Portable Document Format (PDF)

tool: Omeka

Purpose:

Omeka is a free, flexible, and open source web-publishing platform for the display of library, museum, archives, and scholarly collections and exhibitions.

Features:

* Free, Open-source
* Easy to use
* Extensible, scalable, and flexible
* Standards-based metadata and web design
* Interoperable
* Contribution Plugin
* Geolocation Plugin
* Google Translate Plugin
* OAI-PMH Harvester

Publisher:

Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media,George Mason University

Creator:

Center for History and New Media,George Mason University

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

General website development

Interface design

Collaborative publishing

Resource sharing

Software/programming languages used:

Omeka

Discipline:

Librarianship, Information & Museum Studies

Platform:

All major operating systems

Specifications:

eXtensible Markup Language (XML)

HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Dublin Core

ATOM

Powerpoint Document (.ppt)

JSON

RSS2

Data structuring and enhancement:

Cataloguing and indexing

Tags:

web content management

Alternate tool(s):

DSpace

Strategy and project management:

General project management

Licence:

GNU General Public License

lifecycleStage:

creation

structuring

publishing

By Valentina Asciutti at Fri, 07/10/2011 - 15:03

Read more about Omeka

tool: Google Docs

Purpose:

Google Docs is a free, web-based service provided by Google for word processing and the creation of spreadsheets, presentations, forms and drawings. The cloud-computing application allows users to create, edit, upload, share and store data online in a variety of file formats similar to any office suite.

Features:

Shared folders and multiple file uploads with an individual file storage limit of 1GB.
Allows multiple users to create and update live documents in collaboration.
Translation and detection of up to 40 languages online and offline as well as dictionary definitions.
Supported on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and mobile browsers.
Available in 48 languages.
Automatic saving of open documents with revision history.
Insertion and editing of mathematical equations and symbols in documents.
Snap-to grid guides for automatic object alignment.
A choice of 70 themes to add colour to surveys and questionnaires created with forms.
Improved find-and-replace toolbar.
Strict and lenient levels of validation in spreadsheets for controlled project collaboration.
New version will include a chat function as well as drag-and-drop columns and editable formula bars in spreadsheets.

A&H use case 1 description:

The project provides free MP3 streaming and downloadable recordings of performances by British and Irish musicians made between 1900 and 1950, accessible through an online search interface. Around 2000 recordings from King's College archives were digitised and made accessible alongside almost 3000 digitised recordings from the CHARM project (Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music).

Creator:

Google Inc

Data capture:

Manual input and transcription

Communication and collaboration:

Textual interaction (asynchronous)

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

XML

HTML

Excel Document (.xsl)

Powerpoint Document (.ppt)

Rich Text Format (RT)

Image Documents (.jpg) (.gif) (.png) (.tiff) (.bmp) Open Office

Word Document (.doc)

lifecycleStage:

creation

structuring

Data publishing and dissemination:

Collaborative publishing

Alternate tool(s):

Buzzword, Zoho, ThinkFree

Tags:

Platform:

JavaScript enabled browser

Licence:

Free

Software/programming languages used:

Google Docs

By danafarra at Tue, 08/06/2010 - 11:33

Read more about Google Docs

tool: QuarkXPress

Purpose:

QuarkXPress desktop publishing software is commonly used to create page layouts for a variety of print publications such as books, newspapers, magazines, posters and brochures.

Similar in function to InDesign, the main differences are Quark's unique features for exporting documents as interactive webpages as well as its widespread use by printers, typesetters and page designers.

Features:

Enables the production of HTML and XML content without the need to convert or refine documents
Supports direct PDF importing and outputing according to regulations
Fully supports Adobe Photoshop files, avoiding complicated and time-consuming conversions
Uses OpenType and Unicode, making font and character settings easy
Free TypeTricks XTension locates overset text boxes as well as widows and orphans
Presents intuitive colour-management tools that includes the unique option of hexachrome printing
Allows the customisation of line and border dashes and stripes as well as the merging of boxes to generate complex shapes
Text runaround for hidden layers may be turned off
Shared Content instantly incorporates any text or graphic changes consistently throughout a project
XPress Composition Zones allow team members to work simulatenously on a project, with all modifications being updated instantly
Job jackets keep print job specifications consistent throughout the project, ensuring their clarity and memorability

A&H use case 1 description:

The Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music (DIAMM) project used QuarkXPress alongside other tools to create an electronic archive of medieval polyphonic music images. The purpose of the archive is to allow detailed study of the music and its sources as well as to ensure their preservation.

