested in studying foreign languages in many convenient ways can do so because of multimedia. The user can easily control the computer for easy understanding. This makes education a pleasurable experience for the learners. In the field of entertainment, multimedia is used to entertain people. One of which is through video games wherein the user can take control of certain characters in a game. Another prominent use of multimedia is in movies and TV programs. This is evident in the application of different kinds of visual effects that makes a certain program more enticing and believable. Those things that seem hard to execute in the set are replaced with computerized effects, and it has continued to improve throughout the years. In the industrial field, multimedia is utilized to attract many customers. This is evident in advertising, which allows them to share their insights and products to the people. They also make use of multimedia to present any information or plans to members of the company. They utilize PowerPoint presentations that make their reports creative and less difficult.

Multimedia continues to fascinate people and as technology continues to reach new heights, so as multimedia. It is something we can treasure because we owe a lot of things from it. Through multimedia, tasks are easier to accomplish and since it has contributed much to our society, it’s very satisfying to know and understand this man- made creation.

On September 20, Allen put out a blog called “It’s Not Alright,” criticizing the stance of Britain’s Featured Artist Coalition on the British government’s proposed crackdown on illegal file sharing activities.  The Featured Artist Coalition is a group of British musicians that include Blur, Keane, Radiohead, George Michael, Cornershop, Annie Lennox, and other big names in the British music industry.  The Coalition came out with a statement that condemned the British government’s move to cut off Internet access for those who engage in illegal file sharing. Saying that it would not be feasible for the government to do so because illegal file sharing actually helps them market their music by serving as a sampler, and because it is part of this generation’s way of appreciating and getting to know music.

Lily Allen was livid in opposing the coalition’s stance.  In her MySpace blog, Allen said that file sharing was detrimental to the music industry and suggested that the Coalition’s stance was short-sighted.  File sharing, according to her, may not be an issue for established acts like those by members of the Coalition, but it makes it difficult for new acts to survive or succeed.

What followed was a heated debate that swept Allen, the Coalition and the British public into a whirlwind of arguments and counter-arguments.  The Coalition came up with a follow-up statement clarifying that it was not promoting piracy, but it was solidly against cutting Internet access for those who are guilty of it.  Allen, for her part, said that the coalition is making it out that the proposed legislation may be construed as an attack on liberty and freedom, but stealing is not exactly a human right that has to be protected.  Allen also put up a blog that collected messages from artists who share her opinions but deleted it days afterwards.

Allen came out victorious. However, when the Coalition retracted its earlier statement on September 25.  The Coalition agreed on what it called a “three-strike” process to punish file sharers.  Two instances would merit warning letters, and the third would justify a limitation on the offender’s Internet bandwidth that would render piracy and file-sharing inutile.

The Coalition also signified its support for Allen’s campaign.

The Coalition’s entanglement with Allen is only one of the various worthwhile stories on piracy and file sharing and how policies should be enacted to control it.  They present two sides of the argument that has come to crop up each and every time the issue of piracy is brought up.

On one hand, we have those who say that piracy has a negligible effect on the sales of albums; that it even helps market songs by providing a sampler for the group’s album.  That in itself makes it a valuable marketing tool that record companies do not have to pay for.

Nevertheless, there are those like Allen, who firmly believe that piracy and file sharing is killing the music industry.  These are the people who equate file sharing with theft, an activity that, instead of telling people to buy albums, encourages them to pilfer and get their music for free.  It also discourages new artists from joining the industry, making it stagnant and with room only for the big names and established artists.

The biggest challenge for policymakers is to come up with regulations that address piracy in such a way that is both equitable to the music industry and the general public.  It is not an easy task as both parties have their own agenda.  Who has the answer?  Nobody as of yet, but the fight against piracy continues.