Creator:

Quark Inc

Software/programming languages used:

Quark Xpress

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

General website development

Collaborative publishing

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Unicode

PhotoShop Document (PSD)

QuarkXpress Document (QXD)

Platform:

Discipline:

Data structuring and enhancement:

2d modelling - raster

Tags:

2d graphic design

Desktop publishing and pre-press

Alternate tool(s):

Adobe InDesign

Practice-led research:

2d graphic design

Licence:

commercial

lifecycleStage:

publishing

By danafarra at Wed, 02/06/2010 - 09:57

Read more about QuarkXPress

tool: Adobe Bridge

Purpose:

Adobe Bridge is a media management application that may be used to organise, browse, locate, and view creative assets. It was provided as a part of the Adobe Creative Suite, beginning with CS2.

Features:

• Tightly integrated with other Adobe suite software (except for the standalone version of Adobe Acrobat 8)
• Extensible through use of Javascript

A&H use case 1 description:

The Winsor & Newton Colourman's Manuscript Archive used Adobe Bridge to organise scanned images associated with paint making.

Publisher:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Specifications:

HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Small Web Format (SWF)

Adobe Photoshop Document (PSD)

Suite:

Adobe

Software/programming languages used:

Adobe Bridge

Data capture:

Use of existing digital data

Tags:

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

Platform:

By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 17:01

Read more about Adobe Bridge

tool: Adobe Pagemaker

Purpose:

PageMaker was the first desktop publishing (DTP) program, introduced in 1985. The last version is PageMaker 7.0 released in July 2001. In 2004, Adobe announced that development for Adobe PageMaker had ceased but that Adobe would continue to sell and support it. InDesign is presented as the successor product.

Features:

• Automatically rearrange a document’s pages into printer spreads for professional printing
• Automatically create and style bulleted and numbered lists
• Create customised publications (e.g. catalogues, business cards)
• Resize and move images and their frames or reposition content in relation to frames using the “Position tool”

A&H use case 1 description:

The corpus of Anglo-Saxon stone sculpture utilise Pagemaker during the production of project documentation.

Creator:

Aldus Corporation (in early versions), Adobe Systems Incorporated

Publisher:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

QuarkXpress Document (QXD)

Adobe InDesign (INDD)

Adobe Photoshop Document (PSD)

Adobe Illustrator (AI)

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Word document

Data structuring and enhancement:

Graphical rendering

Image enhancement

Image restoration

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

Software/programming languages used:

Adobe Pagemaker

Adobe Table

Suite:

Adobe

Practice-led research:

Alternate tool(s):

Adobe InDesign

Tags:

Platform:

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 16:24

Read more about Adobe Pagemaker

tool: Adobe InDesign

Purpose:

InDesign is a desktop publishing (DTP) software application which can be used to create periodical publications, posters, flyers, brochures, magazines and books.
The latest version, InDesign CS4 Server (codenamed Thyme), is the tenth generation in the product line.

Features:

• Tightly integrated with other Adobe suite software
• Dynamic cross-reference support that updates content when moved within a document
• Spread rotation
• Smart guides (Quickly align space, rotate, and resize single or multiple objects with the help of dynamic guides.)
• Conditional text (Deliver multiple versions of a document for different users, all from a single Adobe InDesign source file. Hide text at paragraph, word, and even character level without relying on layers. The remaining text and anchored objects automatically reflow in the layout.)
• Smart Text Reflow (Automatically add pages at the end of a story, selection, or document when text is overset using this new preference.)
• Live Preflight

A&H use case 1 description:

Interpreting The Bible and its Visual Expression Within the Cultural Landscape of Wales used Adobe InDesign to process Welsh artwork created in the 19th and 20th century that depicts biblical scenes and characters.

Creator:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Publisher:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Specifications:

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Unicode

Macromedia Flash Video (FLV)

Small Web Format (SWF)

QuarkXpress Document (QXD)

Data structuring and enhancement:

Graphical rendering

Image enhancement

Image restoration

Data publishing and dissemination:

Desktop publishing and pre-press

Software/programming languages used:

Adobe InDesign

Suite:

Adobe

Practice-led research:

Alternate tool(s):

QuarkXpress

Tags:

Platform:

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 16:04

Read more about Adobe InDesign

tool: Adobe Illustrator

Purpose:

Adobe Illustrator is a comprehensive vector graphics environment that is ideal for all creative professionals, including web and interactive designers and developers, multimedia producers, motion graphics and visual effects designers, animators, and video professionals. The latest version, Illustrator CS4, is the fourteenth generation in the product line.

Features:

• Tightly integrated with other Adobe suite software
• Raster and type-in vector format support

A&H use case 1 description:

The Inscriptions of Aphrodisias project used Adobe Illustrator to manipulate resources associated with Greek inscriptions from Aphrodisias in Caria.

A&H use case 2 description:

The North Sea Palaeolandscapes project used Adobe Illustrator during the production of visual data for use by the geological and archaeological community.

A&H use case 3 description:

The British Town maps project used Adobe Illustrator to manipulate graphical data produced between 1470 and 1895.

Publisher:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Creator:

Adobe Systems Incorporated

Practice-led research:

2d graphic design

2d illustration

Photomontage

Data structuring and enhancement:

Suite:

Specifications:

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)

Bitmap (BMP)

Rich Text Format (RTF)

Unicode

Adobe Freehand

CorelDraw image (CDR)

Windows MetaFile (WMF)

PhotoShop Document (PSD)

Autodesk Drawing eXchange Format (DXF)

TrueType

Plug-in support

Microsoft Word document

Data analysis:

Image feature measurement

Tags:

Alternate tool(s):

Corel Draw

Platform:

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

Software/programming languages used:

Adobe Illustrator

By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 15:29

Read more about Adobe Illustrator

tool: ArcView

Purpose:

A software application for creating, manipulating and analysing GIS (Geographic Information System) data. ArcView may be used to create geographic maps, manipulate spatial features, analyse attributes and characteristics, and visualise spatial information in an understandable form. Current versions of the software enable the user to import and manipulate several content types in a spatial environment, including demographic information, CAD designs, still images and other types of content.

Features:

• Integrated query-building functionality to interrogate a dataset in order to answer research questions. For example, distance measurement, feature location
• Availability of map templates to create a consistent layout and appearance.
• Plug-in support that allows use of first-party and third-party extensions to perform tasks unsupported in the base installation of the software. E.g. raster geo-processing and three-dimensional analysis.

A&H use case 1 description:

‘Predicting the location of hominid sites in Africa and Asia’ project has used the software to geo-reference a dataset of locations in Africa and Asia, in order to assess the relationship between bone collagen preservation and geographic location of archaeological sites.

Publisher:

ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute)

Data analysis:

Spatial data analysis

Specifications:

Surfer (ASCII & binary) data format

JPEG

Windows Enhanced MetaFile (EMF)

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)

Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

Portable Network Graphics (PNG)

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)

Bitmap (BMP)

ESRI Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

polyline

polygon

floating GRID

Adobe Illustrator (AI)

Software/programming languages used:

ArcView

Suite:

ArchGIS

Data capture:

Geophysical survey

GPS and total station surveys

Tags:

GIS

Data structuring and enhancement:

Geo-referencing and projection

Licence:

lifecycleStage:

Platform:

By Valentina Asciutti at Wed, 20/01/2010 - 11:47

Read more about ArcView

tool: GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Program

Purpose:

A multi-platform software application primarily used for image composition and editing. The basic tool may be augmented by plug-ins and extensions that allow the use of new file formats, effects filters and batch processing capabilities. GIMP was initially created to manipulate raster images, but has been extended to provide limited vector image and moving image support.

Features:

• Tile-based memory management system, which uses disk space to store images that cannot be physically held in memory.
• Alpha channel support for working with transparency
• Layer and channel support
• A procedural database for calling internal GIMP functions from external programs, such as Script-Fu
• Plug-in support enabling use of new file formats and effects filters
• GIM Animation Package supports moving image formats.

A&H use case 1 description:

The Isambard Kingdom Brunel papers (1806 - 1859) project use GIMP to manipulate high-quality TIFFs of Brunel's notebooks, sketchbooks and letters for export to a compressed JPEG format for publication.

Creator:

GIMP Team

Publisher:

GIMP Team

Data structuring and enhancement:

Image enhancement

Image restoration

Data capture:

2d scanning and photography

Specifications:

JPEG

Portable Document Format (PDF)